Throwback Game of the Week: The Only Time Texas Tech Beat Bob Stoops in Norman, Oklahoma
Bob Stoops was nearly unbeatable at home. He coached 110 games in Norman, Oklahoma and only lost nine times. At one point, he won 39 games in a row at home. At two other points in his career, he won 19 in a row.
Mike Leach out-coached Bob stoops three times. All in Lubbock. In Stoops' first game against Texas Tech as the head man in Oklahoma, he lost to Spike Dykes. You can read about that game here.
The point is, it didn't happen often in the Stoops Era. Only one coach was able to lead the Red Raiders to the promised land in Norman, and that man was Tommy Tuberville. Our fearless leader. No word on what Tuberville thinks Norman looks like.
In 2011, the Red Raiders were 4-2 heading into Norman after two straight losses to Kansas State and Texas A&M. Their wins included the Kansas Jayhawks and a one-point win over Nevada.
Oklahoma was 6-0 and rolling after beating their rival the Texas Longhorns 55-17 just a few weeks prior.
The two teams met on a rainy October night in 2011 with Oklahoma ranked 3rd in the nation and the Sooners looking forward to a national title game. Both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were ranked in the top 5 in the BCS rankings and were set to play the "Big 12 Championship" on the final week of the season for a shot at that National Title game. All they had to do was win their match-ups leading up to the final week of the season.
The game was delayed due to lightning in the area on that fateful night. But little did Bob Stoops know how much lightning was truly in store for him.
(On a side note: It's a good thing I took that creative writing course in college. Totally worth it. Back to the game.)
Right off the bat, the broadcasters bring up Bob Stoops' 39-game win streak at home. They reiterate that Oklahoma doesn't just win at home; they win BIG. They own Texas Tech in Norman, with an 8-1 record against them. The announcers then pile on, saying Texas Tech has just endured back-to-back devastating losses.
Texas Tech then runs the opening kickoff back to mid-field.
Seth Doege is the quarterback for Texas Tech and makes quick work of the first drive. Alex Torres would catch the first of his three touchdowns on a 44-yard screen pass. Doege would end the day with 441 yards and four passing touchdowns. The offense would be hot the entire game.
Landry Jones would lead the Sooners to an opening drive touchdown in three plays, with the money shot coming on a 16-yard toss to future Miami Dolphin Kenny Stills.
Two minutes into the game it was 7-7. No one else would score in the 1st quarter.
The broadcasters reiterate that Bob Stoops is really good at home, 75-2 at home.
After a missed field goal from OU in the 2nd quarter, Texas Tech takes a drive all the way down on DeAndre Washington's coming out party. The 10-play, 76-yard drive would heavily feature the future TTU star, and Adam James (yes, that Adam James) would catch a pass to lead them into the red zone before Seth Doege would put a 4th and goal run into the endzone.
Adam James would finish with five catches for 75 yards and the continued hatred from pirates everywhere.
OU would fumble on the ensuing possesion.
Texas Tech would add to their 14-7 lead with another Doege Touchdown pass. This would would finish an 80-yard drive and would be a 30-yard strike to Alex Torres, his second of the day.
Texas Tech would add a field goal to take a 24-7 lead into halftime.
Texas Tech would open their lead further on the first Red Raider drive in the second half stretching the Texas Tech lead to 31-7 over the Sooners. Yet another Alex Torres touchdown from Seth Doege.
Using words like 'shocked' and 'shredded,' the broadcasters resigned to the fact that Texas Tech might win and that Seth Doege might be good with four total touchdowns on his tally at the moment.
Oklahoma would begin to mount a comeback attempt, scoring the next 17 points before Texas Tech stopped the bleeding with a field goal early in the 4th quarter to make the score 34-24.
Doege and Landry would then trade touchdown passes to make the game 41-31 with 6:45 left in the game.
On Oklahoma's next drive, they would miss their second field goal of the game with 2:52 left in the game, effectively ending their comeback bid. It was a 28-yarder. That will be very important in a minute.
Tuberville's Texas Tech squad would go three and out and only take one minute off the clock.
Oklahoma would answer with a four-play, 30-second drive that would make the score 41-38.
That touchdown would have tied the game with 1:10 left on the clock if they hadn't missed the chip shot on the previous drive. It would have put them ahead if they had converted on both of their missed field goals. Alas, they did not.
With Oklahoma out of time outs, Texas Tech would need just two more plays to run out the final minute and end Bob Stoops' 39-game winning streak at home. It was just the third home loss in Stoops' 12 years as the head coach in Norman.
- BONUS VIDEO