Texas Tech University Athletics
Postgame Notes
October 25, 2008 | Football
Recap | Final Stats | AP Gallery 
GETTING STARTED
- Kansas won the opening coin toss and elected to receive. Tech is now 4-4 on the year in the opening toss.
- Today's game was televised nationally by ESPN and marked Tech's fifth television appearance of the season. The appearance on ESPN is a first for the Red Raiders in 2008.
- Brent Nickerson regained his starting position at right cornerback this week after missing his first start of the season against the Aggies last weekend in College Station.
- The Texas Tech and Kansas coaching staff's both wore armbands showing their support for the Coach to Cure Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. The charitable project is sponsored by the American Football Coaches Association.
- Today's attendance at Memorial Stadium was 50,125.
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) Brent Nickerson
TECH'S WIN. . .
- Gives Texas Tech a 8-0 record to start the 2008 season and their first 8-0 start since 1976.
- Gives Tech a 10-game win streak (Big 12 best) dating back to the 2007 season and five-straight on the road.
- Gives Tech a 4-0 start in conference play for just the third time in school history (counting Border, Southwest and Big 12 Conferences).
- Gives Tech a three-game win streak over Kansas and a 10-1 record all-time against the Jayhawks.
- Snaps Kansas' 13-game home win streak which was the fourth-longest current home win streak in the country coming into today.
- Marks Tech's first win over a ranked opponent this season and three consecutive wins over ranked teams dating back to 2007.
- Marks Tech's first win over a ranked opponent on the road (non-neutral site) since a 48-47 overtime win over No. 23 Texas A&M at Kyle Field in 2002.
- Sets up a huge game next week at Jones AT&T Stadium as the Red Raiders will face No. 1 ranked and rival Texas. The game will mark the highest rankings by Tech and its opponent at Jones AT&T Stadium in school history.
- Gives Mike Leach a career record of 73-37 and a 39-29 record against the Big 12 Conference.
- Gives Mike Leach a career record of 16-11 against the Big 12 North Division.
- Gives Mike Leach a career record of 4-1 against Kansas and three straight over the Jayhawks.
HOW ABOUT THAT!
Sophomore placekicker Matt Williams may just be the most popular player in college football at the moment. Williams, who just a few short weeks ago, was just a regular student at Texas Tech but quickly found himself on the team after winning a halftime promotion at the UMASS game. Williams made a 30-yard field in the Lynwood Townhomes Kick-For-Rent contest and that drew the attention of head coach Mike Leach who quickly found a spot for him on the team. After receiving word from the NCAA this week that he was eligible, he was named the starter this past week in the extra point role. Williams was successful on his first career PAT with 12:46 remaining in the first quarter following an Edward Britton 55-yard touchdown reception.
HARRELL TURNS IN HEISMAN WORTHY PERFORMANCE
Senior quarterback Graham Harrell certainly turned in a Heisman Trophy type day as helped lead the Red Raiders to a 63-21 win over No. 19/18 Kansas. The win snapped a 13-game home win streak by the Jayhawks and pushed Tech's record to 8-0. Harrell finished the day 34-for-42 for 386 yards and five touchdowns.
- Moved into fourth place on the NCAA's career passing yards list on his first pass of the game when he found Edward Britton for a 55-yard touchdown pass. Harrell surpassed former NC State quarterback Phillip Rivers who threw for 13,484 yards between 2000-03.
- Moved into fourth place on the NCAA career total offense yardage list with 13,676 yards. He passed former Houston quarterback Kevin Kolb and N.C. State quarterback Philip Rivers. He trails Ty Detmer of BYU, who totaled 14,665 yards.
- Finished the first half 22-for-26 for 247 yards and threw for four touchdowns. The 247 yards was his second best performance in the first half of a game this season behind the 316 yards he tossed at Kansas State.
- Found his favorite target Michael Crabtree four a four-yard touchdown pass with 5:54 remaining in the first quarter that gave the Red Raiders a 13-7 lead. The touchdown combination was the 35th between the two since last season. Found Crabtree in the endzone again later in the third quarter for a 16-yard TD strike that gave the Red Raiders a 48-14 lead. The TD combination was their 36th.
- Rushed for a one-yard touchdown on Tech's first possession of the second half and gave the Red Raiders a 41-14 lead with 8:23 remaining in the third quarter.
RED RAIDERS COMPLETE SWEEP OF THE NORTH, KANSAS STATE CHAMPS!
Texas Tech completed its sweep of the Big 12 North Division today with a 63-21 win over the Kansas Jayhawks. The 3-0 sweep of the Big 12 North teams is the first for the Red Raiders since 2005 when Tech swept the same three teams (Kansas, Kansas State and Nebraska).
WOODS MOVES UP ON LISTS
Senior running back Shannon Woods scored two touchdown on the ground for the Red Raiders today and that moved him up on a couple of records list at Texas Tech. He is now tied for sixth place all-time at Tech with 31 career rushing touchdowns. He also moved into eighth place on the Tech career scoring list with 36 touchdowns and 216 points.
CAREER DAY FOR MCBATH
Darcel McBath's three interceptions tied the single-game school record set earlier this season by Daniel Charbonnet against SMU. McBath has 10 picks in his career and is tied with Kevin Curtis on the Tech career list.
DEFENSE RISES TO THE OCCASION
The Texas Tech defense took the saying "rise to the occasion" to another level Saturday. The Red Raiders held Kansas to 315 yards of total offense and forced three Jayhawk interceptions. The unit stifled the KU offense, holding them 12 points below their season average of 33.0 points entering the game, and limited KU to 19 first downs.
NOTING THE RED RAIDERS
- On just the second offensive play of the game, Graham Harrell connected on a 55-yard touchdown pass to Edward Britton to give the Red Raiders an early 6-0 lead with 12:46 remaining in the first quarter. Texas Tech's 41 second scoring drive on its first possession was the quickest opening drive of the year for the Red Raiders (Graham Harrell 55-yard pass to Edward Britton). The previous fastest was 2:03 at Kansas State, capped by a 1-yard Harrell strike to Lyle Leong).
- Sophomore running back Baron Batch hauled in a 42-yard reception that helped set up Tech's second touchdown of the game on its second offensive possession of the game. The 42-yard catch marked a career-long for the Midland product.
- Texas Tech (14) and Kansas (14) combined for 28 points in the first quarter, tying the UMass game when Tech led 21-7 following the first frame. The 14 points score by Kansas are the most allowed in the first quarter this season.
- Senior receiver Eric Morris hauled in a seven-yard touchdown reception to give the Red Raiders a 20--14 lead with 12:58 remaining in the second quarter. The touchdown reception was his third of the season and his first since the UMASS game back on Sept. 20.
- Junior defensive end McKinner Dixon added to his sack total when he recorded his seventh with 11:47 remaining in the second quarter. The sack was key for the Red Raiders because it came on third down and gave Tech its second defensive stop of the game.
- Junior defensive end Brandon Williams recorded a sack and a forced fumble late in the second quarter to give the Red Raiders the ball on their own 38-yard line. The sack was his eighth of the year and his third forced fumble.
- Eric Morris extended the Tech lead to 34-14 with 2:15 remaining in the first half when he scored on a 10-yard reception. The touchdown was his second of the game and came as the result of Brandon Williams sack and forced fumble that gave Tech the ball on the 38-yard line. The multiple touchdown game marked the third of the season for Morris (Nevada and UMASS).
- Sophomore quarterback Taylor Potts and redshirt freshman Adam James each recorded their first career touchdowns when Potts hit James on a 10-yard scoring strike in the fourth quarter.
- Texas Tech's 63 points are the most in a game this season and the most since putting 62 on the scoreboard against Southeastern Louisiana in 2006.
