Recap: Kansas vs. Texas Tech
Sports Network | October 25, 2008
Lawrence, KS (Sports Network) - Graham Harrell threw for 386 yards and five touchdowns in just three quarters of play, as eighth-ranked Texas Tech spoiled Homecoming for No. 19 Kansas with a 63-21 rout of the Jayhawks.
Michael Crabtree and Eric Morris each caught two scoring passes, while Shannon Woods ran for 79 yards and two scores for the Red Raiders (8-0, 4-0 Big 12), who have won the first eight games of a season for the first time since 1976 and began the difficult portion of their schedule with a convincing win. Texas Tech hadn't played a ranked foe until Saturday, and the next two weeks will bring Texas and Oklahoma State to Lubbock before a bye and a road game at Oklahoma.
Harrell completed 34-of-42 passes and also ran for a touchdown, as Texas Tech scored on all but two of his possessions. The only times the Red Raiders failed to find the end zone with Harrell at the helm was at the end of the first half when time expired and on the first play of the fourth quarter with a missed field goal.
Walk-on Matt Williams saw his first action as Tech's extra-point specialist and got plenty of work. The winner of a kicking contest earlier this season was true on each of his seven PAT tries.
Todd Reesing and the Jayhawks were unable to keep pace, as Kansas (5-3, 2-2) lost its second straight. The Jayhawks were humbled at Oklahoma last week with a 45-31 setback and were never in this game after the opening quarter.
Reesing completed 16-of-26 passes for 154 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. He also fumbled once. Jake Sharp ran for 80 yards on 13 carries in defeat.
After Kansas went three-and-out to start the game, the fireworks began as each of the next five possessions ended in touchdowns.
The Red Raiders started their initial series from their own 44-yard line and needed just two plays to reach the end zone. Following a one-yard run by Woods, Harrell found Edward Britton on a post pattern for a 55-yard touchdown.
Kansas answered with an eight-play march for the tying score, as Reesing finished it with a 33-yard toss to Kerry Meier for the touchdown.
Texas Tech quickly went the other way and drove 83 yards on eight plays for another score. A 42-yard pass from Harrell to Baron Batch set up a first down at the two-yard line and it took three plays to find the end zone, as Harrell drilled a four-yard strike to Crabtree for a 14-7 lead.
The Jayhawks followed with a 72-yard drive to again tie it. Reesing was perfect on each of his four throws and ended the nine-play series with a 10- yard scoring strike to Dezmon Briscoe with 1:09 left in the opening period.
Once again, though, the Red Raiders had an answer as Harrell's seven-yard TD pass to Morris finished a 69-yard drive early in the second quarter to give Tech a 21-14 edge.
Kansas finally could not keep up offensively and punted the ball away, allowing the juggernaut Raider offense to continue its onslaught. Harrell directed a 12-play drive that ended with a three-yard touchdown run by Woods to increase the advantage to 28-14 with just under six minutes to play in the half.
Reesing was stripped of the ball on Kansas' next possession and the Red Raiders recovered at the KU 38-yard line. The turnover led to a Tech's fifth touchdown of the half, as Harrell connected with Morris on a swing pass for a 10-yard score to give the Raiders a 35-14 cushion just 2:15 before the intermission.
The only thing that stopped Tech was the end of the first half, as the Raiders got the ball one last time with 42 seconds to play but could only reach midfield before time ran out.
Texas Tech took the opening kickoff of the second half and didn't miss a beat, driving 80 yards on 13 plays for another score. Harrell completed 8-of-9 passes during the march and capped it with a quarterback sneak from the one for a touchdown and a 42-14 lead.
Reesing was then intercepted by Darcel McBath on Kansas' first play from scrimmage following the kickoff and the Red Raiders quickly turned it into another score. Harrell had to throw two touchdown passes to complete the 43- yard march, as the first was negated by a holding penalty, but Crabtree caught the one that counted, as he turned a middle screen into a 16-yard touchdown for a 49-14 cushion with just over five minutes left in the third quarter.
Tech got the ball back just two plays after the next kickoff, as McBath picked off Reesing again. Harrell went for the home run on the first play and connected with a 40-yard pass to Britton, setting up a one-yard touchdown run by Woods to give the Red Raiders a 56-14 bulge.
Reesing was intercepted by McBath again on Kansas' next series and the Raiders reached the Jayhawk 16 before Harrell was sacked twice as the third quarter came to a close. On the first play of the fourth, Donnie Carona missed a 43- yard field goal try.
Kansas then turned the ball over on downs at its own 45-yard line and Taylor Potts engineered another Tech touchdown drive. He needed five plays to do so, throwing a 10-yard scoring pass to Adam Jones for a 63-14 lead.
The Jayhawks finally scored again with 3:52 remaining when Jocques Crawford bulled into the end zone from one yard away.
Texas Tech earned the 499th win in school history...The Red Raiders rolled up 556 yards of offense, while Kansas mustered 315...Crabtree finished with nine catches for 70 yards, while Morris hauled in seven passes for 39 yards. Britton's three catches resulted in 106 yards...Texas Tech leads the all-time series 10-1.
