Lubbock Avalanche-Journal story on SMU v. Texas Tech

[MrMustang1965]

DALLAS — Downtrodden Southern Methodist played Texas Tech close for three quarters. The Mustangs didn't take it well when the Red Raiders tried to make their victory look more convincing than it was.

Sonny Cumbie passed for 470 yards and four touchdowns in his debut as a starter Saturday night, leading Tech to a season-opening 27-13 triumph and extending SMU's losing streak to 13 games.

Texas Tech quarterback Sonny Combie (15) passes under presure from Southern Methodist defender Rico Harris (6) during the first quarter in Dallas on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2004.

But the outcome was marred by an ugly finish: Tech ran two pass plays from inside the SMU 5-yard line as the clock was running out, and instead of post-game handshakes there were punches thrown as the two teams came together near the north end of the Gerald J. Ford Stadium field.

"I told (Tech coach) Mike (Leach) I didn't appreciate how the game ended," SMU coach Phil Bennett said. "I'm not a crybaby. Neither team deserved to have that happen. Maybe it's just me personally. I didn't want to see the game end like that."

Order was restored only after more than a minute of pushing and shoving and punches being thrown. Making it worse, the two teams had to exit by the same tunnel, but coaches held SMU players back while the Raiders filed out, then pointed the Mustangs back onto the field for the playing of their alma mater.

"Basically, what happened, I think Coach Bennett was a little disappointed," Leach said. "I really respect Phil Bennett. I like Phil Bennett a lot and hope he still likes me. I'd like to talk to him. I think he was frustrated after the game."

Texas Tech wide receiver Nehemiah Glover (6) pulls in a 38-yard pass under Southern Methodist defender Jamey Harper (16) during the second quarter in Dallas on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2004.

But Leach wasn't about to apologize. He said he didn't blame Nebraska when the Cornhuskers hammered Tech 56-3 in a 2000 game in Lubbock. It's long been Leach's nature to continue running his passing offense no matter what the game situation.

"I've spent a lot of time coaching our players to play hard, finish, score, all that stuff, and we don't change gears on that," Leach said. "I told them before the game: Your performance will be judged by your doing your best and making routine plays. When I stop the projector, I'm not going to look at the down, I'm not going to look at the distance and I'm not going to look at the time left.

"If I'm going to preach that, that's what I want to get out of them. You only get so many plays; you better make the most of them."

Cumbie took up where his predecessors, 5,000-yard passers Kliff Kingsbury and B.J. Symons left off, completing 40 attempts out of 66. He showed the accuracy and decision making skills Kingsbury had and the strong arm of Symons — seven of his completions covered at least 20 yards. He threw touchdown passes of 14 and 13 yards to tight end Bristol Olomua, 15 yards to flanker and Joel Filani and 19 yards to split end Jarrett Hicks.

Hicks' TD put the game out of reach at 27-6 with 7:25 left. On Tech's final possession, a 34-yard pass to Olomua and a pass-interference penalty got the Raiders to the SMU 2. Taurean Henderson was thrown for a 2-yard loss after a shovel pass. With the clock ticking, Cumbie took a snap with one second left and threw incomplete for Brandon Douglas, touching off the post-game fight.

For a good portion of the night, the Mustangs gave the Raiders a decent fight, thanks in part to Tech failing to score on five possessions inside the SMU 40. Mustangs kicker Chris McMurtray converted field goals from 35 and 26 yards to tie the game at 6 with 10:12 to go in the third quarter.

On the ensuing series, Henderson reeled off a 15-yard gain, and Cumbie completed passes to five receivers as Tech took the lead for good with 7:23 left. Facing third down from the SMU 15, Cumbie spotted Filani wide open at the 10. (continued below)

[MrMustang1965]

(continued)
Filani turned and ran untouched into the end zone, then kept going until he head butted the brick wall beyond the end zone.

Cumbie's second touchdown pass to Olomua came with 29 seconds to go in the third quarter and moved Tech in front 20-6. That capped a seven-play, 78-yard drive on which Cumbie sandwiched big passes to Hicks and Nehemiah Glover around a 17-yard run by Johnnie Mack.

Hicks finished with 150 yards on eight catches, and Olomua had 100 on seven.

SMU moved the ball decently in its first game with new coordinator Rusty Burns' spread offense, finishing with 322 yards. Sophomore quarterback Chris Phillips had 109 yards on 12-of-28 passing. He also carried 21 times for 75 yards, on several occasions using the zone-read play that Missouri quarterback Brad Smith tortured the Raiders with last year.

Cedrick Dorsey's 7-yard touchdown with 3:07 left pulled SMU back to 27-13.

As good as the numbers were for Cumbie and his receivers, the Raiders missed plenty of chances and kicker Keith Toogood fell from favor — at least in the game — after missing a 34-yard field goal and an extra point. He was replaced by redshirt freshman Alex Trlica.

In the first three quarters, the Raiders got no points from possessions that reached the SMU 13, 4, 38 and 28-yard lines. Toogood's missed field goal ended the first of those series, and then Leach opted for fourth-down passes on the other three. At halftime, it was a 6-3 game on the strength of Cubmie's first scoring pass to Olomua.

"The first half, as a team, I thought we were kind of tentative," Leach said. "I thought we played a lot better the second half. The first half, SMU played harder than us, and they played together better than us."

[Sam I Am]

Leach kknows full well that his staff called the passing plays at the ned of the game. In that situation the team runs a straight ahead dive into the line to end the game. Leach may still like Bennett, but SMU doesn't like Leach. Stuff it, fat boy!