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Texas Tech football classics: Red Raiders stave off upset bid from A&M in ’08

By Matthew Conner

Quarterback Graham Harrell #6 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders drops back to pass. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Quarterback Graham Harrell #6 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders drops back to pass. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Nov 14, 2020; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders helmets on the field before the game against the Baylor Bears at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2020; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders helmets on the field before the game against the Baylor Bears at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

Tech’s defense put on a clinic in the second half

Overall, this was an impressive showing for the Red Raider defense.  A&M would manage just 306 yards of total offense and would go for just 23 rushing yards.

But in the first half, Tech couldn’t seem to stop the pesky underdogs until they were already in scoring position.  That would change after the intermission as Tech would hold A&M to just 37 yards of offense.  Overall, the Aggies’ longest second-half drive would cover just 15 yards.

On the first A&M drive of the half, Daniel Howard would sack Aggie QB Jerrod Johnson to end the drive.  The next Aggie drive would derail when Brandon Sharpe would chase Johnson out of bounds for a sack. The home team would then go three-and-out on their next drive after three Johnson incompletions.  A Brandon Williams sack of Johnson would throw a wrench in the fourth Aggie possession of the half and their final drive would see the clock expire to end the game.

It was as dominant of a half of football as the Tech defense would play all season.  Granted, the A&M offense was nothing to write home about that year.  But still, they had Johnson (who when he arrived in Aggieland was touted as their version of Vince Young), a freshman receiver named Ryan Tannehill, and massive RB Javorsky Lane (though Lane would not carry the ball on the day after being dinged up the week before).

It was one of seven days that season in which the Red Raider defense would hold an opponent to 25 points or fewer.  That was despite the fact that the defense lacked superstar names such as the offense touted.

That year, linebacker Brian Duncan would lead the team with 95 tackles.  Meanwhile, Williams would pace the team with an impressive 13 sacks.  But still, the defense was never the star of the show in 2008.  Yet, on this day in College Station, that side of the ball carried the torch in the second half to help the Red Raiders stave off an upset bid on a day when the team’s biggest star was hobbled.

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