Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders Look To Become Bowl Eligible On Saturday
November 06, 2002 | Football
WHEN - Saturday, November 9, 2002 4 1 p.m. (CT)
WHERE - Jones SBC Stadium (51,000) 4 Lubbock, Texas
TEXAS TECH RADIO - All Sports Radio Network (Brian Jensen - Play-by-Play; John Harris - Color; Mark Finkner - Sideline)
TELEVISION - None
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SETTING THE SCENE
Texas Tech hosts Oklahoma State for its 11th game of the season with a shot at postseason action on the line. With three games remaining, the Red Raiders need one win to secure its third-straight bowl eligible season under third-year head coach Mike Leach.
The Red Raiders and Cowboys kickoff the 30th game of the series at Jones SBC Stadium in Lubbock Sat., Nov. 9. Game time is set for 1 p.m. (CT). Tech leads the overall series 17-9-3 and has won the last two meetings and six of the last seven. The Red Raiders lead 8-2-2 in Lubbock and have won five straight dating back to the 1965 season. The series took on an international flair during the 1989 season when the teams met in Tokyo, Japan, on Dec. 4.
The Red Raiders are 6-4 overall and 3-2 in Big 12 play following last weekend's dismantling of Baylor, 62-11. The point total was one short of the 63 Tech scored against the Bears last season in Waco. Tech is averaging 37.6 points per game and a league-leading 488.2 yards of total offense.
Oklahoma State is 4-4 and 2-2 in the Big 12 and has put together impressive back-to-back wins over two Big 12 traditional powers. The Cowboys knocked off Nebraska (24-21) three weeks ago and followed with a 28-23 win over Texas A&M last weekend.
LAST SEASON IN STILLWATER
Texas Tech scored two touchdowns in each of the final three quarters en route to a 49-30 win in Stillwater. Kliff Kingsbury blistered the OSU defense with 440 yards on 44-of-46 passing and four touchdown tosses. Mickey Peters caught 10 passes for 100 yards and Anthony Terrell added an interception return for a touchdown.
THIS HAS BEEN A HIGH-SCORING AFFAIR FOR THE RED RAIDERS UNDER LEACH
During Mike Leach's first two seasons at Texas Tech, the Red Raiders have outscored Oklahoma State 107-30 in two games. Tech scored on all three sides of the ball in a 58-0 win in Lubbock in 2000 and put 49 on the board in a 49-30 in Stillwater last season. Tech is averaging 53.5 points during the two games, while allowing only 15 points per game.
KINGSBURY MOVES UP TO EIGHTH
Kingsbury threw for 373 yards against Baylor, enough to move him from 14th to eighth on the NCAA all-time passing yardage list. If he continues his current pace of 355.7 yards per game, he will finish fourth on the list. Kingsbury currently has 10,969 passing yards and will pass Tennessee's Peyton Manning and Georgia's Eric Zeier with another 300-yard passing game.
TWO MORE NCAA MARKS FALL
Two other NCAA records fell in the win over Baylor - career passing attempts and career plays. Kingsbury has 1,696 pass attempts in his career and broke the previous record of 1,679 set by Louisville's Chris Redman. He also set the career plays record and has 1,947 in his career. Indiana's Antwan Randle El held the previous mark of 1,917. Also, Kingsbury currently is on pace to set the NCAA career plays per game record. He is averaging 49.9 plays per game and is ahead of former Long Beach State quarterback Doug Raynor's record of 48.5 plays per game from 1984-85.
WELKER ONE OF SCHOOL'S TOP ALL-PURPOSE PLAYERS
Junior IR Wes Welker has 3,475 career all-purpose yards and ranks seventh on the school's all-time top 10 list. He needs 16 yards to pass Tyrone Thurman in sixth place. Welker has rolled up 1,171 punt return yards, 311 rushing yards, 1,672 receiving yards and 321 kickoff return yards over his career. Welker currently ranks third at Tech with 136 receptions; second with 104 punt returns; and is second with 1,171 punt return yards. He also ranks in the Big 12 in career receptions (5th), punt return yards (3rd) and punt returns (4th).
WELKER STREAK CONTINUES
Junior IR Wes Welker has caught a pass in 29-consecutive games, dating back to Oct. 7, 2000; during his freshman season against Baylor for his first career catch. Welker's career receiving numbers: 136 receptions, 1,672 yards and eight touchdowns.
