Red Raiders Set To Face Minnesota In 2006 Insight Bowl
December 22, 2006 | Football
Dec. 22, 2006
TEXAS TECH vs. MINNESOTA
2006 Insight Bowl
Sun Devil Stadium - Tempe, Ariz.
7 p.m. (CT) - NFL Network
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TEXAS TECH AND THE INSIGHT BOWL
Texas Tech is making its second appearance in the Insight Bowl. Actually, the Red Raiders played in the old Copper Bowl in Tucson in 1995, before the game moved to Phoenix. Tech knocked off Air Force, 55-41 in a shootout as the Zach Thomas and Byron Hanspard-led Red Raiders rolled in the win.
RED RAIDERS IN TEMPE
Texas Tech has played in Tempe once during its 82-year history, the 1999 season opener against Arizona State at Sun Devil Stadium. The Red Raiders have played in the state of Arizona many times during 32 meetings with the University of Arizona.
RED RAIDERS, GOLDEN GOPHERS MEET FOR FIRST TIME
Texas Tech and Minnesota meet for the first time in the Insight Bowl on Dec. 29, 2006.
TEXAS TECH, MINNESOTA CONNECTION
Red Raider women's golf coach Stacey (Kolb) Totman began her collegiate career at Minnesota before transferring to Texas Tech for her final two seasons. Totman is a native of Sioux Falls, S.D.
LEACH'S SEVEN-YEAR RUN MATCHES BEST IN SCHOOL HISTORY
Entering the Insight Bowl, Mike Leach has led the Red Raider program to 55 wins in his seven seasons, matching the best seven-season total in school annals. Tech posted 55 wins between 1972 and 1978, including an 11-win campaign in 1973.
RED RAIDER FOOTBALL IN 82nd SEASON
The 2006 season marks the 82nd year of Texas Tech Football on the South Plains. Over that span, the program has 481 wins, 383 losses and 32 ties.
BOWLED OVER - AGAIN
The Red Raiders qualified for postseason play for the 14th-straight season with their win over Baylor. Texas Tech is the only program of the current Big 12 member institutions to boast an overall winning record each season since 1996. Others have finished at .500, but none have posted winning marks each of the last 11 seasons.
TEXAS TECH RANKS SIXTH IN CONSECUTIVE WINNING SEASONS
Texas Tech currently ranks fifth nationally with 12-straight winning seasons. Florida State leads with 29, while Michigan (22), Florida (19) and Virginia Tech (14) comprise the top five. NOTE: Florida State has a 6-6 mark entering its bowl game against UCLA. The win total above does not reflect this season.
WOODS CARRIES FOR MORE THAN SIX
In what has been an impressive debut season for Shannon Woods as the starter in the Texas Tech backfield, no statistic jumps out more than his gaudy 6.1 yards per carry. In fact, the All-Big 12 honorable mention selection ranks first in yards per carry amongst conference backs with more than 120 attempts on the season. Woods' 6.1 season average is the highest by a Red Raider since Byron Hanspard posted the same number during the 1996 season. If he is able to pass Hanspard during the season finale against Minnesota, he will have marked the highest average since the 1972 season when George Smith gained 6.9 yards per rush. During the regular season in 2006, Woods averaged six yards per carry or more in six of Tech's 12 games and is facing a Golden Gopher defense that ranks 95th in the nation against the run, allowing an average of 4.23 yards per carry.
FILANI, JOHNSON FIND THE ENDZONE
Senior wide receivers Joel Filani and Robert Johnson stand tied atop the Big 12 conference in receptions, both posting 80 of them during the regular season. But it has been their success in another category that before 2006 had been one of the few unprecedented feats in school history. Filani (12) and Johnson (10) are actually the first teammates to have ever recorded double-digit touchdown receptions in a single season for the Red Raiders. The individual totals mark career highs for both players and have each of them within striking distance of teammate Jarrett Hicks' single-season record of 13 set in 2004.
AUTOMATIC ALEX TIED FOR NCAA RECORD
Junior placekicker Alex Trlica has started his Texas Tech career by successfully converting the first 161 extra point attempts he's attempted. That number currently has him in a first-place tie with former Tennessee Volunteer John Becksvoort for the most consecutive extra points made in a career. If Trlica converts his first PAT attempt in the Insight Bowl, he will gain sole possession of the career record with his entire senior season still ahead of him.
PUNT RETURN UNIT MAKING OPPONENTS' RETURN GAMES OBSOLETE
Texas Tech opponents are averaging a meager 3.2 yards per punt return, thanks to the play of L.A. Reed. Reed has especially been dominant this season and it wasn't more apparent than his performance against Oklahoma State. The Cowboys entered the game as one of the nation's top punt return teams. Reed collected three of his five tackles on punt returns and helped hold OSU to four yards on three returns. Reed recorded two tackles on kickoff returns as OSU averaged less than 10 yards per kickoff return.
RUSH DEFENSE TURNS IN BEST SEASON SINCE 1999
Texas Tech yielded 1,769 yards to opponents on the ground this season, the best single-season effort since the 1999 squad held the opposition to 1,598 yards. Additionally, the 15 touchdowns allowed match last year's total as the lowest in the Leach era and lowest overall since 1998.
DEFENSE SCORES SECOND TD OF SEASON
Antonio Huffman streaked down the sideline for a 51-yard interception return for a touchdown against Oklahoma, marking the defense's second pick return for a TD this season (Fletcher Session against Texas). The two returns are the first for touchdowns in a single season since 2002. Also, Session's return was the first for a touchdown since the SMU game in 2003.
