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Texas Tech escapes with OT win over Nebraska

Oct 12, 2008 - 12:57 AM LUBBOCK, Texas (Ticker) -- Nebraska kept Texas Tech's vaunted offense off the field most of the day. Unfortunately for the Cornhuskers, the Red Raiders had to get the ball in overtime.

Eric Morris scored on a 1-yard touchdown run as seventh-ranked Texas Tech escaped with a 37-31 overtime victory over Nebraska in a Big 12 Conference thriller Saturday.

The Cornhuskers dominated time of possession throughout regulation, holding the ball for 40:12 and running 80 offensive plays compared to 46 for the Red Raiders.

"It's tough and that's the game plan a lot of people have against us and Nebraska today has done the best job since I've been here," Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell said. "You've got give them the credit they came out and executed. But they made the mistake at the end and it came down to it and we got the win."

Harrell connected with Baron Batch on a screen pass down to the 1-yard line on the first play of overtime, and Morris scampered into the end zone on an end around three plays later.

Nebraska (3-3, 0-2 Big 12 North) blocked the extra point, giving it a chance to pull the upset against one of the nation's most potent offenses. Following an incomplete pass on first down, Joe Ganz was intercepted by Jamar Wall to seal the dramatic win for Texas Tech.

"I told Joe (Ganz) this, I told the football team this: that play did not lose us the football game," Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini said. "There were a lot of plays out there for us to win the game. We would not have been in that situation without Joe Ganz. That play did not lose the football game. It never does."

Harrell and Michael Crabtree hooked up for two touchdowns, giving the sophomore wideout a school-record 32 career touchdown receptions.

Texas Tech (6-0, 2-0 Big 12 South) held a 24-10 edge after three quarters, but the Cornhuskers found the end zone on three fourth-quarter touchdowns, thanks in part to some trickery.

Nebraska lined up for a field goal on fourth-and-seven from the Texas Tech 9, but holder Jake Wesch completed a pass to Mike McNeill for a first down at the 1. Ganz scored on the next play to pull Nebraska within 24-17.

"I think sometimes we went out and tried to make too much happen, defensively we tried to make too much happen we tried to play perfect and we just need to make routine plays," Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach said.

After Texas Tech went three and out on its next possession, Ganz capped an eight-play, 68-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown strike to Dreu Young to knot the game, 24-24.

"I thought our offense played outstanding," Pelini said. "We made some mistakes and there are plays out there on the field that we will regret that could have helped us win the football game, but we didn't do it. Ultimately, we didn't make enough plays in time to get it in the end."

A senior, Ganz completed 38-of-46 passes for a season-high 349 yards.

The Red Raiders' ensuing possession appeared to stall, but Harrell hit a wide-open Crabtree for 47 yards on fourth-and-five from their own 36-yard line to extend the drive. Harrell scored on a 1-yard run to put Texas Tech back in front, 31-24 with 2:22 left in the fourth quarter.

"We got to work, we got to make it happen and we did and the thing about coach is he has a lot of confidence in his guys," Harrell said. "He said just make it work and we did."

However, Ganz led Nebraska on a 79-yard touchdown drive to tie the game, connecting with Todd Peterson on a 17-yard score with 57 seconds remaining in regulation.

"It was one of the strangest games I had been a part of, and I think that Nebraska would say the same too," Leach said. "I can't say enough about their offensive line and their offense did a great job. I think the coaching job they did was impressive. I was proud of our guys hanging in there, we had a little bit of adversity but we overcame it."