LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -Nebraska quarterback Joe Ganz remembers where he was the last time the Huskers went to Texas Tech and endured the worst drubbing in school history.
He was a redshirt visiting friends at another university, and watched on TV in disbelief as six Nebraska turnovers in the second half fueled Tech’s 70-10 victory four years ago.
Now Ganz is in position to do something to soften that memory when the Huskers take on seventh-ranked Texas Tech (5-0, 1-0 Big 12) on Saturday.
“Obviously it hurt,” Ganz said. “They were embarrassed as a program. That is long behind us, so we don’t think about that.”
The latest version of Texas Tech’s offense is a worthy distraction.
ve Texas Tech in position to back up the school’s highest ranking in 32 years.
“We know they’re capable of putting up a lot of points,” Ganz said. “You don’t look at the scoreboard. You just keep going out there swinging, keep fighting, keep doing everything you can until you score.”
The Cornhuskers (3-2, 0-1) are facing a potent passing attack for the second straight week in their first road game of the season. Chase Daniel and No. 3 Missouri beat the Huskers 52-17, their most lopsided home loss in 53 years and fifth-worst in Lincoln in the program’s 119-year history. Daniel was 18-of-23 for three TDs and 253 yards.
Nebraska is winless in 10 straight games against top 10 opponents, but Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said the loss to Missouri was deceiving.
“It was close for a half and (the Cornhuskers) gave up some big plays and got frustrated,” Leach said. “You take out some of those big plays and it was a close game.”
The Red Raiders, coming off a 58-28 victory against Kansas State, need to guard against overconfidence, linebacker Brian Duncan said. Tech is trying to match the longest single-season winning streak in nine years under Leach.
“Coming off a win we can’t be lax,” Duncan said. “We have to have the mentality any team can beat us any time anywhere.”
Nebraska will try to do that with its running game, hoping to keep Texas Tech’s offense off the field.
don’t want to give them too many chances,” Ganz said. “We’ll be able to run the ball. It’s just a matter of getting it going early.”
First-year Nebraska coach Bo Pelini, co-defensive coordinator for Nebraska when the Huskers last visited Lubbock, thinks tough opponents are just what his team needs.
“That’s who you have to measure yourself against eventually,” he said. “It’s going to be a heck of a test for our football team.”
Pelini gives high praise to Crabtree, the nation’s third-best receiver in yards per game (112.8 yards). But he said Huskers defenders can’t focus solely on him.
“They have a lot of other guys who can hurt you,” Pelini said. “You have to be well-balanced.”
Don’t expect the Red Raiders to go easy on the Huskers if the game gets out of hand like it did four years ago.
“We are not a team that gives up at the end,” said Texas Tech offensive lineman Brandon Carter, who was in the stands for the 2004 game during his official recruiting trip. “I know some people think it’s disrespectful to try to keep scoring at the end, but that’s the game itself. We keep pushing forward.”
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