College football

No. 2 Texas Tech crushes No. 8 Oklahoma St.

Harrell throws for six TDs in 56-20 win; Oklahoma up next for Red Raiders

Matt Slocum / AP

Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell rolls out to pass during the first quarter of the Red Raiders' 56-20 win over No. 8 Oklahoma State on Saturday.

updated 12:52 a.m. ET Nov. 9, 2008

LUBBOCK, Texas - Around the time Michael Crabtree caught his second touchdown and stood in the back of the end zone staring at the crowd — or maybe when he celebrated his third score with a high-flying chest bump into Graham Harrell — the questions about Texas Tech vanished.

That victory over then-No. 1 Texas was no emotion-fueled fluke.

The No. 2 Red Raiders truly are one of the best teams in the country.

Harrell and Crabtree picked up right where they left off against the Longhorns, leading Texas Tech to touchdowns on seven straight possessions on the way to trashing No. 8 Oklahoma State 56-20 Saturday night and solidifying an inside track to the national championship game.

“I feel like every week we have something to prove,” Crabtree said. “We really don’t too much worry about what other people think. We worry about what we can control, and that’s us, and that’s our team.”

Now that the Red Raiders have gotten by two straight top-10 foes, one more awaits: No. 6 Oklahoma. In Norman.

At least Texas Tech (10-0, 6-0 Big 12) has next weekend off to get ready for yet another game that will be billed as the most important in school history. The stakes will be high — the biggest remaining obstacle to winning the Big 12 South, earning a spot in the conference title game and playing its way into the national championship game.

“We’ve said that all year — we have a chance to be really special,” Harrell said. “We’ve just improved every week, gotten better and continued to win. Hopefully we’ll continue to improve and to win.”

The Red Raiders are No. 2 in the BCS standings. This convincing win over a strong foe, plus a loss by Penn State, should keep them bunched up close to top-ranked Alabama. Texas Tech also remains one of five unbeaten teams in the country, and upped its winning streak to 12 in a row, best in the nation and in school history.

“That ranking stuff will sort itself out as long as we keep winning,” running back Baron Batch said. “The only thing I can say we deserve is to be 10-0.”

Harrell was 40-of-50 for 456 yards and six touchdowns, three of them to Crabtree, the big, strong sophomore who might be the nation’s most dangerous receiver. Harrell lost two fumbles but didn’t throw an interception and wasn’t sacked. He was rarely even pressured.

Despite playing on a sore left foot, Crabtree caught eight passes for 89 yards while raising his national-best TD total to 18.

“Simply just doing my job,” he said.

Nine other Red Raiders caught passes on the way to piling up 629 yards — still less than the 718 yards gained in a 49-45 loss to Oklahoma State last year, a game best remembered for the post-game “I’m a man! I’m 40!” rant by Cowboys coach Mike Gundy.

“We never could slow them down,” Gundy said, completely under control this time. “We couldn’t get them out of their rhythm.”

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Oklahoma State-Texas Tech box score

Oklahoma State (8-2, 4-2) came into this game seeking the same goals as Texas Tech. If the Cowboys had won, there would’ve been a four-way tie atop the division with the Sooners their last remaining obstacle, too. Now, they’re in fourth place.

“Obviously, it hurts knowing we’re out of it,” said quarterback Zac Robinson, who was 16-of-28 for 182 yards and an interception. “But (there’s) definitely a lot in front of us, a good bowl game shot and things like that. We’ll bounce back and we’ll be fine.”

CONTINUED : Cowboys got off to quick start

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