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Daunting stretch continues for Texas Tech

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:16 AM (8) Oklahoma State (8-1) at (3) Texas Tech (9-0), 8:00 pm EST

LUBBOCK, Texas (Ticker) -- With the target now clearly on its back, nothing is going to get easier for Texas Tech.

Fresh off the biggest win in school history, the third-ranked Red Raiders will square off against No. 8 Oklahoma State on Saturday.

Last Saturday, Graham Harrell found fellow Heisman Trophy candidate Michael Crabtree with a 28-yard touchdown pass with one second left to lift Texas Tech to a 39-33 upset of then-No. 1 Texas in a Big 12 classic.

Harrell, who finished 36-of-53 for 474 yards and two touchdowns, dropped back with eight seconds left and connected with Crabtree at the 6. The dynamic receiver escaped the clutches of a defender at the sideline and danced into the end zone.

"There is no man in the country who can man-up on Crabs," Harrell said amid a sea of frenetic fans on the field. "He is the best in the country."

"I don't want to say nothing but I dreamed it in my head, and it really happened," said Crabtree, who had 10 catches for 127 yards. "We just had to do our job and go out and score."

After the win, Texas Tech Coach Mike Leach gave his quarterback his Heisman endorsement. Harrell has passed 3,620 yards and 30 touchdowns with five interceptions this year.

"He did a tremendous job of holding it together," Leach said. "Some of you guys may want to add (Harrell) to your Heisman list. Those who don't have him on the list probably ought to put him on, I would think."

Harrell might have some competition from his favorite target, Crabtree, who has hauled in 70 receptions for 921 yards and 15 scores this season.

The Red Raiders (9-0, 5-0 Big 12 South) have the opportunity to secure their first 10-win season since 1976. A win Saturday also would give Texas Tech its second ever 10-0 start, with the first coming 70 years ago.

The Red Raiders still have a few tough obstacles in their way to get to the national championship game, starting with the Cowboys this week.

Texas Tech also has to visit No. 4 Oklahoma and host a feisty Baylor team for the opportunity to take on the best the Big 12 North has to offer.

Oklahoma State, which had its undefeated season end two weeks ago against Texas, is hoping to hand Texas Tech its first loss and jump back into the national title picture.

Zac Robinson often gets overshadowed by the other great quarterbacks in the conference (Harrell, Texas' Colt McCoy, Oklahoma's Sam Bradford and Missouri's Chase Daniel), but he continues to put up great numbers.

Robinson threw five touchdowns passes - including four to Dez Bryant - as the 10th-ranked Cowboys rolled to a 59-17 rout of Iowa State last Saturday.

"It's a lot of fun. That is definitely what we strive for," Robinson said. "We want to get explosive plays. That is what we want to do. A lot of those plays in the throwing game were open today, as well as the running game on options and stuff.

"Most of the time, it's the other 10 guys that are not touching the ball. The offensive line played great, and they are a reason why we had so many big plays."

Bryant finished with nine catches for 171 yards and Kendall Hunter added 104 yards rushing and a touchdown Saturday for the Cowboys (8-1, 4-1), who handed the Red Raiders their first loss last season but have not won in Lubbock since 1988 in the defunct Coca Cola Bowl.