A simple question was sent to me sometime between last night, and this morning on my facebook and it read this. “WTF, how did the Texas allow themselves to loose to Texas Tech”?? Let me start by saying this, Texas did not allow themselves to get beat, they flat out go beat last night. In this post I will make no excuses for why my beloved Longhorns are no longer ranked #1 in the country. I will only point out facts.
Texas rolled into Lubbock last night physically and emotionally drained after the last 3 weeks. Playing Oklahoma, Missouri, and Oklahoma State has been no easy task. In the first half last night Texas looked lost both on offense, and defense. Texas Tech lined up and spent the first half punching Texas square in the mouth. I will give Texas Tech credit for lining up and playing football all night long, instead of their usual gadget and trick play fest. Texas Tech was fired up bringing in a swarming defense, and a balanced offensive playbook in with them. Texas Tech has never been known for their defense or run game, oh how times have changed. Texas defense was kept on its heels all of the first half. They never forced a three and out until the third quarter. Keeping this high powered Texas Tech offense from scoring is no easy task. The inability to keep Texas Tech from scoring, and having a flat, pass dropping offense left Texas in a 22-6 hole going into the half.
The second half was a different story on both sides of the ball for Texas. The defense came out and remembered how to play defense, and the offense came out and remembered which way the endzone was. Texas would battle back to take a one point lead with 1:23 left to go in the game, Longhorn fans could finally stop the barage of 4 letter words flying out of their mouths. With 1:23 left on the clock and a time out in their back pocket, Texas Tech sends their special teams out on the field, 3 key plays on this drive would start the end of the Longhorns run at #1.
Key Play #1 On the kickoff Texas special teams fell apart, allowing the return man to rattle off a 30+ yard kick off return.
Key Play #2 On a deflected Harrell pass, true freshman Blake Gideon would drop a gift of an interception that would have sealed the fate of Texas Tech. This dropped interception will haunt Gideon for many years to come.
Key Play #3 With 8 seconds left in the game, Harrell finds Crabtree for a sideline circus catch on the 4 yard line, add in the lack of a wrap up tackle, and the rest his Red Raider History.
Now Longhorn fans can wait and see where the powers that be place the Longhorns in the BCS standings. I’m sure we will drop below USC and Oklahoma in the polls after USC shut out the high school team they payed yesterday, and Oklahoma put on a scoring clinic against Nebraska yesterday. Not only did Texas loose a very important game last night, but now they no longer control their own destiny in the polls. If the rest of the season plays out for Alabama, and Penn State, the Longhorns are no longer in the National Championship hunt. At the beginning of each season, my only wish for my beloved Longhorns is to go to a good bowl game. Sure having a shot at the National Championship is all great and fine, but a BCS bowl game is better then the Alamobowl, which Texas had the pleasure of playing in after an average 9-3 season last year. Texas now finds themselves in a *must win out* position to make a serious run at a BCS bowl game.
With Baylor, Kansas, and Texas A&M still left on the schedule. Texas better not let this loss last night rattle their cages to bad. An 11-1 season is still one hell of a season, and is still a more then obtainable goal.
Congrats to Texas Tech, you guys deserve to enjoy this win. I will give the team credit, but Mike Leach can suck it! He hates him some horns, I hate me some cabbage patch kids!!!
*EDIT* The new poll has been released..
|
1
|
 Alabama |
.975 | ||
|
2
|
 Texas Tech |
.937 | ||
|
3
|
 Penn State |
.929 | ||
|
4
|
 Texas |
.853 | ||
|
5
|
 Florida |
.827 | ||
|
6
|
 Oklahoma |
.822 | ||
|
7
|
 USC |
.755 | ||
|
8
|
 Utah |
.697 | ||
|
9
|
 Oklahoma State |
.666 | ||
|
10
|
 Boise State |
.653 | ||
|
11
|
 Ohio State |
.555 | ||
|
12
|
 TCU |
.544 | ||
|
13
|
 Georgia |
.536 | ||
|
14
|
 Missouri |
.492 | ||
|
15
|
 Brigham Young |
.37 |
I must say, I am rather surprised by some of the places teams ended up…
6 responses so far ↓
1 Steve // Nov 3, 2008 at 9:47 am
All in all I’ll take a #4 rank since the tie breaker if all in the Big 12 are 1 loss teams, the highest BCS rank will go to the Big 12 Championship. With us not losing all we need is OU or OSU to wipe the floor with Tech and we’re in. I’m not betting on OSU but OU with that D and that O are probably the ones to do it.
I will be routing for Sooners in 2 weeks to take down the Raiders and that should be enough with our undefeated schedule and Big 12 Championship win to get us to the National Championship game.
The last 4 weeks have been brutal only playing 1 team not in the top 10 in the nation. That being said, that 1 team not in the top 10 is currently ranked 14th.
This has probably been the best year in a long time for great games for the Longhorns and I’m proud of my boys. They were getting dominated last night but found a way to take the lead in the 4th quarter when they needed it. They didn’t win but they showed some balls coming back after being dominated like that.
All in all, “HOOK’EM HORNS”
:clap:
2 Steve // Nov 3, 2008 at 9:50 am
*undefeated for the rest of the season (not this whole season)
3 Patrick Austin // Nov 3, 2008 at 9:59 am
I agree with Steve. We need OU to trounce Texas Tech.
But I was VERY impressed with Tech’s defensive line. They were on top of Colt all night. What I don’t understand is why the quick out to the receivers wasn’t working. That was our bread and butter all season. Instead, it was Tech using it all night.
Mack would best spend the off season recruiting offensive line talent.
Penn State has it easy the rest of the way. Don’t expect them to lose. They’re a lock for one of the two top slots.
4 lajitas // Nov 3, 2008 at 11:11 am
You’re correct when you say that Tech smacked us right in the mouth in the first half, because they did. And Gideon dropping that sure interception just killed me. But what kills me just as much is how a team can throw that many times in a game and NEVER get called for holding. It’s amazing. Now I have to say go Okie State and Okies and :finger: Mike Leach!!
5 Ick // Nov 3, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Well as I said, I was really shocked that Tech lined up and played with no gadget plays. I thought I would never say this, but Go Oklahoma!! :worried:
6 Elvis 2 // Nov 5, 2008 at 9:01 am
to all you haters let me just say LETS GO RAIDERS !!!
i rooted for the horns along with my boys when you guys were dominating, so why cant i get the same respect, lol
this was a great game both ick and i agreed it was going to be won by 6 to 9 points. True the horns were flat and my raiders just took it to the next level, so i only think with this win in our belts now there is a HUGE boost in the team and they will be gunning even harder with the rest of the schedule. if and when my boys beat you okie fans all of a sudden, i hope you kats will be a lil more supportive. if not i say again GO RAIDERS!! :thumbs:
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