2008 Texas Tech Red Raiders Football Team - Game Notes - Nevada

Nevada

See also: 2008 Nevada Wolf Pack football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
#13 Texas Tech	7	7	7	14	35
Nevada	3	6	3	7	19

The Red Raiders started off with the ball to begin the game. After failing to get a first down on the first three plays, Texas Tech decided to go for it on fourth down in Nevada territory and failed to make it. On the ensuing Nevada drive, the Wolf Pack successfully kicked a field goal giving them the lead, 0–3. On the next drive by Texas Tech, Graham Harrell's pass was intercepted by Uche Anyanwu. The next Nevada drive stalled on a three-and-out. Nevada was forced to punt to Eric Morris who took it 86 yards for a touchdown, giving the Red Raiders the lead, 7–3. Texas Tech and Nevada failed to score on their next drives with Nevada missing a field goal with a few minutes remaining in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Nevada's only points came from a field goal. Texas Tech drove 68 yards on five plays and scored on a one-yard run by Shannon Woods. The key play was a 50-yard pass from Harrell to Michael Crabtree who ran it all the way to the one yard line. On the next Nevada drive, defensive end Brandon Williams tipped a pass which landed in the hands of defensive tackle Richard Jones. Both teams went scoreless the rest of the half. Nevada received the kickoff to begin the second half and immediately drove the field. Nevada's quarterback Colin Kaepernick dove into the endzone in what appeared to be a touchdown. However, after a lengthy review, the officials agreed that Texas Tech's Daniel Charbonnet forced the ball out of Kaepernick's hands resulting in a touchback. The next Red Raider drive, Mike Leach decided to go for a first down on fourth down, which they failed to make again. Nevada's resulting drive stalled, but they were able to kick a field goal due to good field position after the failed fourth down attempt. The only other points in the third quarter came on Texas Tech's next drive of six plays and 39 yards, scoring on Eric Morris' 13-yard run giving the Red Raiders the lead, 21–12.

Harrell was intercepted to begin fourth quarter and the resulting Nevada drive went three-and-out. On the next drive, Harrell and Crabtree connected for another big play, this one resulting in 82-yards and a touchdown giving Texas Tech a 28–12 lead. Texas Tech's celebration did not last long, as on the very next drive Nevada's Kaepernick passed for the team's only touchdown, a 48-yard pass to Marko Mitchell to make the score 28–19 in favor of Texas Tech. The Red Raiders scored on their very next drive on a 21-yard run by Woods with 6:18 remaining. The next Nevada drive resulted in a turnover on downs and the Red Raiders held on to the ball and the win, 35–19.

The story of the game was Texas Tech's defense, not the offense. So much so, that as the Red Raiders were walking off the field, Texas Tech fans in attendance chanted, "De-fense! De-fense!" Although they allowed 488 total yards, the defense held the Wolf Pack to four field goals in six red zone attempts. Harrell, after being named Player of the Week last week against Eastern Washington, went 19 of 46 (41.3%) and 297 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions and set a career low in completions and completion percentage. There has been only two other times in Harrell's career in which he had completed less than 60 percent of his passes. This is the first time Texas Tech has won one of those games. Michael Crabtree had 7 catches for 158 yards and one touchdown.

Nevada's place kicker Brett Jaekle went 4 of 6 on field goals from distances of 27, 26, 43, and 31 yards. Nevada quarterback Kaepernick had a huge game going 24 of 35 for 264 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He was also the team's leading rusher, gaining 92 yards on 17 carries.