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Texas Tech happy to be in Cotton Bowl

Jan 2, 2009 - 2:21 PM (8) Texas Tech (11-1) vs. (24) Mississippi (8-4), 2:00 pm EST

DALLAS (Ticker) -- Graham Harrell and upstart Texas Tech captured the attention of the college football world this season. But due to a humiliating loss and a Big 12 Conference technicality, the one-loss Red Raiders did not get a chance to participate in the Bowl Championship Series.

Instead, Harrell and the eighth-ranked Red Raiders have to settle for an appearance in the Cotton Bowl on Friday, when they will square off with No. 24 Mississippi.

Ranked 14th in the preseason, Texas Tech methodically climbed the polls by winning their first 10 games in exciting fashion. Boasting a high-powered offense led by Harrell and dynamic wide receiver Michael Crabtree, the Red Raiders eclipsed the 40-point mark in seven of those games.

Harrell and Crabtree also authored the signature moment of the regular season when they hooked up for a game-winning 28-yard touchdown with one second remaining in a 39-33 upset of then-No. 1 Texas on November 1.

But three weeks later, the Red Raiders - ranked second in the BCS standings - suffered a 65-21 thrashing at Oklahoma. The loss created a logjam atop the Big 12 South Division, which Oklahoma ultimately won by virtue of its superior BCS ranking.

Despite their loss to the Red Raiders, Texas (11-1) finished third in the final BCS rankings, eliminating Texas Tech from a BCS bowl.

Harrell, who passed for 4,747 yards and 14 touchdowns this season, hopes to end his collegiate career in winning fashion against Mississippi (8-4), which ended its campaign with an impressive five-game winning streak.

"The Cotton Bowl is going to be a great way to end my playing career at Texas Tech," said Harrell, an Ennis, Texas native. "The chance to go back home and play in front of my family and friends is going to be very special.

"We thought all along that our team could do some special things this year, and getting the invitation to the Cotton Bowl is something we are all proud of."

Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach echoed Harrell's sentiments, claiming that the Red Raiders feel privileged to play in the 73rd edition of the Cotton Bowl.

"We are honored to be able to play in what I feel is the one of the most important bowl games of the year," said Leach, who has been linked to numerous coaching vacancies. "When you look at all the great tradition and college football history that is tied to the Cotton Bowl, you can't help but be excited to be a part of that.

"Our team has worked hard to be in this position, and I am grateful to the Cotton Bowl for rewarding their efforts."

Texas Tech will be seeking a school-record 12th victory and its first win in four Cotton Bowl appearances.

"It's a bowl that's rich in tradition," Red Raiders running back Baron Batch said. "There's a lot of teams that would love to be in our position right now, so we're excited about it."

It will be the final Cotton Bowl in Dallas, as the game moves to the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium in Arlington in 2010.

"Our team is going to be the last team to play in the Cotton Bowl in that arena so I'm excited about that," Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said. "I wish that (athletic director Rick Baker) would have gotten us maybe a lesser opponent."

In his first season, Nutt guided Ole Miss to a second-place finish in the Southeastern Conference West Division and its first bowl game since 2004, when the Eli Manning-led Rebels

defeated Oklahoma State, 31-28, in the Cotton Bowl.

Despite a stunning 31-30 win at Florida on September 27, the Rebels started 3-4. However, they responded to win their final five regular-season games, including a 45-0 victory over Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl.

"I'm so excited to take this team to a bowl game," Nutt added. "I missed the bowl game last year, so I'm doubly excited."

Nutt guided Arkansas to the Cotton Bowl last season, but did not get to coach in the game after already taking the Ole Miss job.