Sooners looking for victory, not revenge
By Adam Zuvanich | AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops insisted this week that his team isn’t out for revenge against Texas Tech.
Still, at least one Sooner wants to erase the memories from last season’s 34-27 loss in Lubbock – even if those memories are a little fuzzy. OU quarterback Sam Bradford suffered a concussion while trying to make a tackle on Oklahoma’s first offensive play, and he left the game after the Sooners’ second series.
Texas Tech's defense held Oklahoma out of the endzone last season in Lubbock
Tech scored 24 straight points after Bradford went out, and backup Joey Halzle couldn’t rally the Sooners.
“It was a little frustrating to turn on the tape and see that I played the first couple plays and wasn’t out there to finish the game with the rest of my teammates,” said Bradford, a sophomore who’s passed for 3,406 yards and a nation-leading 38 touchdowns this season. “It’s probably a little bit of extra motivation to go out there and play well this year.”
Michael Crabtree caught 12 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown in last season's upset win over Oklahoma
Last year’s Red Raider victory was nearly as painful for the rest of the Sooners, whose chances of playing for a national championship were ruined. They were ranked fourth in the BCS standings and alone atop the Big 12 Conference’s South Division when they arrived in Lubbock, but they had to settle for a trip to the Fiesta Bowl after the loss to an unranked Tech team.
Today, the Sooners can shatter the Red Raiders’ dreams.
No. 2 Tech (10-0, 6-0 Big 12) can get to 11-0 for the first time and secure its first appearance in the Big 12 title game with a win at No. 5 Oklahoma (9-1, 5-1), which is very much alive in the race for a conference and national championship. The Sooners can create a three-way tie for the South title with wins today and at No. 12 Oklahoma State next week, and the final BCS standings would break such a tie.
“We’ve got all the motivation you need without having to bring up the fact they beat us a year ago. That’s over,” said Stoops, whose team is going for its sixth straight home win against Tech. “It’s all about this year and what the opportunities are for us, and there are many. That alone makes it a big game.”
Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree celebrate after hooking up for a touchdown in a 34-27 upset against Oklahoma last season
The Red Raiders have won two of their last three meetings with OU, but they’ve struggled mightily in Norman. Tech is 1-6 all-time at Oklahoma and 0-4 under former OU assistant Mike Leach, averaging just 16.3 points in those four games.
This year’s Raiders might be able to turn the tide, though. They’re coming off three straight wins against ranked opponents, and they’ve got a productive running game and stout defense to go along with their dizzying passing attack.
But don’t expect the Sooners to stand down. They’ve got plenty of experience in pressure-packed games and the longest home winning streak (23) in the nation, and just like Tech, they’ve had two weeks to prepare.
“They’re good,” OU defensive tackle Gerald McCoy said, “but we’re not intimidated at all.”
To comment on this story:
adam.zuvanich@lubbockonline.com 766-8733
jeff.walker@lubbockonline.com 766-8735
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SHOWTIME TECH BOYS. GO OUT THERE AND KICK BUTTS, TAKE NAMES AND BRING THE BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP HOME TO TEXAS. MAKE US PROUD RAIDERS. GUNS ARE UP IN AUSTIN, AT MY HOUSE ANYWAY, SORRY HORNS, YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE AND BLEW IT, AND NOW YOU FIND YOURSELVES HAVING TO PULL FOR THE boomer sooners to stay in. NO WAY IN HELL WILL I EVER PULL FOR OU UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. GO RAIDERS. IF TECH WINS I WILL FOREVER TURN IN MY BURNT ORANGE FOR RED AND BLACK., THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN NY SECOND TEAM ANYWAY.
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OU can “talk” all they want about this not being revenge, but they aren’t being totally truthful. How would you feel if a non-ranked team knocked you out of the national championship game? In part this IS about revenge on Tech’s behalf. How many years have fans said, “We are better than that team,” or “We should’ve been there”. Texas Tech has been the underrated, underdog for decades now and that sentiment still exists in the mid-west. Today Tech shows the nation what we are really made of.
Win or lose, we remain proud of our Red Raiders. Go Tech!!
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Its not revenge Teri
Its proving yourself to the nation.
but don’t think for a minute that any of these players won’t play like they have vengeance. These guys will not back down.
OU’s crowd be damned
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To Billy,
Wow, you are no Longhorn so don’t pretend that you are…
Go Sooners! True Longhorns are rooting for you down here in Austin. Stomp the Red Raiders and put them back in their place where they belong.
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Tex Tech is not where it belongs,,, it sould be Number 1 in the nation… and as every good Texas football fan I am rooting for TT to beat the sooners… for I like all teams that wip the sooners…just like a true spnner fan likes any team that beats UT. That being said, thanks to all you wonderful football programs that bring such wonderful games for us fans to enjoy….
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WAY TO GO BILLY
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amen sailor
GO BIG 12
GO TECH
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Joe,
No real Texas fan would ever root for ou, even Mack Brown isn’t pulling for ou. I have been a Horn fan for longer than you have been around, and I am proud of the Raiders and what they have accomplished, they always play tough, and they have always been me second team of choice. Texas has let their fans down on a consistent basis, so I have decided to pull for the Raiders, I am still a Horn fan, they are just in the back seat now. If your rooting for ou just so Texas can get a shot at the big twelve, then you sir are an idiot and certainly no Texas fan. Texas will not get in either way unless osu beats Oaklahoma, and even then it will more than likely still be Tech as big twelve champs, and rightly so, they deserve to be there, now go sip on your tea and get ready to watch the Raiders give ou an ass whoopin. I’ll be chugin down a cold Bud light with my guns up while your sippin your tea cryin, watchin Texas hopes go down the toilet. GO TECH
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way to show that there are smart and classy people at UT.
I love in Austin and love it, but as a Techfan, its hard to enjoy my team’s success because of sore losers.
When has Tech ever been such a poor sport after losing to UT in the past? never
Good show Billy
keep your Big12 GUNS UP
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A TRUE LONHORN ROOTING FOR OU. LMAO
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Shut up Pete Storseth
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whats ur deal raider in fla?
yes billy, it is fun to enjoy them belly aching, but i get tired of hearing the sore loser talk about their poor little excuses about a dropped interception, us being lucky, losing crabtree next year, yadayada.
I have been enjoying the whole season starting especially with the Kansas game all the way to this anxious two week wait for the showdown in OK. You should bully those guys for us.
I have my Tech ring and shirt and red and black apparell on too, down to my britches, lets repo OU’s arrogance.
Wreck Em Tech
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I’d like to address the issue that all of the Avalanche Journal sportswriters but one have picked OU to win today. This is a needless embarrassment to the newspaper, the city, the university, the team, and the players. This is a community pride and school spirit issue.
I’m sure the Sooners, T-sippers, and Aggies are loving this — “Not even their own sportswriters pick them to win.”
I’m going to teach the AJ a lesson; I’ll just stop reading their free online newspaper. That’ll show them. Seriously, I hope these poor excuses for journalists will be replaced by the AJ with some writers with the sense to be supportive to our team. Fire these bozos now!
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Bill W
The spread is 7 and OU is favored bc of home field advantage
on the other blogs of earlier articles i quoted a couple of reporters that pointed out that OU is failing miserably in big games.
Home field advantage is not going to stop this team.
OU’s defense and special teams are suffering and the best chance they have is takeaways.
They have 15 TO’s since the UT game, BUT these were not top teams known for holding their own against better teams.
OU is good, but not as good as they once were. Their armor is cracked. We will break it off tonight and expose their inferiority in the Big 12.
oh and UT fans are split so much in their preferences for the outcome for obvious reasons.
But IF OU pulled it off, they would need OK State to beat them to go anywhere. I believe the BCS would bump OU over UT should our team lose by a fluke turnover or some other UNLIKELY nightmare.
But that aside, we are too good for that to happen GUNS UP
Wreck Em Tech
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topix.com
free polls to vote and blogs about
“Texas Tech for National Champs”
vote on polls named:
If OU wins, do they pass UT in BCS?
and
if Tech wins, do they pass Alabama in BCS?
ITS FREE
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FOUR AND A HALF HOURS TIL THE ASS WHIPPIN BEGINS FOR THE boomer sooners. I got my bottle of crown ready to get down and watch Tech beat ou in their own hometown on my surround sound and my name is BILLY BROWN and my guns are up and my horns are down,after the game I’ll be a huntin bound in Hondo town lookin to put a buck on the ground, cause bein this cold the deer will be running around, I’ll be in the blind not makin a sound, except a giggle or two cause the sooners went down, down,down and got beat by the best all around. GO TECH
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poetry,,,,cute
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where you watching the game Billy B?
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Billy, OU’s going to drive you to drink! We’re still Oklahoma! Go Big Red!
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What’s up with Kingsbury picking OU tonight; weak !! Atl east Billy is a true Longhorn and knows you cant pull for evil under any circumsatnces !!
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Hey Pete! I’ll be watching the game here in Austin town, watching the booners go down and my best friend Randy is here from San Antonio Town. Got my drink on and feeling good, just like a Red Raider should. OU sucks and everyone knows it’s true and those who don’t, after tonight, will be crying boo hoo, hoo. So tell me now, what’s a sorry ass sooner supposed to do? GO TECH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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The difference between OU and Tech is that OU expects to win and Tech is surprised to be where they are.
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I got my red and black on and the Patron chillin cause in Norman tonight there will be a killin!
Tradition back to college days, with each TTU score a shot of tequila, geez..I hope the end of the game is not a haze.
Guns are up in Phoenix! WRECK EM TECH!
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Hey, DR
The difference between OU and Tech is that OU sucks and Tech has earned it every step of the way!
No surprises…just a fantastic team!
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ALL SOONER FANS…
Lets talk about BIG GAMES!!!
2008 BCS- Oklahoma 28 West Virginia 48 LOSS
2007 BCS- Oklahoma 42 Boise State 43 LOSS
2005 BCS- Oklahoma 19 USC 55 LOSS
2004 BCS- Oklahoma 14 LSU 21 LOSS
2008 Oklahoma vs Texas Tech LOSS
Guns Up….. WRECK EM TECH!!!
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How do you spell choke?
R E D R A I D E R S
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Gotta admit it…. OU beat us in every phase of the game.
Good game…. hope you make it to Miami.
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I just looked it up. Our QB had 361 yards through the air. Oklahoma only had 326 yards passing. see? I TOLD YOU that we outplayed them. We scorched them through the air, only to be robbed by the officials. Those Oklahoma defensive backs were embarrassed by us chewing them up for 361 yards.
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Good game OU, thanks for the lesson. Now go and lose to OSU so we can learn from our mistake. Guns are STILLwater UP!
Bring on the Bears!
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Hmm.. interesting comments.. so what now Raiders?
65 – 21 is a big joke… Not in my HOUSE!! Go sooners..
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wow Billy your a real moron aren’t you? Mack Brown was all for OU now Texas is 2nd and A&M is gonna whooop that ass for 3 in a row then might even add a 3 on that transvestite cow. Tech fans need to shut the hell up and win something meaningful like a Big 12 championship or something at least the south. Every damn year its the same old crap and you never deliver. You like to talk about the few big games wins over the past few years well lets talk about TCU,SMU Houston Baylor and Rice all have more championships than Tech. Did you dumb Tech fans know that in 1915 even OU won a SWC title hell every team did but Tech. O is how many big 12 titles Tech have. If I recall every team had a perfect season but Tech. So it’s time to shut and put up!
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Alecia, you stupid s**t, look at the total yards for OU and TT, OU could have outpassed TT with no issue, but a balanced attack, along with a defense, that hamered down TT’s running game and constantly harrassed the great TT QB is what won the game. You should take your shoes off and go back to having babies, rather than running your mouth off on something that you know nothing about.
And wishing you well for the holidays!
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Moron Mike, aggies couldn’t beat there way out of paper bag. Big 12 cahmpionship belongs to Texas and rightly so. GO TEXAS
National championship # 5 on the horizon.
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Alicia Allenson on November 23rd, 2008 12:19 am I just looked it up. Our QB had 361 yards through the air. Oklahoma only had 326 yards passing. see? I TOLD YOU that we outplayed them. We scorched them through the air, only to be robbed by the officials. Those Oklahoma defensive backs were embarrassed by us chewing them up for 361 yards.>>>>>>> HAHAHAHAHA. 90 of the passing yards came on that last garbage time drive with the 3rd team defence in the game, I think Harrell was embarrassed when Travis Lewis was running his pass back to set up another TD for OU… HAHAHAHAHA….
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I took some pictures from Saturday that showed how OU fans and players felt about UT’s sobbing tears. Pretty funny especially because I live in Austin too and it’s painful to try and enjoy having at 1 loss season.
But…But…We’re Texas
OU Player Gives Horns
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