There’s a new star in Texas football and that star’s stock is rising fast. Texas Tech and their pass happy coach has taken over the state of Texas, and in a state that has long been colored burnt orange, that is a tough thing to do. Texas Tech beat # 1 ranked Texas two weeks ago and this week got past top ten Oklahoma State.

With Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree leading this free wheeling offense, Texas Tech has suddenly emerged as the darlings of this NCAA football season, and rightfully so. The Red Raiders are one of the most exciting teams in all of College Football, in Saturday’s game against Oklahoma State, Texas Tech fumbled in their first offensive series and then continued to score touchdowns on their next EIGHT possessions.

Harrell has certainly become a Heisman favorite but his ace in the hole, Crabtree, is the blast to Harrell’s cannon.  It’s not that Tech is pass happy, many teams in the past have been pass happy, it’s how prolific their QB and offense has been. In Harrell they have a veteran leader who shows poise, courage, and the ability to break down a defense in the midst of the the pandemonium going on around him. Make no mistake, Tech has all the weapons, an O line that has one player under 300 pounds, electrifying players in not only Crabtree but in Detron Lewis, and the “dwarf” Eric Morris. Not to mention the defense. The “D” might not be as prolific as the “O” but they showed against Texas, then against OK State, that they can bring pressure and shake up the opposing team.

The other surprising detail of the Red Raiders success is where they are doing it - Texas - in the Big 12 South. The Big 12 South is probably one of the best conferences in the Nation - yes, SEC they are better than most if not all your teams, sorry. The Big 12 South has long been home to the two schools who show up in early October to shoot it out at the Texas State Fair, Oklahoma and Texas, but Tech has thrown a serious wrinkle in this year’s run to the Big 12 Championship. Tech still has to play against Oklahoma, another offense that puts up points like they are popping peanuts, but don’t be surprised that the path to the BCS now runs through the plains of West Texas!