30 Greatest Games in Texas Tech History
No. 2 – @ Texas A&M 2002
Though it was played in the new millennium, the second greatest game in Texas Tech history was not televised. That decision would be a tremendous letdown to fans across the region but it added to the mystique of Texas Tech’s 48 – 47 overtime win.
On a sweltering hot day in south Texas, the Aggies jumped out to an 18-point 4th quarter lead. But senior Texas Tech quarterback Kliff Kingsbury led his team to 17 points in the final quarter to send the game to overtime.
Texas Tech also received a huge boost from punt returner Wes Welker whose 89-yard punt return touchdown put the Red Raiders ahead for the first time in the game with under three minutes to play.
The Aggies would regain the lead forcing Texas Tech kicker Robert Treece to hit a 42-yard field goal with six seconds to play to tie the game.
A&M would score a touchdown to open overtime but John Pierson missed his second extra-point attempt of the game. On the ensuing possession, Kingsbury hit Nehemiah Glover for a touchdown and Treece’s extra-point try was good giving Texas Tech its most dramatic and improbable victory over the school’s most hated rival.
Since the game was not televised, many fans did not believe what they heard on the radio or read the next day in the newspapers. Though Kyle Field held only just 86,000 fans at the time, hundreds of thousands of Red Raiders will tell you they were there that day and to be fair, all of them were there…if only in spirit.
Next: vs. Texas 2008