Postgame Notes
October 18, 2008 | Football
Oct. 18, 2008
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | AP Gallery 
GETTING STARTED
- Texas A&M won the opening coin toss and elected to receive. Tech is now 4-3 on the year in the opening toss.
- Today's game was televised nationally on FSN and marked Tech's fourth television appearance of the season and the third of the year on FSN. Tech will kickoff at 11 a.m. again next week as the Red Raiders face 15th ranked Kansas in Lawrence on ESPN or EPSN2.
- Senior cornerback L.A. Reed made his first career start on the defensive side of the ball today replacing Brent Nickerson who had made all six starts at the position this season. Reed is a converted wide receiver who was projected to be the starter coming out of fall camp but suffered an injury that moved Nickerson ahead on the depth chart. Reed made three starts last season as a wide receiver.
- Today's attendance at Kyle Field was 86,012 and the 10th largest crowd in A&M history.
Starters - (Offense) - (LT) Rylan Reed, (LG) Jake Johnson, (C) Stephen Hamby, (RT) Marlon Winn, (RG) Brandon Carter, (QB) Graham Harrell, (F) Shannon Woods (Y) Detron Lewis (Z) Michael Crabtree, (H) Eric Morris (X) Lyle Leong (Defense) - (LE) Jake Ratliff, (NT) Colby Whitlock, (DT) Richard Jones, (RE) Brandon Williams, (SAM) Bront Bird, (MIKE) Brian Duncan, (WILL) Marlon Williams, (LC) Jamar Wall, (SS) Daniel Charbonnet, (FS) Darcel McBath, (RC) L.A. Reed
TECH'S WIN. . .
- Gives Texas Tech a 7-0 record to start the 2008 season and their first 7-0 start since 1976.
- Gives Tech a nine-game win streak (Big 12 best) dating back to the 2007 season and four-straight on the road.
- Gives Tech a 3-0 start in conference play for just the fourth time in school history (counting Border, Southwest and Big 12 Conferences).
- Gives Tech a four-game win streak over rival Texas A&M.
- Makes the Red Raiders bowl eligible for the 15th straight season (Big 12 best).
- Gives Mike Leach a career record of 72-37 and a 38-29 record against the Big 12 Conference.
- Gives Mike Leach a career record of 23-18 against the Big 12 South Division.
- Gives Mike Leach a career record of 7-2 against Texas A&M and four consecutive wins over the Aggies.
RED RAIDERS GOING BOWLING
Red Raider fans can start thinking about their holiday travel plans as Texas Tech became bowl eligible with the win over Texas A&M. The Red Raiders became bowl eligible for the 15th straight season today and that is the best mark in the Big 12 Conference. Texas Tech's bowl game this season will be their 32nd all-time.
MAKE THAT FOUR OVER THE AGGIES
Texas Tech has now won four-straight games over rival Texas A&M and 11 of the last 14 against the Aggies. Tech's four-game win streak in the series is its longest since winning a school record six-straight between 1968-73.
TECH NOW 3-0 IN LEAGUE PLAY FOR JUST THE FOURTH TIME
Texas Tech's 3-0 start in conference play is just the fourth 3-0 start to league play in school history. The last time Tech started out 3-0 in league play was in 2005 and that team went on to finish 9-3 with a loss to Alabama in the AT&T Cotton Bowl.
HARRELL NOW HAS THREE WINS AGAINST TEXAS A&M
Senior quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Graham Harrell became the only quarterback in school history to win three games against rival Texas A&M. Harrell has posted three wins against the Aggies in his three years as the starting quarterback. The last Tech quarterback to win multiple games against the Aggies in a career was Joe Barnes in 1972 and 1973.
- Finished the day 44-56-2 for 450 yards and five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing). Now has 1,183-1,703-30 for 13,443 and 114 total touchdowns. He is now 41 passing yards away from passing Philip Rivers for fourth all-time in NCAA passing yards.
- Scored his fourth rushing touchdown of the season and has recorded a rushing touchdown in each of the last four games.
NOTES ON THE CRAB MAN
It was another big day for Heisman Trophy candidate Michael Crabtree as he turned in his 11th career multiple touchdown game and finished with eight catches for 71 yards.
- Lined up in the kick return formation following Texas A&M's first scoring drive in the first quarter. He tallied a 50-yard return and it marked his first appearance on the special teams unit in his career.
- Sophomore wide receiver Michael Crabtree hauled in the first touchdown of the game for the Red Raiders with 10:01 remaining in the first quarter. The 25-yard TD reception marked his 11th touchdown catch of the year and moved him into sole possession of sixth place on the school's career TD list with 33.
- Added his second touchdown of the afternoon on Tech's first possession of the second half when he caught a three-yard pass from Harrell with 11:10 remaining in the third quarter.
BIG DAY FOR BATCH
Sophomore Baron Batch had a big day for the Red Raider offense as he led the squad with 87 rushing yards and tallied three receptions for eight receiving yards. His two touchdowns on the day marked the first multiple-TD game of his career.
- While Baron Batch's 7.5 yard per carry average over the first five games is impressive, the sophomore back has upped that average over the last two with 8.0 yards per rush on 23 carries against Nebraska and Texas A&M.
- Grabbed the lead for the Red Raiders with 14:21 remaining in the first half when he scored on a three-yard rush. The rushing TD was his fourth of the season and it gave the team a total of 18 scores on the ground which matched the entire total from 2007.
- Picked up his first career receiving touchdown with 3:51 remaining in the first half when he caught an eight-yard pass from Harrell. It also marked the first multiple TD game of his career.
NOTING THE RED RAIDERS
- Texas Tech trailed 10-7 after the first quarter and that marked the first time this season that the Red Raiders have trailed at the end of any quarter.
- Graham Harrell's interception in the second quarter broke a streak of 182 attempts without an interception for the senior quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate. His last interception came in the second half at Nevada earlier this season.
- Prior to today's game the Red Raiders had only trailed for a total of 2:40 all season long and that was all at Nevada back on Sept. 6. The Red Raiders trailed Texas A&M for a total of 6:58 in the first half today.
- The Texas Tech offense had three turnovers today and that tied the Nevada game as the season high.
- Senior placekicker Cory Fowler connected on his first career field goal with 2:44 remaining in the third quarter. The kick was good from 25 yards and made the score 30-23.
