Big win? For Texas Tech, it's just another test passed

The dismantling of the Cowboys was much more than Harrell and Crabtree.

Tech's performance wasn't all that different from the way the Red Raiders have played for the last month in beating then-No. 23 Kansas and then-No. 1 Texas 39-33.

Tech's running backs, Shannon Woods and Baron Batch, teamed up again to give the defense something else to think about.

The offensive line gave Harrell plenty of time to check down, run around and find the open receiver.

Eric Morris tied a career-high with 10 receptions, but 10 different players caught passes.

And the Tech defense, which has drawn praise for being vastly improved this season, held Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant in check while limiting quarterback Zac Robinson to just 182 passing yards.

"It was pretty obvious tonight that we got dominated in all three phases of the game and we lost the game as a group," Gundy said. "I thought we were outcoached and outplayed. We never could slow them down and we couldn't get them out of their rhythm. ... I have to give credit to them. They are a good football team, very mature, and they played very well."

Much like last week, the fans in Lubbock dressed mostly in black. Earlier in the week, the students once again opened "Raiderville," a line of tents outside the stadium -- last week it was a circle around the stadium -- filled with students waiting to get into the game.

Unlike last week, however, fans didn't rush the field -- let alone three times as they did with one second left against Texas.

The attitude of the players wasn't like last week, either. While the country has been slow to catch onto the Red Raiders, the team has expected this even though Tech hasn't started 10-0 since 1938.

"These kids are different. They don't care where we're ranked," Tech defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill said. "I'm sure they're happy, but all they want to do is play. ... Last week, we played a great team in Texas and they weren't all giddy in the locker room (after the win). It wasn't like the World Series, popping Gatorade. They were very level-headed. Tonight, it was the same. It's a different group."

Tech's second big win over a top-10 team might not vault the Red Raiders over the Crimson Tide. The resumes, though, are similar. Alabama has wins over teams ranked No. 9, 3 and 16 when the Tide played against them. Tech's wins came against teams ranked 23, 1 and 9.

Still, at least one Red Raider believes there's more to be done.

"I feel like every week we have something to prove," Crabtree said. "Week after week, they seem to come up with something about us not having a this or a that. So every time we come out we've got to play. That's what I put into everyone's head, and that's what I'm going to do."

(Jeff Walker is sports editor of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)