The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas Tech
Football plays host to Texas Tech on Thanksgiving Day
11.25.2013 | Football
Horns-Red Raiders game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. Thursday from DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium
Texas-Texas Tech Game Notes | Longhorns Gameweek | Tickets/Gameday Timeline
Final Home Game: Texas will play its final home game of the season on Thursday when Texas Tech (7-4, 4-4) visits Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The Thanksgiving Day tilt will be televised nationally (6:30 p.m. CT/FOX Sports 1). The Longhorns (7-3, 6-1) have won the last four games in the series, including a 31-22 victory last season in Lubbock. Texas is in a tie for second place in the Big 12 standings with Baylor, but needs help to capture the league title. Oklahoma State, with a 7-1 league record, is the only team that controls its destiny.
Tickets: A limited number of tickets remain for the Texas Tech game. Tickets, beginning at $65, are currently available online, by calling the UT Athletics Ticket Office at 512-471-3333, or in person at Bellmont Hall (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.). For your convenience UT Athletics is proud to offer three delivery options: print-at-home, mobile, or will call.
Senior Day: A group of 20 senior players will take Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium at Joe Jamail Field Thursday for the final time when the Longhorns face Texas Tech. This class will make its third-straight bowl appearance at the end of the season and is in the running for its first Big 12 title. Thirteen members of the class have combined to play in 534 games and start 266 times. That group includes CB Carrington Byndom (48 games/36 starts), WR Mike Davis (46 games/35 starts), PK/P Anthony Fera (16 games), OT Donald Hawkins (22 games/21 starts), OG Trey Hopkins (47 games/38 games), DE Jackson Jeffcoat (37 games/30 starts), QB Case McCoy (31 games/13 starts), H Cade McCrary (48 games), S Adrian Phillips (47 games/25 starts), OG/C Garrett Porter (48 games), OG Mason Walters (49 games /48 starts), DT Chris Whaley (47 games/19 starts) and Reggie Wilson (92). WR Lane Fife, LB Shawn Izadi, DS Tom Newman, OL Drew Russo, PK Grant Sirgo, WR Michael Wheeler and WR Michael Zaring have been valuable reserves over the last four years. In addition to the players, senior managers Michael Buro, Chad Butler, Blake Herring, Ian Madden, Sanjay Shah and Steven Zientek, as well as senior trainers Reagan Atkinson, Rebecca Burnett and Cole Gradeless, will make their final appearance at home. All the seniors will be recognized during pregame. Mack Brown-coached teams are 12-3 on senior day.
The Texas Tech Series: Texas and Texas Tech are meeting for the 63rd time in series history. UT has won 12 of the last 14 matchups against Texas Tech and holds a 47-15 (.758) lead in the all-time series that began in 1928. The Horns are 29-5 in Austin, 17-10 against the Red Raiders in Lubbock and 39-14 against them in all-time conference matchups (13-4 Big 12/26-10 SWC). Mack Brown is 12-3 against Tech, with all three losses coming in Lubbock (1998, 2002, 2008). Brown is 7-0 in Austin.
Series Trends: The Longhorns and Red Raiders have met on a yearly basis since 1960 with the series dating back to 1928. UT holds a 17-7 lead in the last 24 meetings. Prior to that, the Longhorns had won seven of the previous 10 matchups. The winning team has scored at least 34 points in 10 of the last 12 meetings. Texas won the 1928 meeting in Austin by a score of 12-10. UT won the first seven games and 15 of the first 16 overall.
Thanksgiving Day Tradition: Including its first Turkey Day game in 1893, a 18-16 victory against Dallas University, UT has played 85 times on the Thanksgiving holiday and posted a 58-24-3 mark. Texas A&M is the most common opponent with 69 matchups and UT holding a 46-20-3 advantage. The teams first met on Thanksgiving Day in 1900 with the Horns winning 11-0. However, that tradition ended in 2011 with A&M departing the Big 12 for the SEC. Texas faced TCU last season. The Horns have faced Arkansas (1894, 1912, 1917), Notre Dame (1913, 1915) and Oklahoma (1910). Prior to last year, Baylor (1994-95) is the only other team the Horns have faced besides Texas A&M on Thanksgiving Day since 1917. Below is a breakdown of UT's Thanksgiving Day notables.
Record on Thanksgiving Day
• 58-24-3 (.700)
Home Record on Thanksgiving Day
• 40-12-1 (.764)
Road Record on Thanksgiving Day
• 18-12-2 (.594)
Longest streak of Thanksgiving Day games
• 17 (1957-73)
Longest stretch without a Thanksgiving Day game
• 12 (1996-2007)
Longest Thanksgiving Day winning streak
• 15 (1949-66)
Longest Thanksgiving Day losing streak
• 7 (1985-93)
Hex Rally (Update Nov. 25, 1 p.m. CT): This year's Hex Rally, the annual tradition leading up to the Thanksgiving Day game, was scheduled to be held at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the University's Main Mall (in front of the Tower), but inclement weather forced the event to be canceled. S Adrian Phillips and OG Mason Walters were scheduled to serve as the team speakers. For years, the Texas/Texas A&M game, which was traditionally held on Thanksgiving, featured bonfires at both schools, but environmentalists petitioned to end the bonfire for UT students. Bonfires ended in Austin in the late 1970s, and seeking a new tradition, the "Hex" rallies became an annual tradition in 1986 to hex the Aggies, who faced the Longhorns annually through last season. In place of the traditional bonfire, Texas turned instead to an old story to start a new tradition. In 1941, Texas had not beaten A&M at Kyle Field since 1923. A group of students turned to an Austin fortune-teller named Mrs. August Hipple, who gave them the prescription for victory. "Burn red candles," Hipple said. She thought the burning of candles would show great support for the team. UT won 23-0 and the red candle legend was born. The not-so-secret weapon lay dormant until 1950, when Texas brought out the candles again the week of the SMU game and the Longhorns upset the top-ranked Mustangs, 23-20. It was back in the boxes for the candles after that until 1953, when Texas hosted a Baylor team that was unbeaten and seeking its first-ever Southwest Conference title. UT blocked an extra point after the first score and won 21-20. "The red candles are the most potent whammy in Texas tradition and are nothing to be lightly invoked," wrote Time magazine after the upset. In 1963, the Longhorns were driving for their first unbeaten season in modern history and the possibility of a National Championship as they hosted Baylor at Memorial Stadium. For three of the previous four years, UT had been in the same position - on the verge of a perfect year - only to be upset. Out came the red candles one more time and UT won 7-0.
Horns' Success After Bye Weeks: Texas is coming off its third bye week of the year (also prior to Iowa State and TCU) and has been successful in this position in recent years. Since Mack Brown's took over the program in 1998, the Horns have posted a 21-5 (.808) record following regular-season bye weeks. The only defeats came against Texas A&M (38-30, 2007; 12-7, 2006; 20-16, 1999), Arkansas (38-28 in 2003) and TCU (20-13, 2012). If you include bowl games, in which Brown is 10-4 at Texas, the Horns have posted a 31-9 (.775) mark in the past 16 years when they've had at least one extra week to prepare. In 10 seasons at North Carolina, Brown was 8-2-1 following regular-season bye weeks. Brown has led his teams to victories in 30 of their last 35 games (.857) following regular-season bye weeks (not including bowls).
First-and-Goal:
• UT is averaging 439.7 yards of total offense which ranks No. 4 in the Big 12. The Horns are averaging 192.7 yards on the ground (No. 3 Big 12) and 247.0 in the air (No. 5 in the Big 12). Texas Tech is seventh in the Big 12 in both total defense (415.1 ypg) and rushing defense (186.5 ypg). Texas is 35th in the FBS in third-down conversions (45.0 percent/77 of 171), while the Red Raiders are allowing a conversion rate of 34.7 percent (60 of 173), which is No. 27 in the FBS.
• Senior QB Case McCoy, who has replaced an injured David Ash, made his 13th career start in the Oklahoma State game. He is 5-2 as a starter this season. Ash has missed the last six games and was ruled out for the remainder of the season on Nov. 25.
• Already without Ash and RT Josh Cochran (missed the last six games due to a shoulder injury), the UT offense was dealt another blow when Johnathan Gray, the team's leading rusher (780), suffered a season-ending Achilles injury vs. West Virginia. Malcolm Brown, who had averaged 20 carries in the previous three games before WVU, is taking on even more of the load at tailback. He has averaged 26.5 carries the last two games and 90.4 on the ground in the last five. He has nine rushing TDs this season (eight in the last four games) which ranks tied for fifth in the Big 12.
• Jaxon Shipley leads the team with 52 catches and ranks sixth in the league at 5.2 per game. Thirty-three of his receptions have gone for first downs, including three on fourth down. Mike Davis has 42 catches and ranks seventh in the Big 12 with 65.4 receiving ypg. Shipley is eighth at 57.0. Davis has six TD receptions (fourth in the Big 12).
• Eight players have scored a receiving touchdown and seven via the ground.
• Seven players have at least one reception of 45 yards or more this season.
• After surrendering an average of 7.0 yards per carry to BYU and Ole Miss, the UT defense has held its last seven opponents (K-State - 3.0; Iowa State - 4.0; Oklahoma - 3.9; TCU – 1.9; Kansas – 3.8; West Virginia – 2.3; OSU - 4.6) to a combined 3.4 ypc (268 rushes, 923 yards).
• In Big 12 games, UT is ranked first in total defense (349.6 ypg), second in rushing defense (123.2 ypg) and third in passing defense (21.7.7 ypg). Texas Tech enters the game averaging 502.4 total yards (No. 2 in the Big 12) and 382.6 passing yards (No. 1 in the Big 12) in league games.
• Jackson Jeffcoat and Cedric Reed are two of the most productive defensive ends in the nation. They rank tied for second in the Big 12 and 30th nationally in sacks (0.70 pg/7.0). They are one of only two duos in the nation to have 7.0 sacks apiece (Marcus Smith and Lorenzo Mauldin of Louisville). Reed is tied for sixth in the FBS in fumbles forced (0.40 pg/four) and Jeffcoat is tied for 13th nationally in fumbles recovered (0.30 pg/three). Reed has tallied 64 tackles (second on the team) and Jeffcoat has 57 (fourth). They have also combined for 29 tackles for loss and 24 QB pressures. Jeffcoat and Reed are among 18 players on the midseason watch list for the Ted Hendricks Award. Jeffcoat is a Bednarik Award semifinalist.
• The Longhorns have suffered two big losses to their defense this season. They have been without junior linebacker Jordan Hicks, who ruptured his Achilles, since the Kansas State game (missed last six contests). He was leading the team with 41 tackles at the time. In the West Virginia game, senior DT Chris Whaley suffered a season-ending knee injury on the first series of the game. He had started the first nine contests. Steve Edmond and Dalton Santos have picked up the slack at linebacker for Hicks. Edmond has 72 tackles (first on the team) and is tied for the team lead in pass breakups with five. He also recorded his second career interception vs. TCU. With Hicks' injury, Santos has seen his snaps increase and he has responded with 43 tackles over the last six games.
• DT Malcom Brown has been a key cog along the line. He had perhaps his best game as a Longhorn against Iowa State. The sophomore had a career-high 10 tackles, including one sack and one TFL, as well as one PBU. He shared the team's defensive player of the game award with Jeffcoat whose interception on the Cyclones' final drive helped seal the win. Brown had seven tackles and two tackles for loss vs. Oklahoma State. DT Desmond Jackson saw his role increase vs. West Virginia with the injury to Whaley and responded with career highs in tackles (8), tackles for loss (3) and sacks (2.0).
• Texas ranks tied for 21st nationally in turnover margin at +0.70 per game after going minus-2 in the Oklahoma State game. The Horns have hovered around the top 10 all season. The Longhorns have lost the turnover battle just twice this season (also minus-1 vs. Kansas). Texas Tech enters the game ranked No. 121 nationally in turnover margin (-1.1 per game).
• Senior Anthony Fera has been solid both place-kicking and punting. He has gone 17-for-18 (.944) on field-goal attempts, including a career-best 4 of 4 vs. West Virginia and connecting all three times vs. both Oklahoma and TCU. Fera, who is a finalist for the Lou Groza Award, ranks third in the FBS in accuracy (minimum 10 attempts). He has posted a career -ong field goal twice this season. He had a 47-yarder vs. Ole Miss and nailed a 50-yarder vs. OU. Fera ranks 49th nationally in punting average (41.7). Twenty-three of his 54 punts (42.6 percent - 11th in the FBS) have gone inside the 20 and 28 have been fair caught (51.9 percent).
Streaks, Trends and Milestones:
• Texas had its six-game winning streak snapped in the Oklahoma State loss which was the longest since capturing 17 in a row from 2008-09. It was also tied for the fifth-longest current winning streak among BCS teams. In addition, the Horns also had their streak of 30 or more points scored snapped at six. That was the streak since 2009 (also six games - Oct. 24 through Nov. 26).
• The Horns became bowl eligible for the 15th time in Mack Brown's 16 seasons with the win over Kansas.
• PK/P Anthony Fera has connected on his last 13 field-goal attempts, a streak which ranks No. 4 in the nation and tied for second in school history. Phil Dawson hit a UT record 15 straight field goals in 1996-97. Jeff Ward had 13 in a row during the 1985 season.
• The offensive line has recently done a tremendous job of keeping QB Case McCoy upright. The Horns entered the Kansas game having not allowed a sack in 61 pass attempts (last nine quarters). The streak was snapped at 84 when McCoy was sacked on what would have been his 24th pass attempt of the game. Texas entered the game tied for first in the Big 12 by allowing just one sack per game in league play (also Oklahoma State). The Horns allowed one vs. the Cowboys (to Tyrone Swoopes) and have surrendered three in the last 185 pass attempts.
• With 221 passing yards vs. Oklahoma State, McCoy moved from 11th to 10th on the UT career passing yards chart (3,448), eclipsing Garrett Gilbert (3,301/2009-11). McCoy needs 326 to reach Shea Morenz (3,774/1993-94) in ninth.
• Mike Davis moved up in a pair of career statistical categories vs. Oklahoma State. The senior posted nine receptions for 112 yards. He moved from fifth to fourth on UT career receiving yards list, passing Quan Cosby (2,598/2005-08). Davis now has 191 career receptions for 2,615 career yards. He also registered his ninth career 100-yard receiving game which ties him for third in school history with B.J. Johnson (2000-03) and Mike Adams (1992-96).
• Jaxon Shipley had six catches for 43 yards vs. Oklahoma State. He moved from eighth to seventh on the UT career receptions list, passing B.J. Johnson (152/2000-03). With 1,914 career receiving yards, Shipley ended the game one yard shy of eighth place on the Texas career receiving yards chart – Limas Sweed (1,915/2004-07).
• Shipley has caught a pass in each of his 33 career games. In the West Virginia game, he surpassed his brother, Jordan (31/2007-08), for third longest in school history. Shipley has posted at least five receptions in 13 of the last 15 games (three vs. Iowa State, 2013; one vs. TCU, 2013).
• UT has 24.0 sacks in seven league games and have surrendered just seven. The plus-17 sack differential is the best in the Big 12. Oklahoma is second at plus-11.
• DE Jackson Jeffcoat posted two tackles for loss vs. Oklahoma State. He moved into a tie for fourth on the UT career list with Casey Hampton (1996-2000). Jeffcoat is averaging 0.58 sacks in his 37 career games which ranks No. 11 on the FBS active list. His 21.5 career sacks are tied for eighth on FBS active list.
