After defeating the number one ranked Texas Longhorns the Texas Tech Red Raiders have moved all the way up to the second ranking in the Bowl Championship Series! In one of the most exciting games of the year the number 8 ranked Red Raiders and the number 1 ranked Texas Longhorns traded blows in a game that even though it only had two lead changes feature numerous plays that swung the momentum back in forth for 60 electrifying minutes. So without further ado here is my recount of the greatest game of the year... so far!

• I’m watching the game with my mother who has cooked enchiladas to celebrate the game, my two friends (also UT fans) and my wife who even though she grew up in Austin and is a Longhorn fan has decided to remain neutral tonight in an effort to keep the peace in our house. Honestly what more can you ask for…except perhaps a Tech victory?!
• After a stalled opening drive Tech pins Texas at their own 2 yard line with a punt and follows it up with a safety on Texas’s first play from scrimmage! Now this is how you’re supposed to start off a big game baby!
• Tech takes the free kick, drives it inside the Texas red zone and after a dropped touchdown pass settles for a field goal. NOOOOOO! I know its cliché’ but everyone knows that when you’re playing the number one team in the country you can’t leave points on the board!
• Luckily for Tech super senior Jordan Shipley repays the favor minutes later by dropping what would’ve been a sure touchdown pass. This proves costly because Tech after a Texas punt the Red Raiders drive the ball 96 yards for a touchdown. Its 12-0, the Tech defense is dominating and the fans in Lubbock are going absolutely crazy! So tell me, why am I still nervous?
• Tech’s defense is on fire! After forcing Texas’s high powered offense to punt once again the Red Raiders drive the length of the field for ANOTHER touchdown to go up 19-0! My family and friends hate me right now, but I refuse to celebrate because I still have the memory of the Longhorns coming back from 21 points down to win in Lubbock two years ago.
• I knew it! Texas, after a scary drive, stalls at the Tech 29 and settles for a field goal. 19-3. It’s cool, I knew it wouldn’t be a shut out and after all the defense did tighten up and hold them to a field goal.
• Tech responds! If there’s one characteristic that most good teams have it’s that they whenever someone gets a momentum changing score they answer with a score of their own. So when Tech drove right back down the field on the ensuing possession and kicked a field goal, I must say that not only was I impressed, I was also starting to feel confident that it was Tech’s night to shine! 22-3.
• CRAP!!! Crabtree fumbles on a flanker screen; Texas takes over and drives down for another field goal. 22-6. After dodging yet another bullet, thanks to a surprising effort from the defense, Tech goes into half time with a 16 point lead.
• After running up and down the field for most of the first half, Tech’s offense gets conservative and is forced to punt from their end zone. Of course Jordan Shipley returns the ensuing punt 45 yards without being touched for the Horns first touchdown. It’s 22-13 and suddenly not only are the Horns back in the game but their fans are starting to feel a little frisky.
• Trailing by nine, Texas gets the ball back at the 18 and is looking to build on their momentum when from out of nowhere Daniel Charbonnet intercepts Colt McCoy and returns it for a touchdown! Pandemonium erupts…at least from me. Where did this defense come from I ask you?!! 29-13.
• Both teams trade punts and then in typical Texas comeback fashion Colt McCoy engineers a 58 yard touchdown drive to bring the Horns back to within 10 points after the two point conversion fails. Will someone please tell me why these damn cows wont just die already! They’re like Freddy Kruger or Jason Vorhees because they just keep coming back from the dead! 29-19
• Texas blocks a Tech field goal and just: 14 seconds later freaking Colt McCoy chunks a 91 yard touchdown to Malcolm Williams to bring the horns to within 3 points. The UT fans are going ape shit as Tech fans watch their season slip away in shock! Kill me! Kill me now before UT completes yet another freaking come back and I spend the rest of the night listening to “Better luck next year” speeches from my family and friends!
• This Tech team is resilient to say the least! After Texas shocked them with a 91 yard touchdown, Graham Harrell and the Red Raider’s offense methodically march down the field and kick a field goal to build their lead to six. Honestly is there a more sickening feeling in the world than a six point lead? It’s like getting up and going to the bathroom and leaving your girlfriend after she’s had 2 cosmos at the table with Brad Pitt. 32-26 with 5:45 left to play in the game.
• Remember what I said about how good teams always answer the opposition’s scores? Well guess what?! With 1:35 left in the game Colt McCoy leads the Horns to the go the game tying touchdown, followed by the heart ripping extra point that gives the Horns their first lead of the game. Miserable doesn’t even begin to explain how I feel right about now. 33-32
• After a great kick return Tech gets the ball at their 38 yard line with 1:29 left to play. Plenty of time to mount a comeback but two things concern me, the fact that the Texas defense has held the Tech offense to just three points in the second half and the fact that the Tech’s kicker won his job in a halftime kicking contest!
• With time running out Tech drives down the field and after UT drops a sure interception that would’ve ended the game, Graham Harrell hits Michael Crabtree for the GAME WINNING TOUCHDOWN with :01 second left to play!!!! Tech wins! Tech wins! That’s right Texas freaking Tech has just beaten Texas for the first time since 2002!
• The fans storm the field and tear down the goal posts as me and…well me celebrate the biggest victory (so far!) in Texas Tech’s history! In what had to be one of the greatest games that I’ve ever seen the Red Raiders proved that they belonged in the Top 10 by upsetting a gutty Texas team. Even now two days later I still can’t wipe the smile off my face. Sure Tech faces a tough schedule down the stretch and will have to beat Oklahoma State and Oklahoma to win the Big 12 South, but right now that doesn’t matter because the Red Raiders just beat the number one team in the country and for once there will be no consolation speeches after the Texas game!

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