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Texas Tech-Texas Preview

Sep 15, 2009 - 9:39 PM By JIM VERTUNO AP Sports Writer

No. 7 Texas Tech (2-0) at No. 3 Texas (2-0), 8:00 p.m. EDT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- While thousands stormed the field to celebrate, Colt McCoy stood on the sideline in stunned silence.

The Texas quarterback had rallied the Longhorns into the lead, then watched as Texas Tech drove to Michael Crabtree's winning touchdown catch with 1 second left on the biggest play of the 2008 season.

Now the Red Raiders (2-0) are coming to Austin and revenge is the buzzword of the week, even if the second-ranked Longhorns (2-0) are publicly trying to avoid it.

"They got us," McCoy said Monday.

"I was just in shock," he said. "That's one of the greatest plays that's ever happened. ... The hardest part is you what you did in that game: The offense goes down and scores right at the end of the game and we think we've got it won. That's what makes it so hard."

Crabtree's touchdown will go down as one of the most heartbreaking in Longhorns history. Not only for the loss, but the domino effect that followed.

The loss ultimately forced a three-way tie in the Big 12 South, bumping the Longhorns out of a chance to play for the Big 12 title. That honor went to Oklahoma, a team Texas beat on the field. Without a chance to play Missouri - another team Texas beat - they were out of the BCS title game.

By extension, it probably also cost McCoy a chance to win the Heisman Trophy. He was runner-up to Oklahoma's Sam Bradford.

But for everything Texas lost in that 1 second in Lubbock, Longhorns coach Mack Brown says he won't talk about "revenge" with this team.

"Some people use it but it's not my personality. Revenge is fine if that helps. We tell the players to figure out what turns you on, what excites you. We don't care," Brown said.

McCoy said he's focused not on revenge but trying to win every game this season.

"I've never been a revenge-type guy," McCoy said.

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach seemed unconcerned about whatever may be motivating Texas this week. The Red Raiders can expect 100,000 Texas fans to be thinking revenge the entire night, especially after seeing highlights of Crabtree's TD catch all week.

"It's hard to sustain (revenge) for an entire 60 minutes out there," Leach said. "At some point you got to worry about doing your job and playing well."

Brown says he's seen enough of Crabtree's catch and won't watch last season's game again. He watched the tape the morning after "three or four times," but can't stomach it any more.

"If I get home and it's on (ESPN) Classic, I won't turn it on," Brown said. "I move forward. You can't lay and wallow in it."

Texas went into Lubbock ranked No. 1 and quickly found itself down 19-0. The Longhorns took a 33-32 lead behind two touchdown passes from McCoy to Malcolm Williams and Vondrell McGee's 4-yard touchdown run with 1:29 to play.

The Red Raiders marched down the field and Texas had a chance to wrap it up when freshman safety Blake Gideon dropped what should have been an interception off a tipped ball.

One play later, Crabtree scooted into the end zone, sending Tech fans onto the field not once, but twice.

The first time they did it without realizing there was still 1 second on the clock. After game officials restored order, the crowd flooded the field again when the game was finally over.

Tech couldn't keep it rolling. A tough game the next week against Baylor was followed by a blowout loss at Oklahoma. Then came a bowl game loss to Mississippi.

Meanwhile, Texas has kept a low burn simmering for its chance at revenge, even if they don't want to call it that.

"A new year, a new team," linebacker Sergio Kindle said. "Hopefully, we'll come out with a different outcome."

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Associated Press Writer Betsy Blaney in Lubbock, Texas, contributed to this report.