Texas Tech keeps throwing and scoring

DALLAS (AP) _ Texas Tech keeps throwing passes and scoring points, the nation's best team in both of those categories. <br/><br/>The No. 19 Red Raiders (2-0) broke a 52-year school scoring record in

Friday, September 23rd 2005, 8:52 am

By: News On 6

DALLAS (AP) _ Texas Tech keeps throwing passes and scoring points, the nation's best team in both of those categories.

The No. 19 Red Raiders (2-0) broke a 52-year school scoring record in an 80-21 victory over Sam Houston State last weekend. And now they play another NCAA Division I-AA opponent, winless Indiana State (0-3) on Saturday.

So is scoring 100 points in a game possible, or even a goal, for Texas Tech?

``We don't go into a game with a set goal of points we want to score,'' coach Mike Leach said. ``We do look at everything from an improvement standpoint. We need to keep playing better and work hard on every play, especially this week before we start conference play. I've been pretty pleased with what we have done so far, and we just need to keep getting better.''

The Red Raiders, who have never played Indiana State before, are averaging 68 points and 584 passing yards a game. But the competition level will increase significantly after this weekend when Big 12 play begins.

Texas Tech is one of just five Big 12 teams playing this weekend. The other seven have already completed their non-conference schedules and have open dates.

The specter of Hurricane Rita spurred Texas A&M and I-AA Texas State to reschedule their game from Saturday to Thursday night.

Reggie McNeal threw for 317 yards and two touchdowns as the Aggies (2-1) beat Texas State (2-1) 44-31 in a stadium rendered unusually bare and an area choked with evacuating traffic from the approaching storm.

No. 22 Iowa State (2-0), which had extra time to savor its Sept. 10 victory over then-No. 8 Iowa, has a televised game Friday night at Army (0-2), which lost its home opener 20-10 against Baylor last weekend.

Iowa State played against Army just one other time, losing at West Point in 1964. The Cyclones forced five turnovers, scoring after each one, against Iowa in its last victory.

In the other games Saturday involving Big 12 teams, Colorado (2-0) goes to No. 12 Miami (1-1); Kansas State (2-0) plays North Texas (1-1).

Second-ranked Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, Baylor and Oklahoma State are all 3-0 waiting for the start of league play Oct. 1. Missouri is 2-1 and defending Big 12 champion Oklahoma (1-2) is the league's only team with a losing record.

``It's a good time, I guess for an open date. We have a lot of work to do as a team,'' said Sooners coach Bob Stoops, his team coming off a 41-24 loss at UCLA. ``You don't ever think about getting off to a bad start.''

While the Sooners have struggled, Baylor is 3-0 for the first time since 1996 and Kansas for the first time since 1997.

Colorado will try to become just the 12th NCAA I-A team to score in 200 straight games when the Buffaloes play at Miami in the series' first game since 1993. The game in Florida begins at 10 a.m. Colorado time.

``This game was scheduled 11 years ago, and I know our players are looking forward to the challenge,'' Buffs coach Gary Barnett said. ``Somebody may be making this a statement game, but we look at it as an opportunity to get a valuable win. All these games have the same value as a win or loss, and I don't know how this game will impact our Big 12 chances.''

The Buffs have won five of seven games in the series.

Texas A&M finally was able to get past its season-opening Sept. 3 loss, and took it out on SMU 66-8 when Reggie McNeal because the first Aggie and 16th NCAA player to pass for 300 yards and rush for 100 in the same game. The Aggies rolled up 714 yards, and now play Texas State, an instate school they've played only once _ in 1919.

Kansas State tailback Thomas Clayton is the nation's leading rusher (165 yards per game) going into the Wildcats' game against North Texas, which has the backfield of Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas _ who won the national rushing titles the past two seasons _ and is coached by Darrell Dickey, a four-year starting quarterback at K-State from 1979-82.