Texas Football: 5 Best Moments for the Longhorns in the Chancellor's Spurs Game
It's not the Thanksgiving rivalry we're used to, but it's the one we'll get when Texas tries to hang onto the Chancellor's Spurs on Thursday against Texas Tech.
In lieu of a matchup with Texas A&M, the 4-6 Longhorns will host Texas Tech in the 19th iteration of the Battle for the Chancellor's Spurs. Since 1996, the Horns have won the matchup 15 times, including the last six in a row.
The biggest moment in the series obviously belongs to the Red Raiders, who crushed Texas' title hopes in 2008 with Michael Crabtree's last-second touchdown. But the Longhorns have had their fair share of big moments in the series, including Vince Young's first superstar performance and Chance Mock's game-winner in 2003.
5. Texas Cruises in Battle of Undefeated Teams (Oct. 22, 2005)
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Every win matters when you have championship aspirations. And when Texas romped over Texas Tech in 2005, the Horns proved they could get one even with their superstar quarterback struggling.
Up 7-3 early, the No. 10 Red Raiders were off to an almost perfect start in Austin. The defense held the Horns to a field goal and was able to pick off Vince Young twice in the first quarter.
With that number matching Young's career high, the rest of the Horns decided to make up the difference.
Receiver Quan Cosby set up a short touchdown with a 38-yard punt return, and the defense squashed Texas Tech's last meaningful scoring opportunity with an interception. The help allowed Young to settle in, putting the game out of reach with a 75-yard touchdown pass on his first drive of the second half.
Texas went on to win 52-17, and Young would only throw three more interceptions for the rest of the championship season.
4. Texas Gets Crucial Win in Inaugural Chancellor's Spurs Game (Nov. 9, 1996)
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As far as the win column goes, Texas' 1996 season looked a lot like those of the post-2009 Longhorns. After falling out of the rankings with a loss to Colorado, John Mackovic's 4-4 team rolled into Texas Tech desperately needing a win.
Shon Mitchell and Ricky Williams answered the bell.
Mitchell, a JUCO transfer, got things going with two touchdowns in the game's first 24 minutes, including a 65-yarder to start the game. Then sophomore Ricky Williams turned it into a blowout, breaking loose for a 75-yard romp that put Texas up 28-3. For the game, these two combined for 293 yards on 36 carries.
The Red Raiders would storm back, bringing the score to 35-32 with 5:02 to play. But the Longhorns used 13 plays to bleed out the clock, extending their lead to six on a 53-yard field goal from Phil Dawson.
Texas would go on to win its next three games, earning a trip to the Big 12 Championship Game with a one-game edge over the Red Raiders. The Horns then beat No. 3 Nebraska in one of the most shocking upsets in the Big 12's early history.
3. Colt McCoy Gets His Revenge (Sept. 19, 2009)
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Robbed of a national championship appearance and, more than likely, a Heisman Trophy the previous year in Lubbock, senior quarterback Colt McCoy had revenge on his mind when the Red Raiders came around in 2009.
It wasn't pretty. The historically accurate passer tossed two interceptions at home. Luckily, McCoy had roommate Jordan Shipley looking out for him, hauling in 11 passes and returning a punt 46 yards for a score (and a collision with Bevo).
Sergio Kindle did the rest of the work to ice it in the fourth. The senior linebacker stripped Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts to set up McCoy's lone touchdown pass. He also forced Potts into a bad throw that was picked off by Earl Thomas.
The Longhorns ended up with a 34-24 win, making up for 2008's heartbreaker in Lubbock.
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2. Vince Young Silences the Critics for Good (Oct. 23, 2004)
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It's blasphemy in hindisght, but there was once legitimate concern about Vince Young's future as Texas' quarterback. That is, until he unloaded on Texas Tech in 2004.
Upon taking over as the full-time starter, Young struggled as a sophomore. The dual-threat accounted for only 140 yards in a 12-0 loss to Oklahoma and was even worse in a narrow win over Missouri. Overall, he failed to clear 100 yards rushing in any game up to that point in the season, making his questionable accuracy stand out even more to his critics.
Against a Texas Tech team that had just housed Nebraska by a 70-10 margin, the pressure was on Young and the Longhorns.
As became customary, Young responded. The 6'5" quarterback totaled 300 yards from scrimmage and scored five touchdowns on the Red Raiders, including four on the ground.
Young never lost another game at Texas, using performances like this to finish second in the 2005 Heisman Trophy race. He became a superstar in this one.
1. Backup Chance Mock Leads Texas' Game-Winning Drive (Nov. 9, 2003)
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Before Young became a star against this same Texas Tech team, Chance Mock had to come clean up his mess in 2003.
Young, then a redshirt freshman, turned in a decent day with 213 yards and two touchdowns to give the Horns a 35-21 lead. But the Red Raiders bounced back, going up 40-35 after Young's third turnover of the game.
With one minute and 56 seconds left to play and the ball at the Texas 14-yard line, Mack Brown entrusted the final drive to Mock. The junior kicked things off with a 54-yarder to Roy Williams and was forced to convert only one third down to get the Horns inside the 10.
Mock then found B.J. Johnson from nine yards out to reclaim the lead and punched in the two-pointer himself to give his team a 43-40 lead.
Texas Tech missed what would have been a game-tying 48-yard field goal, and Mock had the signature moment of his Longhorn career.
All stats and information courtesy of TexasSports.com.
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