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Tuesday, November 24, 1998
Tech flounders in season finale against Oklahoma
- again
By CHRIS NEWTON Associated Press Writer
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - Riding high after beating then-No. 18
Texas, Texas Tech was supposed to stroll into Oklahoma and add
an exclamation point to its case for a bowl game by trouncing
the Sooners.
But now, following a 20-17 loss in Norman, the Red Raiders'
bowl prospects are in question and players and coaches are wondering
how they could have allowed the Sooners to dampen a winning season
for the second straight year.
"I'm not too fired up today," Tech coach Spike Dykes
said Monday. "That was a tough loss. This team deserved better
than that. You can lose to a team that is supposed to beat you,
but when you lose to a team that you should beat - that takes
the wind out of your sails."
Last year, the Sooners did a lot more than that. Tech was vying
to take sole ownership of the Big 12 South Division title when
Oklahoma ambushed the Red Raiders 32-21 in Lubbock.
Last week, Tech players coaches offered a stream of cliches
such as, "We're not going to let them sneak up on us,"
and "This time, we're going to be ready."
They weren't. And, as a result, the Red Raiders ended the year
7-4 after a 6-0 start. Their lone victory the last five games
was a 42-35 win over Texas; three of the other four losses were
to ranked teams.
That's why it hurt so much to lose to Oklahoma, which finished
5-6 and saw its coach, John Blake, get fired about 24 hours later.
"We should have beat those guys," said defensive
end Montae Reagor. "We made too many turnovers and we didn't
make enough plays down the stretch. We didn't play with enough
emotion."
Dykes said the lack of emotion against Oklahoma was surprising
considering the game's high stakes. The loss means Tech could
find itself behind six other teams with equal or better records
in the competition for a bowl game.
Beating Oklahoma almost would have ensured Tech a spot in the
Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La. and possibly a shot at a
more prestigious bowl.
Tech may still be chosen for the Independence Bowl, but Dykes
said he's "not buying a ticket yet."
"You never know what will happen when it comes to bowl
games unless you make your destiny by winning the conference,"
Dykes said. "Now we just have to hope."
Tech didn't go to a postseason game last year because of self-imposed
sanctions prior to the NCAA punishing the program for various
rules violations. Before then, the Red Raiders appeared in bowl
games in four straight seasons.
Tech led Oklahoma 10-0 when Chris Birkholz's 50-yard field
goal try into the wind was blocked midway through the second quarter.
Darryl Bright returned the loose ball for a touchdown to get the
Sooners within 10-7.
"We didn't play like we were ahead after that," Dykes
said.
The Sooners recovered a poor option pitch by Rob Peters early
in the third quarter and two plays later Jermaine Fazande scored
on a 32-yard run to put Oklahoma ahead 14-10. The Sooners added
two fourth-quarter field goals, one after another Peters fumble,
to make it 20-10.
Tech rallied to close 20-17 and had a chance to tie the game
but star running back Ricky Williams fumbled on the Oklahoma 31.
"If we get the chance to play in a bowl game, we've got
to come out and play a full four quarters," Peters said.
"We've got to put people away and not let them back in, or
the bowl game might not be worth watching."
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