Carrying On About College Football (Oct. 12)

While high-profile battles between undefeated teams (Texas/Oklahoma and Oklahoma State/Missouri) focused the nation’s attention on the Big 12 this weekend, Diamond in the Rough digs deeper to spotlight a different conference matchup. 

And, as DITR readers are accustomed to by now, it took overtime in Lubbock to decide a winner between traditional powerhouse Nebraska and offensive juggernaut Texas Tech.

1. DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH: TEXAS TECH 37, NEBRASKA 31 (OT)

In 2007, Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree was the Biletnikoff Award winner, the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, and a unanimous All-American to boot.

Did I mention he was only a freshman at the time?

Crabtree has continued to put up stellar numbers in his second season for the Red Raiders, and as a sportswriter that hasn’t gotten to see many TTU games, I must admit I’ve been a bit curious about the Texas Tech offense, and Crabtree in particular.  Are they really that good?  Is Tech a national title contender?

Yes.  And maybe.

In a home matchup with one of the great all-time programs in college football, Crabtree’s Raiders put up the points they needed on Saturday (as they usually do) to escape 37-31. The star wideout finished with five catches for 89 yards and a pair of scores in the overtime contest, becoming the Red Raiders’ all-time touchdown leader in the process.   

Crabtree’s name was on a lot of preseason Heisman watch lists, and some of his main competition for the award may come from his teammate that throws all those passes his way, a senior by the name of Graham Harrell. 

Harrell came into the game with 18 touchdowns against only three interceptions, and while he certainly helped his cause with a 20-25 showing, he wasn’t the only quarterback hitting at an 80 percent clip in the game. 

Nebraska signalcaller Joe Ganz also had a solid day, finishing 36-44 through the air for 349 yards and two TDs.

In the end, though, it was Ganz’s one really bad throw of the afternoon that he’ll remember—a Jamar Wall interception in overtime that sealed the Huskers’ fate.  The turnover spoiled a valiant effort by the twenty-point underdogs from Lincoln, who, despite never leading in the game, rallied to tie the score on three different occasions. 

The fact that Nebraska hung in the game for sixty-plus minutes wasn’t luck… it was actually due in part to the balanced offensive production of Lucky… Marlon Lucky, that is. 

The senior running back caught seven passes and carried the ball sixteen times, combining for almost 150 all-purpose yards. 

The Cornhuskers finished a respectable 7-12 on third down and dominated the time of possession as a result (40:12-19:48 in regulation); any team hoping to knock off Texas Tech this year should take note of this recipe. 

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