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TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS
Texas remember's last year's upset
By Alex Ybarra The Daily Toreador
LUBBOCK, Texas – It's a play everyone remembers from last year's classic between Texas and Texas Tech that doesn't involve receiver Michael Crabtree sparking a gamut of emotions.
It was when Texas freshman safety Blake Gideon dramatically dropped what would have been a game-ending, season-altering interception the play before.
Of course, Lubbock exploded seconds later as Crabtree waltzed into the end zone, capping a 39-33 upset against then-No. 1 Texas.
"I didn't think he'd catch it for one," Tech coach Mike Leach said of Gideon's mishap. "For another, it's always interesting that they highlight that because I can probably rattle off 10 other things that would have allowed us to win by more. So I don't see that as particularly significant."
Maybe the play wasn't, but the victory was. And it's worth revisiting, considering the Red Raiders will try for another upset against No. 2 Texas at 7 p.m. Saturday at
Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
A few reasons why: Being on prime-time television, it was the most-watched football game of last season; the Red Raiders jumped to No.2 in the nation with school publicity at an all-time high; and former quarterback Graham Harrell was the leading Heisman Trophy candidate.
Although Tech didn't finish its season how it wanted to — losing two of three down the stretch - the effect continued once the season ended.
The Longhorns might be a little more excited, though. Avenging last season's heartbreaker, which kept the Longhorns from reaching the national championship game, would seem like a key motivating factor.
But during a conference call Monday, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy and coach Mack Brown talked about leaving it in the past and focusing on a different season.
"We've discussed it with this year's team this week and said that last year we lost a lot, but this is a different team," Brown said. "This is a different year."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree catches the game-winning pass in the final seconds of last year's 39-33 upset of Texas in Lubbock, Texas. Crabtree left Texas Tech for the NFL, but the Red Raiders are trying to pull off another upset Saturday against the Longhorns
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE WAVE SEPTEMBER 18,2009