Sept. 5, 2007
Texas Tech vs. UTEP
Saturday, September 8, 2007 - 6 p.m.
Jones AT&T Stadium - No Television
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SATURDAY'S MATCHUP
Texas Tech opened the 2007 with several questions, at least in the public eye, but provided plenty of answers following 60 minutes of action. The Red Raiders prevailed in the opener at SMU, 49-9, on Labor Day and begin the season with a 1-0 slate. UTEP scored a fourth quarter touchdown to claim a 10-6 win over New Mexico in El Paso last Saturday. UTEP enters the game 1-0.
RADIO COVERAGE
The Texas Tech Sports Network is comprised of 36 stations and the game can be heard on Sirius Satellite Radio (143). Brian Jensen will handle the play-by-play duties, while John Harris and former Red Raider quarterback Sonny Cumbie serve as analysts. Armen Williams will comb the sidelines for the network. Flagship station 1340 KKAM and KFMX 94.5 carry the games in Lubbock.
RED RAIDERS AND MINERS
This will be the 19th meeting between Texas Tech and UTEP in a series that dates back to 1930. Despite the close proximity, the two programs have faced off only twice recently - 1998 and 2006. Tech holds an 11-6-1 advantage, including a 5-3 edge in Lubbock. Last season's win in El Paso was the fourth-straight for Tech, dating back to the 1963 season.
RED RAIDERS IN THE POLLS
Texas Tech received votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll this week after receiving votes in both polls last week. Red Raider opponents earning top 25 status include Texas (7/7), Oklahoma (5/6) and Texas A&M (23/23), while Missouri received votes in both polls. (AP/USA Today)
TEN PLAYERS SEE FIRST STARTS
Ten players received their first-starts at SMU: LT
Rylan Reed, C
Shawn Byrnes, RT
Jake Johnson, WR
Michael Crabtree, RB
Kobey Lewis, NT
Richard Jones,
PROUD TO BE A TEXAN
Of the 44 names listed on the offensive and defensive depth charts, 37 hail from the state of Texas. Additionally, both punters, both kickers and both deep snappers are from the Lone Star State. Nineteen of the projected 22 starters are Texans.
REACHING OUT
Fifteen players on this year's roster originated from other states, including Hawaii, Georgia, California, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, Louisiana and Arkansas.
COMING IN DROVES
Over the course of Mike Leach's seven seasons at Texas Tech, 2,096,893 fans have enjoyed Red Raider football at Jones AT&T Stadium (compared to 1,953,683 during the 90s). Over the last three seasons, the average attendance was 51,453 - or 97.3 percent capacity.
DT Rajon Henley, DE Brandon Williams, LB Chad Hill and CB Jamar Wall.
DANNY MOVES THE CHAINS
Senior wide receiver Danny Amendola enjoyed tremendous success in his first game at the Y-receiver position, notching single-game career highs in both catches (10) and receiving yards (149) in the season opener at SMU. Most notably, eight of his ten catches resulted in drive-extending first downs or touchdowns, including his career-long 49-yard catch and run early in the second quarter. With an expanded role in the offense, and a wealth of experience under his belt, Amendola appears primed to shatter his personal season bests of 34 catches and 395 yards set a year ago during the 2006 season.
CRABTREE SHINES IN RED RAIDER DEBUT
Redshirt freshman WR Michael Crabtree shined in his Red Raider debut at SMU. He became the first freshman receiver in the Mike Leach era to score three touchdowns in a season opener. Crabtree finished the game with 106 yards on 12 receptions and three touchdowns.
Crabtree Highlights
Score the first touchdown of his career with two seconds left in the first half (one-yard pass to give Tech 20-6 lead)
Weaved in-and-out of traffic en route to second score, a 42-yard scamper down the left sideline in the third quarter
Picked up his third touchdown with 1:14 remaining in the third quarter that gave Tech a 34-6 lead (two-yard pass from Harrell)
WOODS CARRIES FOR MORE THAN SIX
In what was an impressive debut season for RB Shannon Woods as the starter in the Texas Tech backfield, no statistic jumps out more than his gaudy 6.1 yards per carry. In fact, the All-Big 12 all-purpose back ranked first in yards per carry amongst conference backs with more than 120 attempts on the season. Woods' 6.1 season average is the highest by a Red Raider since Byron Hanspard posted the same number during the 1996 season. During the regular season in 2006, Woods averaged six yards per carry or more in six of Tech's 12 games.
THE TIP DRILL PAID OFF
FS Darcel McBath batted both balls that were picked off by the Tech defense Monday, helping the unit to the most picks its recorded in a game since the Iowa State game last season.
