Texas Tech football classics: Red Raiders stun Sooners in Norman

The game was delayed 95 minutes by thunderstorms, which worked out well for Texas Tech

Prior to kickoff, violent thunderstorms rolled through the greater Oklahoma City area causing the game to be delayed by 95 minutes and forcing the capacity crowd to take cover under the stands.  There’s no doubt that the unexpected outburst by Mother Nature was part of the upset.

When the game resumed, there were noticeable empty sections of Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, something that almost never happens, especially for a night game.  And what’s more, Tech benefitted by winning the opening kickoff one the weather had passed.

With the teams having spent the past hour and a half waiting out the storm, the advantage early in the game was on the side of the offenses.  That’s likely because offense is all about precision and timing whereas defense is about energy and aggression, two traits that can be drained by such a long weather delay.

That was evident by the fact that each team scored on its first drive.  That included the Red Raiders opening the game with a quick touchdown thanks to a 44-yard TD reception by Alex Torres who took a WR screen to the house.

It is always so critical for Tech to get off to a solid start in Norman.  Time and time again the Red Raiders have fallen into huge holes when taking on OU on the road never to make a game of it.

But thanks to a sluggish start by the home team after the weather put a damper on the usually raucous Sooner crowd, Tech got off to the kind of start that a team must have to pull off such a huge upset.  And in the second quarter, Tech took the game by the throat.