After Tech manhandled two weak teams, the Raiders test Nebraska’s nasty ‘D’
Two Saturdays in a row, Texas Tech quarterback Steven Sheffield was more than ready when his first real chance came to be a difference maker.
He was better than anyone could have imagined, whipping up on double-digit underdogs at home. The next great unknown is how he’ll fare facing a ranked opponent somewhere other than Jones AT&T Stadium.
After Sheffield led rousing victories against New Mexico and Kansas State, he leads Tech against No. 15 Nebraska today at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.
“I think he’s ready to go on the road,” Tech tackle Marlon Winn said this week. “I think he’s ready to go anywhere we take him. (Against New Mexico), he stepped in like he was supposed to be there the whole time, and he kind of took the (job) over like it was his deal anyway. He did the same thing against Kansas State, and I don’t expect any different of him in Nebraska.”
How he starts could make all the difference. Sheffield led the team to touchdowns on his first four series in a 48-28 win over UNM and directed the Red Raiders to five touchdowns and a field goal on their first six possessions in last week’s 66-14 mutilation of Kansas State.
So some trend’s about to change.
Nebraska has allowed only seven points in the first quarter this season.
Not only that, the Cornhuskers have yet to allow a point in sudden-change situations — nothing after six turnovers — and have allowed only four touchdowns all season.
“I just think we have to do the best we can,” Tech coach Mike Leach said. “We had a similar situation with Kansas State. They played real well defensively, too, and we didn’t spend a lot of time worrying about that. We just need to focus on us and see what we can do.”
The game looks pivotal since both teams have favorable schedules upcoming. After today, Tech has two home games followed by an open date.
If Nebraska can take care of Tech today, the Cornhuskers could be 7-1 for a Nov. 7 home game against No. 20 Oklahoma. The Huskers figure to be favored against Iowa State and Baylor the next two weeks.
Before they can do all that looking ahead, the Huskers need to iron out some kinks offensively. Nebraska I-back Roy Helu Jr. is the Big 12 Conference’s leading rusher, averaging 110 yards a game, but the Huskers were shut out for three quarters last Thursday before rallying to beat Missouri 27-12.
“I think we’ll play well Saturday,” said Bo Pelini, Nebraska’s second-year head coach. “I like our plan, and I think we are going to play really well.”
Tech beat Nebraska 37-31 in overtime last year in Lubbock. The Cornhuskers looked mediocre before that game and had a 3-3 record afterward. But they are 10-2 since with both losses on the road to top-15 opponents — Oklahoma last year and Virginia Tech this year.
The Huskers have made their biggest leap on defense: They’ve gone from No. 80 in scoring defense and No. 55 in total defense last season to No. 2 and No. 13 through five games this season.
“They’re big, physical people — that’s their biggest strength,” Leach said. “I think they look similar. I thought they were good last year. I guess a lot of them are a year older.”
Tech players are eager to see if they can follow up on last week’s dominating performance. Their 66 points was the highest total since a 70-10 victory against Nebraska in 2004, and the defense gave up only one touchdown.
“Now that we’ve seen how we can play,” linebacker Bront Bird said, “we need to play every single game like that.”
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ok tech lets go at it and play hard!! no turnovers and please no pick six and i think we will roll. if we turn the ball over 3 times they got us. wreck em tech!!
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Obviously the game hinges on protecting Sheffield. If Tech can do that, it goes in the win column, if not………..
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Tech plus. Tech plus. Tech plus. Tech plus. Get it?
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21/ 10 at the half TT and 35 to 31 TT-RR final score. Lewis , Britton, Swindell, Leong, Torress in that order for big game. Three TD’s in the air and 2 on the ground. If Leach plays smart score is 38 to 31… Take the field goal. Get your Guns Up #27!!!
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Good Luck Red Raiders! Looking forward to a good game. Tech keeps it close early, but the Nebraska defense steps up and creates havoc and turnovers. Huskers pull away in the second half…Nebraska 35 Texas Tech 13 GO BIG RED!!!
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Huskerdaninva: You had better enjoy that number 15 ranking, because you are going out of the top 25 after the Red Raiders brand yall with the double T!
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Get you Horns up for the Red River Thrashing of o-who? today! Time for the Horns to take a big step towards their 5th National Championship today! 38-17 Texas. HOOK ‘EM HORNS! Nebraska will also win 41-17. Shuck E’m Huskers and keep tceh in the lowly place it belongs!
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Husker dan, once Suh take out their QB, tech will be ineffective, Tech needs to realize why we are the #1 Scoring defense in the country. Payback is what some call a B1tch. Leachs running up the score over the past few meetings need to be addressed in an agressive manner. Huskers 56-9 no TD’s allowed.
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Country Mart – Dream on, oh yeah nice english, yall sound edumacated.
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az husker – Easy on the criticism.
Are you aware that the term “y’all” has been discussed by English academia as perhaps the most worthy colloquial word to be added to legitimate speech? It is actually a very functional term. It would serve to eliminate the confusion between the singular and plural use of the pronoun ‘you’.
Sometimes colloquialisms make more sense than ‘proper’ English terms.
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BTW, az husker….Country Mart’s post is far more grammatically correct than yours was, if for capitalization and puncuation alone.
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Why does everyone always bring up the grammer thing? Seriously. Have a good game Texas Tech.
Nebraska 20
Texas Tech 17
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WRECK EM TECH!!!!
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Grammar lessons on a message board? Do you review text messages too?
The ‘guns up’ thing makes it hard to take you guys seriously…and the empty stadium.
Short term success is not really success.
Nebraska is #2 scoring D, not #1.
NU 31
TTU 18
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I just thought that if you are going to cut on someone’s education, you should at least look like you have had some of your own. But – point taken. GBR!!
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Markes – Hard to have correct grammar on a tiny Blackberry keyboard. besides yall is y’all I believe, that was my point. I bet I have far more educaiton than you, just can’t type well on a Blackberry.
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az husker – I doubt the education level comment, but neither of us can prove it, so it is a moot point.
However, I am pretty sure if you can read your Blackberry, you should be able to spell on it. I don’t recall you giving Country Mart the benefit of the doubt. You just made an ignorant (since I am sure you know nothing ABOUT the poster) mean-spirited comment. Are you honesty now arguing that your original comment was against his punctuation on “y’all” ? LOL
There is no point to continuing this discourse, and I agree with other posters who chided us both for arguing grammar on a football board.
GBR!!!
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Are there no more folks who want to discuss the game? I’d love to actually chat some football!
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TTU will win, and everyone will see that Nebraska has been way over blown as far as ability. Nebraska has a high ranking after playing only one ranked team, WVa, and other teams like Lafayette and Arkansas State. TTU has played two top twenty teams already this season, and the Raiders have barely lost those two games. I think this will be a game that shows how very tough and underrated this potentially awesome Texas Tech team is. Leach has said all year that this team has the potential to be better than any former team. TODAY the TT Red Raiders will prove that under the cool leadership of Sticks! WRECK”EM TECH! Stomping the Cornhuskers in Lincoln will be a major STATEMENT!
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Gotta give credit where credit is due. I said I was more worried with TT’s improved D and I was justified, obviously. If NU could have stayed on the field and scored in the first half, it’s a different game. Husker D played very well, b ut was simply on the field too long. Congrats TT
Just a feeling – we may be seeing the beginning of the Cody Green era at NU. Lee had the ‘deer in the headlights’ look by the 4th quarter.
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Suh=Duh, we’re not that good.
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Hey Texas for National Championship: Sorry short horn, You were wrong about Nebraska beating Tech!!!, Roll Tide Roll Short Horns, No Title for The No horns this year either!
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Suh Who
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Complete non factor
By the way can someone explain the penalty thrown against OU for a helmet to helmet hit on Colt McCoy and the non penalty hit on Taylor Potts which was way more vicious and blatant whrn Tech played UT.
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Texas4nationalchampionships football……..don’t they teach yall to spell at tu? It’s TECH not tceh. Lucky for you that Sticks wasn’t playing on September 26th……can you honestly think that Colty is a Heisman candidate after today’s performance? If Sam Bradford hadn’t gotten hurt early in the season no way would you have beaten OU today. This tu team is, like so many teams before them, once again the beneficiary of a soft early schedule (sans Tech) and injuries to quality competition. Oh, and might I add bias in the form of questionable calls from the refs. The “book’em” horns will not be national champions. Roll Crimson Tide!!!!!
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