Both Texas Tech and Baylor entered Saturday’s meeting both
needing to win, but for different reasons.
The Bears were searching for what has been an elusive sixth
win to become bowl eligible, while the Red Raiders were in search for answers
after starting the season 6-1, before dropping three of their last four
entering this game.
In the end Baylor had their bowl wishes granted with a 52-45
victory in overtime, and Tech had some questions answered and others raised at
the end of its regular season.
“We knew this would be a high scoring game, we felt like
we’d have to score 45, that was our number 45, to win the game and that wasn’t
enough,” Tuberville said. “I’m proud of the seniors, they did well, they kept
this group together. Last week all we talked about was responding to adversity,
because of how we coached and played last week, which we didn’t do very well.
We responded this week in practice and in the game and our guys really played
hard and that’s all we can ask of them.”
Tech (7-5, 4-5 in Big 12 Conference play) opened up the game
jumping to a quick 21-7 lead before the offense started to stall and struggle.
In the third quarter with a 31-21 lead in tact, following a
97-yard kickoff return by Jakeem Grant for a touchdown, the Red Raider
offensive unit began to give up the ball.
Tech senior quarterback Seth Doege finished the game
30-for-40 for 359 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions and a fumble.
Even with the struggles by Doege late in the game, Tech
senior wide receiver Darrin Moore, who finished the game with 13 catches for
186 yards and two touchdowns, said the loss does not just fall on Doege because
they all played a role in it.
“Basically keep his head up,” he said about Doege. “It’s a
team game, it’s not his fault, we all had our part in this loss. Just tell him
to keep his head up.”
Despite being down, and penalties hurting the team time and
time again, Grant said the team felt like they could come back because they
have done it before.
“It was very frustrating,” he said. “I felt that even though
that we kept getting pushed back that we can overcome adversity. I just kept
telling everybody on the sideline to keep their head up, we can overcome this.”
The Red Raiders would have to overcome adversity in overtime
for the third time in the 2012 season, with victories against TCU and Kansas
both coming after regulation.
But the third time was not the charm for Tech.
Baylor utilized its running game with Glasco Martin, who
finished with 109 yards on 23 carries, taking the ball into the end zone in
overtime to win the game for the Bears.
Tech had a chance to tie it up to send the game to a second
overtime, but fell short, losing 52-45.
“It’s sad, I feel sorry for the seniors, such a close game,”
Moore said. “It’s not a fun way to
go out, we fought, we just came up short.”