2007 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team


The 2007 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team represented Texas Tech University as a member of the Big 12 Conference during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by eighth-year head coach Mike Leach, the Red Raiders compiled an overall record of 9–4 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for third in the Big 12's South Division with Texas A&M and Oklahoma State. While all three teams had a matching 4–4 conference record, Tech had a better overall record of 9–4 compared to the Aggies and Cowboys, who both had a record of 7–6. Texas Tech was invited to the Gator Bowl, where they defeated Virginia. The Red Raiders were ranked No. 22 in the final AP Poll and No. 23 in the final Coaches Poll. The team played home games at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas.
Entering the season, the Red Raiders were predicted to finish fifth in the Big 12 South, ahead of only Baylor.

Schedule

Game summaries

SMU

Because Texas Tech went into the game with new starters in key positions on both offense and defense, CollegeFootballNews.com speculated that the SMU Mustangs would come away with an upset win over the Red Raiders. However, Tech scored seven touchdowns while holding SMU to only three field goals and no touchdowns.
The first score of the game came on a one-yard rush by Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell. This was followed by a successful point after try by Alex Trlica, who holds the NCAA record for consecutive extra points with no misses. SMU answered with a 36-yard Thomas Morstead field goal.
The Red Raiders scored twice more in the second quarter on passes to Danny Amendola and redshirt freshman Michael Crabtree, both followed by successful point after tries. The Mustangs also scored in the second quarter, a 35-yard field goal by Thomas Morstead. Going into halftime, the score stood at 21–6.
Michael Crabtree also caught both Texas Tech touchdown passes during the third quarter, one for a 42-yard gain and one for a 2-yard gain. Alex Trlica added an extra point after each.
The final quarter of the game saw two more Red Raider touchdowns, the first being a 2-yard rush by Shannon Woods. This was answered by the Mustangs' final score of the game, a 37-yard field goal. After sending in backup quarterback Taylor Potts, Tech scored once more on a 5-yard rushing touchdown by Woods. Trlica again followed with the extra point, extending his PAT record to 173 consecutive conversions without a miss.

UTEP

Texas Tech defeated the University of Texas at El Paso, 45–31. Texas Tech got on the scoreboard first when Kobey Lewis rushed up the middle for a one-yard touchdown with Alex Trlica making the point after.
UTEP answered with an eight-yard pass from Trevor Vittatoe to Jeff Moturi for a touchdown. The Miners successfully made the PAT to tie the game. The next score also came from UTEP, giving them the lead on a 41-yard-pass from Vittatoe to Joe West, followed by a point after. UTEP scored a third time before the end of the first quarter. UTEP running back Marcus Thomas, who sat out the previous game because of a suspension, scored on a one-yard-run. Another successfully PAT followed. This gave the Miners a 21–7 lead going into the second quarter.
In the second quarter, the Red Raiders scored first on a pass from Graham Harrell to Michael Crabtree. The Miner's Thomas made another touchdown, bringing the score to 28–14, UTEP, after the successful PAT. Texas Tech scored a field goal as the first half wound to a close.
In the third quarter, the Red Raiders scored twice. First on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Harrell to Crabtree. Then Harrell threw for another touchdown. Both scores were followed by successful extra points by Alex Trlica. The Miners added three points with a field goal, closing out the quarter with a 31-point tie.
Texas Tech defense held UTEP scoreless in the game's final quarter while the offense added 14. Harrell passed to Grant Walker down the middle for an eight-yard touchdown. The successful PAT made it Texas Tech 38, UTEP 31. On the final score, running back Shannon Woods rushed up the middle for a two-yard-touchdown. Texas Tech made the PAT to close the game out with a 45–31 lead.

Rice

Texas Tech won the toss and opted to receive. On their first drive, the Red Raiders scored, getting into the end zone on a pass from Graham Harrell to Shannon Woods for an eleven-yard gain. Alex Trlica made the PAT, extending the NCAA record.
The next score of the game was also by Texas Tech. Harrell passed to Grant Walker down the middle for 38-yards, ending in a touchdown followed by a success point after.
The Owls got onto the scoreboard when Clark Fangmeier kicked a 35-yard field goal. This brought the score to 14–3.
Rice scored again after the beginning of the second quarter. Chase Clement connected with Toren Dixon down the middle for a thirteen-yard gain and the first Owl touchdown of the season. Following the PAT, the score stood at 14–10. The Red Raiders' first score in the second quarter came on a two-yard rush by Shannon Woods, followed by an extra point conversion.
Rice responded with their second TD of the game. Clement passed to Jarett Dillard for a 47-yard gain, followed by a successful PAT, bringing the score to 21–17.
The last 2 scores in the first half were made by Texas Tech. The first was a Harrell pass to Michael Crabtree for a 74-yard gain. The second was another Harrell pass—this time to Eric Morris—for ten yards. Both were followed by successful point after tries by Trlica.
The second half opened with the Red Raiders leading, 35–17. Tech held Rice scoreless in the third quarter while adding 14. Crabtree scored on a nine-yard passing play and Kobey Lewis rushed one-yard for a touchdown. Successful PATs followed both scores.
In the fourth quarter, Texas Tech made their third unanswered touchdown—a 20-yard pass to Crabtree—to bring the score to 56–17. The Owls scored their final touchdown of the game when C. J. Ugokwe rushed up the middle for a seven-yard gain. Fangmeier made the point after.
The Red Raiders were able to score once more after backup quarterback Taylor Potts entered the game. Alex Trlica kicked a 39-yard field goal, making the final score 59–24 in favor of Texas Tech.

Oklahoma State

The Red Raiders' road game in Stillwater against the Oklahoma State Cowboys marked the first conference game of the season for both teams. Tech leads the series, 20–12–3. In 2006, Tech beat OSU in Lubbock. However, the Red Raiders have not won in Stillwater since 2001.
The game was an offensive shootout with Oklahoma State scoring 49 points to Texas Tech's 45. The first quarter saw two scores by the Red Raiders—a Graham Harrell pass to Michael Crabtree and a rushing touchdown by Shannon Woods. Between the two Tech scores, the Cowboys' Dantrell Savage rushed four yards for a touchdown. All three TDs were followed by successful point after tries.
After the beginning of the second quarter, Oklahoma State tied the score with a five-yard pass from Zac Robinson to Desmond Bryant, followed by a point after conversion by Jason Ricks. The Cowboys took the lead when Kendall Hunter rushed up the middle for a 46-yard gain followed by a successful PAT.
Another Harrell to Crabtree pass followed by successful PAT by Alex Trlica again tied the score. However, Oklahoma State answered when quarterback Zac Robinson rushed up the middle 48-yards for a TD and Ricks made the point after. The next two scores were made by the Red Raiders—a touchdown pass to Eric Morris and another to Michael Crabtree followed by PATs.
The second half opened with a 35–28 Red Raider lead but the Cowboys tied it when Zac Robinson rushed for a touchdown, followed by successful point after conversion. This marked the only score of the third quarter by either team.
Oklahoma State again took the lead in the final period of play when Seth Newton passed to Jeremy Broadway for a 33-yard gain, followed by successful PAT. The Red Raiders tied it again on a pass from Graham Harrell to Danny Amendola, followed by PAT, and took the lead on a 20-yard Alex Trlica field goal.
The Cowboys pulled ahead with the final score of the game when Zac Robinson passed to Brandon Pettigrew for a touchdown followed by point after conversion. Texas Tech answered with a drive that ended with a failed fourth down conversion when a pass from Harrell to Crabtree was dropped in the end zone.
After the poor defensive showing by the Red Raiders, Tech Defensive Coordinator Lyle Setencich resigned on September 23, 2007, ostensibly for personal reasons. Ruffin McNeill was appointed interim defensive coordinator.
In spite of the loss, Tech's Harrell was honored as AT&T's player of the week for completing 46 of 67 passes for 646 yards and five touchdowns. The recognition took place during halftime of the ESPN college game on September 27, 2007.

Northwestern State

The Northwestern State Demons were unable to score in the first quarter, but the Texas Tech Red Raiders scored twice. The first was a four-yard rushing touchdown by Shannon Woods. The second was a 34-yard TD pass from Graham Harrell to Michael Crabtree.
Northwestern State's only score came on a touchdown at the opening of the second quarter when Quarterback Germayne Edmond passed to Dudley Guice for an 18-yard gain. Everett Scott made the PAT. Texas Tech scored four touchdowns and a field goal before the half.
The final half of the game saw two more touchdowns before Taylor Potts replaced Graham Harrell in the quarterback position. Potts passed for three touchdowns—two to Detron Lewis and one to Lyle Leong. Additionally, the Red Raiders scored on a safety when a fumble by the Demons bounced out of the back of the end zone in the fourth quarter. All Tech touchdowns in the game were followed by point after conversions by Alex Trlica.

Iowa State

For homecoming, the Red Raiders faced the Cyclones of Iowa State. While holding ISU scoreless in the first quarter, Texas Tech scored three touchdowns. The first was on a pass from Graham Harrell to Michael Crabtree for a 31-yard gain, the second was on a one-yard rush by Harrell, and the third was on another Harrell to Crabtree pass. All three were followed by successful point after tries by Alex Trlica.
The Red Raiders scored again in the second quarter when a Cyclone fumble was recovered by Darcel McBath who returned it 16 yards for a touchdown. This was followed by a Trlica PAT. ISU's first score of the game came on a 30-yard field goal by Bret Culbertson.
The second half opened with the Red Raiders holding a 28-3 lead. However, neither team was able to score in the third quarter of play.
Tech scored twice more in the final quarter—on a pass from Harrell to Danny Amendola and a pass from Harrell to Crabtree, both followed by PAT. The final two scores of the game were made by the Cyclones. Meyer rushed five yards for a touchdown, followed by Culbertson's PAT. Then, Meyer passed to Todd Blythe for a 38-yard gain, followed by PAT.
On October 11, 2007, AT&T announced that Texas Tech Quarterback Graham Harrell was the AT&T All-America Player of the Week. This marked the second time in three weeks that he was honored with the award.