SWC Game of the Week: Texas A&M at Texas Tech

As part of the “rivalry” week of Texas A&M vs. Texas Tech, this SWC Game of the Week Correspondent received a notice from the city of Lubbock informing him that his car was suspected in hitting another car in Lubbock. Now, this SWC Game of the Week Correspondent has never been to Lubbock, nor has his car. Is this an omen of the car wreck that is so often the Aggies game plan on the high plains? The Aggies vs. Tech has become a big deal, mainly because of the Tech boosters dislike of all things maroon and the Aggies inability to beat the Red Raiders. From Classless Clowns to flying tortillas, this game never disappoints and should again be a barn burner this year. The last team with the ball might win.

THIS WEEK’S GAME:

This week’s SWC Game of the Week is Texas A&M at Texas Tech.  The Aggies hold a slight advantage in the overall
series 34-30-1 dating to the first meeting in 1927.  The Red Raiders have won 9 of the last 12 meetings however,
including the last 2 games.  A&M will try to win in Lubbock for the first time since 1993.  To add some interest to the
game, Aggie running back Jorvorski Lane has guaranteed an A&M victory.  Junior Lane is part of the “thunder and
lighting” running back combo with sophomore Mike Goodson.  Lane scored 2 TD’s on the ground and caught another
TD pass in the Aggies come from behind victory over OK State the previous week.  Aggie signal caller Stephen
McGee is averaging 75 yards rushing a game to lead the Aggies.  The passing game has started to heat up in recent
weeks.  The Aggie offense will need to hold the ball to keep the Red Raiders explosive offensive off the field,
something they have been successful at this year, ranking #2 in the Big 12 in time of possession.  On defense is
where the Aggies will be tested, trying to stop the Tech air attack.  Marquis Carpenter leads the Big 12 and the Aggies
with 3 interceptions and the turnover margin will be key for the Aggies.  Texas Tech is led by returning junior QB
Graham Harrell.  Harrell threw for 425 yards against Iowa State and has thrown 28 touchdowns this year compared
to 3 interceptions.  Michael Crabtree, a redshirt freshman, has been one of Graham’s favorite targets, leading the
nation in receptions, receptions per game, touchdowns and scoring.  Crabtree has 70 receptions for 1074 yards and
17 touchdowns already this year.  He has 5 games in which he has caught at least 3 touchdown passes.  After
replacing the defensive coordinator, the Red Raider defense has caught fire, holding Iowa State under 300 yards last
week and only 84 yards in the first half.  The defense also scored its first touchdown of the season last week with
Darcel McBath scooping up a fumble and scoring from 16 yards out.  This game as always promises to be a great
one.  

COTTON BOWL MEMORIES:

After an 18 year drought, the Aggies of Texas A&M returned to the Cotton Bowl Classic on New Year’s Day, 1986 to face the Auburn Tigers. The Aggies last trip to the Classic was the 1968 game in which protégé Gene Stallings defeated Bear Bryant’s Alabama squad. Now the Aggies would play the other team from Alabama. The Tigers were led by Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson, who scored on his first carry from 5 yards and took a screen pass 73 yards for another score. With the Aggies leading 21-16, the swarming Aggie defensive stopped Jackson 4 times at the goal line. Aggie QB Kevin Murray then directed the Aggies down the field for the deciding score. Murray hit Rod Bernstine for 37 yards to set up his 9 yard scoring strike to Keith Woodside. The Aggies padded the score with 3 seconds left after a Domingo Bryant interception. Murray set a Cotton Bowl record with 292 yards passing on 16 of 26 passing. The offensive MVP award went to Jackson however who finished with 129 yards on 31 carries. The day belonged to the Aggies however, completing a long climb back to the top of the college football world.

OTHER GAMES THIS WEEK:

Auburn at Arkansas (Auburn starting to roll after Florida upset)

Baylor at Kansas (This used to be the battle of the basement, but KU is 5-0 and ranked #20)

Rice at Houston (Winner gets the Bayou Bucket, SWC Game of the Week runner up)

SMU at Southern Mississippi (Can SMU get its season started at So. Miss. similar to Rice?)

Texas at Iowa State (Texas still looking for conference win #1 vs. old defensive coordinator)

TCU at Stanford (TCU’s luck, gets Stanford week after USC upset)

RESULTS FROM LAST WEEK:

SWC Game of the Week, Week 6:

Oklahoma 28 Texas 21 (Texas plays right with the Sooners, but come up short in the end)

Other Games:

Arkansas 34 Chattanooga 15 (Pardon me boys…)

Colorado 43 Baylor 23 (Baylor season starts to slide south)

Alabama 30 Houston 24 (Houston comes back from 24-0, but not all the way back)

Rice 31 Southern Mississippi 29 (Rice holds on at the end for first win of 2007)

Texas A&M 24 Oklahoma State 23 (Aggies battle back from 17-0 halftime deficit)

Wyoming 24 TCU 21 (TCU sitting at 3-3, not what they had planned)

Texas Tech 42 Iowa State 17 (Tech starts to hit on all cylinders)

STANDINGS:

	Conference:		Overall:
	W	L	W	L
Texas Tech	2	0	5	1
Texas	2	0	4	2
Texas A&M	1	0	5	1
TCU	2	1	3	3
Arkansas:	0	0	3	2
Baylor	1	2	3	3
Houston	0	0	2	3
SMU	0	2	1	4
Rice	0	3	1	4

FINAL WORD:

That’s a wrap for this week. Please feel free to forward to your friends, send me emails of those that should be included that aren’t, and submit your additions to the weekly newsletters (favorite SWC memories, player bio’s, funny old SWC stories, mascot hijinks, etc.) If you are receiving this note and you don’t want to, shame on you, but let me know, I’ll take you off the list.

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