they replayed the whole game on ESPN classic this morning, i now have the benefit of being able to watch every single awesome play of the game
this ranks up there with the three best games i've ever seen:
#1:
2007 Fiesta Bowl, Boise State upsets Oklahoma. though i dislike OU and didn't know shit about Boise State at the time, this was seriously one of the greatest games ever played.
#2 (barely):
2006 Insight Bowl, Texas Tech makes a record-setting comeback to defeat Minnesota in overtime. i had to watch this in a sports bar because it was on a satellite channel (NFL Network). i had talked about a dozen people into showing up, but with TTU down 35-7 at the half, everyone left but my friend stev. then TTU mounted their amazing comeback, and with every score we got louder and louder. by the time it was over, not only was i hoarse, but about 30 people had joined us to cheer TTU on. though the 2007 Fiesta Bowl was a better game overall, this one meant the most to me.
#3:
last night. a lot of people who didn't watch the game think it was super close the whole four quarters. that's not true at all, if you look at the box score. fact of the matter is, TTU dominated the line of scrimmage from beginning to end, on both sides of the ball, and UT basically didn't show up in the first half. before their big drive at the end of the half, they were sitting at 21 total yards of offense. even with only 3 guys on the D-line, TTU sacked McCoy a ton throughout the game, and beat the shit out of him otherwise. you could see him on the sidelines, spitting blood (seriously), dazed look on his face. TTU dropped both safeties on nearly every play, and only got burned on the pass twice. and then the miraculous harrell-crab pass with one second left? unbelievable.
bonus #4:
2008 Gator Bowl, Texas Tech scored 17 points in the last 5:37, including a 41-yard field goal with :02 left on the clock, to come from behind and beat Virginia. not as dramatic as the Insight Bowl, of course, but still a nail-biter.