Oct 22, 2011; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Landry Jones (12) drops back to pass against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the second half at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-US PRESSWIRE
Oklahoma returns to Lubbock Saturday for the first time since 2009. It will pit the nation’s two best pass defenses against each other and features two passers who have big-game capabilities.
On the Red Raider side, Seth Doege will try to knock off Oklahoma for a second consecutive year. On the Sooner side, Landry Jones will attempt to come back from not only a horrific game against Kansas State and avenge Oklahoma’s loss to Tech last season.
Both quarterbacks would love nothing more than a win and whoever does will end a streak both teams would like to get off their back.
Oklahoma’s losing streak should be obvious to most Sooner fans. The Sooners have not won in Lubbock since 2003. If Landry Jones was able to get the victory, then he would be the first Sooner quarterback since Jason White to beat the Red Raiders away from Norman.
Although, interestingly enough, Oklahoma was unable to beat the Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium after Mike Stoops left for the Arizona head coaching job. Well, Mike is back, and the secondary has looked better.
Take away Bob and Mike’s first season at Oklahoma, the Sooner defense allowed on averaged around 16 points to the Red Raiders from 2000-2003. Once Mike left, Oklahoma on average gave up 25 to Tech. Though, 2010 helped decrease that average, when the Sooners held the Red Raiders to seven.
Anyway, Mike Stoops’ presence seems to have made a difference. Although, Texas Tech has just as much history to make Saturday.
These two have been back and forth for nearly a decade, and the Red Raiders, in 19 meetings with the Sooners, have never beaten Oklahoma back-to-back times. Oklahoma and Texas Tech have played each other every year since 1992, with the exception of 1995, but in that time frame, Tech has never been able to form a winning streak against the Sooners.
That could be good news for Oklahoma. Historically, they have always had a response to defeat at the hands of the Red Raiders. Though, ironically, Oklahoma has not lost two games in-a-row since 2003. And as mentioned, 2003 was the last time the Sooners beat Tech in Lubbock.
It will be an interesting game, with some historic implications. So can Oklahoma bounce back and grab its first win in Lubbock since the days of Jason White, or will Tech get its first back-to-back win over Oklahoma? Find out Saturday as kickoff has been set for 2:30 p.m. CST and will be nationally televised on ESPN2, as well as regionally covered by ABC.