Goal Line Stand: Texas Tech is a different team

It is a measure of Texas Tech’s recent prosperity that Red Raiders coach Mike Leach was a little miffed when someone asked him why his 8-0 squad was different than previous editions. To Leach, the perfect, fifth-ranked team is about the same as the rest of his outfits — high-flying, pass-happy and points-hungry.

“We’ve been winning some games,” Leach said.

Indeed Tech has. The Raiders have won at least eight games six years straight (seven if you count ’08) and have hit the nine-win mark three times. Yep, they’ve been getting it done down on the South Plains. But not like this. Tech is 8-0 and dreaming of big things. Really big things. With all due respect to what Leach has accomplished — and he is one of the most underrated, not to mention, ahem, different coaches in the country — beating Virginia in the Gator Bowl and Minnesota in the Insight doesn’t quite compare to what the Raiders can do Saturday night.

Number one Texas comes to town, with its Heisman-leading QB, three straight wins over top-11 teams and its big-time Lone Star reputation. Oh, brother, will the tortillas be flying in Lubbock. Some are saying it may be the biggest game in Jones AT&T Stadium history. May? There can be no question this is the biggest. It’s bigger than 1976, when 8-0 Tech lost to number nine Houston. It’s bigger than last year, when third-ranked Oklahoma came to town and was spanked. Everything’s bigger in Texas, and this is downright huge.

The game itself has every chance to be just as wild as the pre-game build-up promises to be. In the past, the Red Raiders have had some chances to knock off more highly regarded teams. They have even whipped Texas a couple times during the past decade. The difference this year is that Leach’s team is not some upstart looking to spoil another school’s party. Since the end of last season, when folks noticed that 10 starters returned on offense and that the Raiders, under new coordinator Ruffin McNeill, actually seemed intent on stopping some people now and again, were going to be rather special.

An 8-0 start that included last Saturday’s 63-21 road pounding of previously 23rd-ranked Kansas, has caused folks to believe that the forecast of great things was right on. And here comes Texas, the perfect Next Step for Tech, which like every other school in state must live in the sizeable shadow of its big brother and its endowment billions. The question is not whether the Raiders can pull it off but rather which of these two excellent teams will prevail. That’s the difference between this Leach team and its predecessors. Anyone associated with the program regards the game as a meeting of equals — even if no Longhorn alum would ever confer that status on a Red Raider, or Aggie, for that matter. Even though the ‘Horns are top-ranked and coming off three huge manhood tests, it’s entirely appropriate to consider this a meeting of two powerhouses, pedigrees be damned.

The question, then, is whether Tech can win, and the answer is a resounding yes. There’s no guarantee the Raiders, who by the way, begin a gauntlet of their own Saturday, facing Texas, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma over the next four weeks, will succeed, but they don’t have to resort to tricks and gadgets. If they play sound Texas Tech football, they could be living large at about 10 p.m. CDT Saturday night.

First, Tech needs to keep QB Graham Harrell clean. He has been sacked only three times all year, but Texas has a somewhat better pass rush than Eastern Washington or Kansas State, for that matter. Harrell makes his O-line (Mankind, Kool-Aid Man and the fellas) look good by making quick decisions and releasing the ball fast. Still, there will be much to do up front, especially once Longhorn DE Brian Orakpo gets it rolling.

Next, the Raiders have to play some run defense. Marvel all you want about Colt McCoy’s ridiculous performance over the past three weeks (335 yards/game, 85 percent completion success) but it won’t be all about him, especially since Tech surrendered 161 yards on the ground against Kansas last week. Texas isn’t the best running team around, but don’t be surprised if offensive coordinator Greg Davis turns to the ground attack, if only to give his defense some extra rest.

Third, Tech must keep the pressure on offensively. That’s usually a given with a Leach team, but it’s imperative this weekend, because Texas has had three extremely difficult tests in a row, and if the Raiders can set the tempo, the Longhorns may not be able to keep up. That means Harrell has to be precise, and his receivers must catch everything thrown their way.

Finally, TT must get some solid play from the kicking game, and that is no guarantee. Matt Williams, the student who won a halftime kicking contest and was asked by Leach to join the team, made all nine of his PAT attempts last weekend. The trouble is, he hasn’t attempted a field goal yet. Regular kicker Donnie Carona is just 3-of-8 this year. The Raiders can’t leave a single point on the field Saturday, not against a team that has specialized over the years in big comebacks.

What we have is a battle of titans, even if their relative status within the state educational hierarchy is uneven. Texas Tech is different. It is better than any other incarnation under Leach. But it isn’t enough. Texas has McCoy and a better defense, so the Longhorns have the win

Texas 31, Texas Tech 28

GAME OF THE WEEK II
Florida vs. Georgia (Jacksonville), Saturday, November 1, 3:30 p.m. EDT, CBS

The Bulldogs looked great in smacking around LSU last Saturday in Baton Rouge. You just don’t go into Death Valley and hang 52 on a Tiger team. Guess that answers some questions about the Georgia offensive line. Things will be a little different this week. Even if the Bulldogs get the offense cranking, they’re not going to be able to control the Gators, who seem to have found their offensive identity and are piling up the points and yards. Don’t discount a revenge factor, either. Florida is the SEC’s best team, and it will prove it Saturday

Florida 30, Georgia 24

BUMPS AND RUNS

Less than a month ago, we were marveling at Vanderbilt’s quick start and discussing not if the Commodores would be going to a bowl but which post-season game would be their home. After Saturday’s 10-7 loss to Duke, Vandy is stuck on five wins and has tough matchups with Florida, Tennessee and Wake Forest remaining. If the ‘Dores don’t beat Kentucky Nov. 15, they could be shut out. Pity.

Meanwhile, Virginia continues to soar in the ACC and now leads the Coastal Division. Credit Al Groh, who has just about moved off the hot seat (again) for staying patient. He has been rewarded with four straight wins.

There is no reason for alarm yet among the BCS folks (or delirium from those of us who want the whole thing blown to bits), but there are five potential interlopers among the top 18 teams in the most recent standings. Number 10 Utah, number 11 Boise State, number 13 TCU, number 16 Ball State and number 18 Tulsa all have big-time hopes. Wouldn’t it be great if two (or three) of them crashed the party?

Here’s why those BCS standings are so mystifying. Last week, USC had an average computer ranking of 10. This week, after barely beating a mediocre Arizona squad and having its biggest-name non-conference opponent, Ohio State, lose at home, the Trojans moved up to sixth in the average computer rankings. Guess that rout of Virginia early on is carrying the day for ‘SC. Ridiculous.

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