Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech To Host Mississippi In Home Season Opener
September 10, 2002 | Football
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SATURDAY'S GAME SHOWCASES TWO OF NATION'S TOP QUARTERBACKS
Two of college football's top quarterbacks will square off on the same field when Texas Tech hosts Mississippi this weekend in the 2002 home opener for the Red Raiders.
Texas Tech's Kliff Kingsbury recently became the school's career passing yardage leader with a 369-yard performance at SMU last weekend. He now has 8,122 yards in his career. Kingsbury also is 232 yards away from Major Applewhite's Big 12 passing yardage record. He has put together two 300-yard passing games so far this season and has totaled 710 passing yards.
Ole Miss' Eli Manning has thrown for 366 yards and four touchdowns on the season and has guided the Rebels to a 2-0 start. Manning, son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and brother of current Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, was named Playboy Preseason All-America as well as earning a spot on several All-SEC squads.
Both quarterbacks are mentioned along with several national awards, including the Davey O'Brien Award and Unitas Golden Arm Award.
THE SERIES - TEXAS TECH VS. OLE MISS
Texas Tech and Mississippi have met twice before, both games coming on the neutral surface of Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La. The Rebels hold a 2-0 advantage over the Red Raiders with wins in the 1986 and 1998 Independence Bowls.
THE RECORDS
Texas Tech - Texas Tech enters Saturday's game with a 1-1 record following its first win of the season over SMU last weekend. The Red Raiders won 24-14. Tech opened the 2002 campaign with a 45-21 loss at Ohio State in the NACDA Pigskin Classic Aug. 24.
Mississippi - Ole Miss is coming off of a 38-16 win over Memphis and enters the game with a 2-0 mark on the season. The Rebels opened the season with a 31-3 win over Louisiana-Monroe. Saturday's game is the first road game of the season for Mississippi.
TEXAS TECH HEAD COACH MIKE LEACH
Third-year head coach Mike Leach has a career-mark of 15-12, including this season's 1-1 record. Leach is 10-4 in two seasons on the turf of Jones SBC Stadium. During his first two seasons, Leach became the only coach in school history to guide his first two teams to postseason bowl berths and ranks second among Tech football coaches with 14 wins in his first two seasons.
MISSISSIPPI HEAD COACH DAVID CUTCLIFFE
David Cutcliffe is in his fourth season at Ole Miss and, ironically, coached his first game against Texas Tech in the 1998 Independence Bowl after taking over the reigns prior to the game. Cutciliffe enters the game with a 25-13 record, including a 2-0 start this season.
