Red Raiders Prepare For Showdown Against Top-Ranked Oklahoma

THE GAME
The regular-season finale for both Texas Tech and Oklahoma kicks off Sat., Nov. 22, at 2:36 p.m. at Jones SBC Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. The Sooners lead the all-time series 8-2 and have won three straight. The series began in 1992 in Lubbock and the two teams have played annually except for 1995. Tech last won in the season finale in 1999, a 38-28 victory in Lubbock.

SELLOUT
When you mention records and Mike Leach, it usually means another offensive mark has bitten the dust. However, his next record spills over into the stands. When the Red Raiders and Sooners kick off this weekend, it will mark the second sellout of the season and third crowd of 50,000-plus of the season, tying the 1995 season with three games over 50,000. In five games at Jones SBC stadium this season, Texas Tech has averaged 48,903 per game, nearly 3,000 ahead of the old mark of 46,101, set in 2001. When the final numbers are tabulated, approximately 297,221 (49,537 per game) fans will have come through the gates this season.

PERFECT AT HOME
Texas Tech is one of three teams in the Big 12 Conference currently boasting perfect home records. The Red Raiders are 5-0 at home this season and, with a win Saturday, would post its 13th undefeated home season in school history and the first since 1995. Oklahoma wrapped up its home slate last week and finished unblemished at 6-0. Missouri is currently 5-0 at home with one to play.

TELEVISION
ABC Sports will carry the action live from Jones SBC Stadium Saturday. Brent Musberger (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (color analyst) and Jack Arute (sideline) will call the game, which kicks off at 2:36 p.m. The game marks the second appearance of the season for the Red Raiders on ABC (at Oklahoma State) and the seventh television game.

RADIO
The All Sports Radio Network, with its flagship station KKAM 1340-AM, carries the live broadcast of every football game throughout the state of Texas on its 26-station network. Play-by-play man Brian Jensen calls the action with longtime Lubbock broadcasting fixture John Harris as the color analyst. Mark Finkner provides the sideline coverage, while Tim Chambers serves as statistician.

THE COACH: Mike Leach
Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach is 30-20 at Texas Tech and is in his fourth season at the helm of the Red Raider program. In his first three seasons, Leach won 23 games, was the first coach in Tech history to lead his first three teams to bowl appearances, and helped Red Raider players set 125 school records.

SECOND-QUICKEST TO 30 With Texas Tech's win at Baylor, head coach Mike Leach became the second-fastest coach in school history to reach 30 wins. Jim Carlen won his 30th in the 46th game he coached at Tech. The Baylor game marked the 49th for Leach as head coach.

Senior Quarterback BJ Symons will look to surpass Tye Detmer's NCAA single-season passing record on Saturday.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
TWO NCAA RECORDS WITHIN SYMONS' REACH
Senior QB B.J. Symons is close to adding two more NCAA records to his credit - Single-Season Passing Yards and Single-Season Total Offense Yards. Symons needs 83 passing yards against Oklahoma to set the new standard and needs only two yards of total offense to set the mark.

Climbing the Charts - Total Offense
1.  David Klingler, Houston (1990)  5,221
2.  B.J. Symons, Texas Tech (2003) 5,220
Climbing the Charts - Passing Yards
1.  Ty Detmer, BYU (1990)            5,188
2.  David Klingler, Houston (1990)  5,140
3.  B.J. Symons, Texas Tech (2003) 5,106

THREE TECH RECORDS FALL IN SYMONS' FAVOR
The same two records Symons in approaching in NCAA annals fell in the Texas Tech record books against Texas. Symons' 5,220 yards of total offense and 5,106 passing yards are both single-season school records formerly held by Kliff Kingsbury, who set the record last season. He also set the school and Big 12 single-season touchdown passes record with 47 this season, breaking Kingsbury's mark of 45, set a year ago.

HENDERSON SETTING HIS OWN MARKS
Sophomore RB Taurean Henderson rushed for a career-high three touchdowns at Texas and has a personal single-season high of eight this year. A year after setting the NCAA and Tech freshman record with 98 receptions, he has established a new Tech sophomore standard with 65 receptions this season. Henderson also leads the team with 84 points on 14 touchdowns in 2003.

TEAM SINGLE-SEASON RECORDS SET TO FALL
Texas Tech as a whole is closing in on a few single-season records. The Red Raiders are currently averaging 44.5 points per game, 6.1 points more than last year's record of 38.4 points. Tech also could set records in touchdowns (68; 71 in 2002); most PATs made by kick (59; 62 in 2002); first downs (365; 380 in 2002); touchdown passes (48; 50 in 2002) and total offense (6,656; 6,835 in 2002).

EXPERIENCED O-LINE
In addition to returning four starters from last season's offensive line, Tech also welcomes a wealth of experience on the depth chart. Rimington Trophy candidate and senior starting C Toby Cecil is the veteran along the offensive line with 48 starts to his credit over his career, including 11 as a redshirt freshman in 2000. His total number of starts ranks him second among the nation's offensive linemen.

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW
Senior WR/PR Wes Welker broke Lee Nalley's 54-year-old NCAA career punt return yardage record with a 22-yard return against Baylor, setting a new standard of 1,745. Nalley set the previous mark of 1,695 from 1947-49 while playing at Vanderbilt. Three weeks ago against Colorado, Welker broke former Tech All-American Donny Anderson's 38-year-old career all-purpose yardage record. Welker has 5,521 all-purpose yards in his career.

WHO'S ON THE RECEIVING END OF ALL OF THOSE YARDS
Five Red Raiders have over 500 yards receiving this season, led by senior WR Carlos Francis. Francis is having a stellar senior season and leads the team with 1,060 yards and 16.1 yards per catch. Francis ranks second in the Big 12 and 15th nationally with 96.4 yards per game. He also has nine touchdown receptions and 66 receptions overall. Additionally, senior WR Wes Welker leads the team with 82 catches and has 946 yards and eight touchdowns. Senior TE Mickey Peters has 64 receptions, 843 yards and 10 touchdowns. WR Nehemiah Glover has eight scoring catches and has 61 receptions for 902 yards. RB Taurean Henderson follows with 528 yards on 65 receptions. He also has six touchdown receptions. The quartet accounts for 77.9 percent of Tech's receptions this season and 85.4 percent of the receiving corps' touchdowns.

DEFENSIVE NOTES
DUCKETT TIES SINGLE-SEASON SACKS RECORD Junior DE Adell Duckett tied the Texas Tech single-season sacks record against Texas, after recording 2.5 in the game. He has 12 on the season and ties the old mark, set by Aaron Hunt in 2001. Duckett also ranks third on the career sacks list with 22 and needs four to move into second and 12.5 to set the career mark.

The Texas Tech defense will be ready for a challenge as the Oklahoma offense is ranked eighth nationally.

RED RAIDERS MATCH LAST SEASON'S PICK TOTAL
Texas Tech's 16 interceptions this season matches last season's total of 16, which the Red Raiders accomplished in 14 games. Tech has played 11 games this year. Senior SS Ryan Aycock leads the team with six picks, followed by FS Vincent Meeks with four and CB Chad Johnson with two.

FRESHMAN MAKES MARK ON SACKS
True freshman DE Keyunta Dawson logged a half sack against Texas, giving him 2.5 sacks in the last two weeks. Dawson has 4.5 sacks on the season and 12 tackles. Against the Longhorns last Saturday, he finished the game with two tackles, both for loss.

DEFENSIVE STAND
Since labeled No. 117 in total defense four weeks ago, the Red Raider defensive unit has stepped up and improved on its standing. Over the course of the first eight games of the season, opposing offenses averaged 503.8 yards per game. In the last three games, opposing offenses have managed 354.3 yards per game.

AYCOCK GRABS SIXTH AT BAYLOR
Senior SS Ryan Aycock surpassed his previous season-high of four interceptions with his fifth against Colorado and added a sixth in the win over Baylor. His 11 career picks is sixth on the Tech career interceptions list. Aycock leads the team with 94 tackles on the season.

TRUE FRESHMEN MAKING MARK
LB Brock Stratton and CB Chad Johnson have matured quickly as the only two true freshmen starting on the defensive side of the ball. Stratton is second on the team with 83 tackles and has five tackles for loss and two sacks. He also grabbed his first-career interception against Colorado. Johnson has 32 tackles on the season and two interceptions.

FORCING THE ISSUE
The Red Raider defense has forced 28 turnovers in the last 12 games it has played, dating back to the Tangerine Bowl win over Clemson at the conclusion of the 2002 season. During that stretch, the Tech defense has accounted for 20 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries.

TECH DEFENSE TAKES YOUTHFUL TONE
With five starters returning from last year's defense, first-year Texas Tech defensive coordinator Lyle Setencich had to find replacements. Enter the freshman classes of 2002 and 2003. In addition to a junior defensive end, a junior linebacker, a sophomore linebacker, a senior strong safety, a sophomore free safety and a junior corner, Tech started two redshirt freshmen across the front, a true freshman at middle linebacker and a true freshman at left corner against Baylor and Texas.

TEAM NOTES
RED RAIDERS GOING BOWLING
Texas Tech became bowl eligible for the 11th-straight year with its 26-21victory over Colorado. Texas Tech is one of just three Big 12 Schools (Kansas State, Nebraska and TTU) to be bowl eligible every year since the conference was formed. Texas Tech defeated Clemson in its last bowl appearance in 2002 in the Tangerine Bowl 55-15.

TECH'S FINAL TWO GAMES RANKED AS TOUGHEST
In last week's NCAA strength of schedule update, Texas Tech's remaining schedule against No. 6 Texas and No. 1 Oklahoma ranked as the toughest in the country.

RED RAIDERS STRONG IN NON-CONFERENCE GAMES
In four seasons under head coach Mike Leach, the Red Raiders are 14-5 in non-conference games, including postseason bowl games. Tech finished this season's non-conference slate with a 3-1 mark.

WATCH LISTS
A few Red Raiders have found themselves on the list of several preseason awards:
SS Ryan Aycock, Jim Thorpe Award
C Toby Cecil, Rimington Award and Lombardi Award
WR Nehemiah Glover, Biletnikoff Award
RB Taurean Henderson, Doak Walker Award
TE Mickey Peters, Mackey Award
LB John Saldi, Butkus Award and Lombardi Award
LB Mike Smith, Lombardi Award

Texas Tech University Athletics

Red Raiders Prepare For Showdown Against Top-Ranked Oklahoma

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Keyunta Dawson

Taurean Henderson

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John Saldi

Brock Stratton

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