honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser

Updated at 12:50 p.m., Saturday, November 3, 2007

CFB: Texas Tech's Harrell passes 4,000-yard mark again

Associated Press

WACO, Texas — Another routine day for Graham Harrell and Texas Tech: a big passing game and another victory over Baylor.

Harrell was 37-of-46 for 433 yards and three touchdowns, eclipsing the 4,000-yard passing mark for the second season in a row, and Texas Tech won 38-7 today for its 12th consecutive victory over the Bears.

Aaron Crawford caught two TD passes and ran for two other scores as Texas Tech (7-3, 3-3 Big 12) snapped a two-game losing streak. The freshman running back scored on the Red Raiders' first three possessions in the third quarter when they extended their 17-0 halftime lead.

Baylor (3-7, 0-6) has lost its Big 12 games by an average margin of 30 points. The sixth straight loss guaranteed the Bears' 12th consecutive losing season and put fifth-year coach Guy Morriss' job in more jeopardy despite having another year left on his contract.

Harrell, a junior, became the fifth quarterback at the NCAA's highest level, formerly known as Division I-A, to have multiple 4,000-yard seasons.

Ty Detmer of BYU and Timmy Chang of Hawai'i each had three 4,000-yard seasons, and Byron Leftwich had two at Marshall. Hawai'i senior Colt Brennan has already had two 4,000-yard seasons, and has 2,820 yards through eight games this year for the 12th-ranked Warriors, who didn't play Saturday.

Harrell hit 4,000 yards on the nose with his first completion, a 21-yarder to Edward Britton midway through the first quarter. Harrell immediately followed with two more long passes, 20 yards to Crawford and 37 to Eric Morris for Harrell's 36th TD pass this season.

With two more TDs after that, Harrell matched his 38 TDs from last season when he threw for 4,555 yards. He has an NCAA-high 4,412 yards this year with two regular season games and a likely bowl remaining.

After a 15-yard completion to convert a fourth-and-5 on the first play of the fourth quarter, and Tech up 38-0, Harrell came out already with his school-record 10th career 400-yard game, eight of which have come this season.

Baylor didn't score until Blake Szymanski threw a 7-yard TD to Brandon Whitaker on fourth down with 49 seconds left.

Crawford caught 10 passes for 82 yards and Danny Amendola had eight catches for 108 yards to join Michael Crabtree with more than 1,000 yards receiving. They are the 24th set of teammates in NCAA history to have 1,000 yards in the same season.

Crabtree, a freshman, had his worst game with four catches for 61 yards. But he is still the NCAA leader with 104 catches for 1,522 yards and 18 TDs.

Defensive end Brandon Williams' sack and fumble recovery set up Tech's first touchdown. Williams blindsided Szymanski, then crawled over the Baylor quarterback to get the ball at the 22.

Harrell then had 10 straight completions, the three that led to the first score, and seven more for 66 yards on the next drive that set up Crawford's 3-yard TD run and made it 14-0.

Crawford turned a screen pass into a 17-yard TD on the first play after Amendola's 65-yard punt return in the third quarter. Crawford later scored on a 17-yard run and a 7-yard catch.