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Texas Tech football: The defining victories of the 2010s

By Matthew Conner

NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 22: Texas Tech players celebrate after the game against the Oklahoma Sooners October 22, 2011 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. Texas Tech upset Oklahoma 41-38. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 22: Texas Tech players celebrate after the game against the Oklahoma Sooners October 22, 2011 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. Texas Tech upset Oklahoma 41-38. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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Jace Amaro #22 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Jace Amaro #22 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

2012: Texas Tech 49, West Virginia 14

The most disappointing aspect of the last decade is that this program has lost any semblance of a home-field advantage.  With just four wins over ranked teams in Lubbock in the last decade, Tech has been unable to recreate the magic of the 2000s at The Jones.

But one of those wins was 2012’s 49-14 drubbing of No. 5 West Virginia.  Coming into the game after taking down Texas in Austin, the Mountaineers were led by Heisman frontrunner, Geno Smith.

However, that day the Red Raider defense put in motion a downward spiral that would see the WVU QB fall out of the national consciousness by the end of the season.  On that windy October afternoon, Smith was just 30-56 for 278 yards and a TD.

Meanwhile, Doege was on fire with 499 yards and six touchdowns on 32-42 passing.  Tight end Jace Amaro caught five of those passes for 156 yards and a score while averaging 31.2 yards per grab.

Meanwhile, Darrin Moore had three touchdown grabs as part of his 9-catch, 92-yard day.  And the Tech offense got off to a hot start early.

Jumping out 14-0 on TD passes to Amaro and WR Eric Ward, Tech put the Mountaineers in a hole in the first quarter.  Two more Doege TD passes and a 53-yard TD run by RB Sadele Foster gave the home team a 35-7 lead at the break and the rout was on.

WCU was averaging 52 points per game on the year but managed just one1st quarter TD and a 4th quarter TD in garbage time with Tech already up 49-7.  Perhaps the most memorable moment from the second half of this game came when a fan ran onto the field and attempted to disrobe at midfield getting down to his boxers before being corraled by security…thankfully.

This win over the Mountaineers proved to do more damage to WVU’s season that it did positively for Tech’s.  It was the first of a five-game losing streak for a Mountaineer team that started the year as a possible Big 12 and even National Title contender.  After winning the next week at No. 23 TCU in double-OT, the Red Raiders finished the year with losses in four of their last five games on their way to a somewhat disappointing season that ended 8-5 after a 6-1 start.

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