Race tightens for November run

By John Hillman  |   Monday, November 03, 2008  |  Comments( 2 )

College Football
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The national election scene settles this Tuesday. However, the race for the Big XII South will run deep into November.

No. 2 Texas Tech rallied for its biggest win in school history with a literal last-second 39-33 victory over former top-ranked Texas on Saturday. Graham Harrell connected with Michael Crabtree for a 28-yard scoring pass as the clock clicked down to 0:01. Crabtree caught the ball in double coverage at the 5, slipped a tackle, and scampered into the end zone.

After dominating the Longhorns in the first half, Texas, which fell to fifth place with the loss, chipped away at the Red Raiders’ 16-point lead and went in front 33-32 on Vondrell McGee’s 4-yard touchdown run with 1:29 remaining in the game.

Jamar Wall put Texas Tech in good shape for the winning drive by returning the ensuing kickoff to the Red Raider 38. Harrell needed six plays to reach the end zone but almost sent the Longhorns home victorious on a deflected pass that slipped through the hands of Texas safety Blake Gideon.

Despite the colossal win, coach Mike Leach and his undefeated team can’t rest on their laurels. The Red Raiders host No. 8 Oklahoma State this Saturday, enjoy a week respite, then travel to Norman for an encounter with sixth-ranked Oklahoma. Like the Longhorns, both the Cowboys and Sooners have one loss in Big XII competition.

After losing to Texas last week, Oklahoma State took out its frustration on Iowa State, defeating the Cyclones 59-17. Dez Bryant enjoyed a stellar day, catching nine passes for 171; he also added touchdown receptions of 11, 26, 80 and 1 yards as the Cowboys won their eighth game for the first time since 2003.

Bryant has amassed 1,054 receiving yards this season, the fifth-best total in Oklahoma State history, and needs only two more touchdown receptions to tie Rashaun Woods for the school record with 17.

The Sooners also have continued to roll after their loss to Texas. Oklahoma trounced Nebraska 62-28 en route to its biggest offensive explosion in 83 previous meetings against the Cornhuskers. OU scored 35 unanswered points in the first quarter, the first time a Nebraska team had ever allowed more than 28.

Sam Bradford finished the day with 311 passing yards and five touchdowns in a 19-for-27 performance. DeMarco Murray scored on two short runs and hauled in a 25-yard scoring pass to tie Adrian Peterson for most touchdowns in his first two seasons with 29.

No. 13 Missouri kept its Big XII title hopes alive by shaking off pesky Baylor 31-28. The Tigers led 21-7 at the half, but the Bears tied the game twice at 21-21 and 28-28 before Jeff Wolfert kicked the winning 34-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter.

Chase Daniel threw three touchdown passes and finished the day with 318 passing yards with 30 completions in 38 attempts but also suffered two critical interceptions. Baylor counterpart Michael Griffin logged 283 yards through the air and connected for two scoring passes.

The Tigers clinched the win when Griffin threw his first interception this season after Wolfert’s field goal. The Baylor quarterback had attempted 210 passes before the interception, setting a major college record.

Kansas, which missed the AP Top 25 by three places, stayed on Missouri’s heels with a 52-21 rout of Kansas State, the 106th meeting of the instate rivals. Jake Sharp ran for 257 yards and scored four touchdowns, tying a school record.

The win gave the Jayhawks bowl eligibility and kept them tied with the Tigers in the Big XII North with a 3-2 conference record.

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About John Hillman

John Hillman graduated from Baylor University in 1974 with a BBA in accounting and earned an MBA from Baylor in 1987. He worked for accounting firms until 1982 when he became the chief financial officer for an independent insurance claims adjusting service, a position he still holds today....
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