Texas Tech vs Eastern Washington - Simulation

With temperatures in the low 80's and a nice, steady breeze out of the Southwest, your Texas Tech Red Raiders begin their 2008 season against the Eastern Washington Eagles. Unfortunately, I forgot to save all of the photos that I took from this game so this simulation won't be as fun to look at as future posts.

1st Quarter (EWU will kickoff)

- Ed Britton with a very nice 34 yd kickoff return out to the TT 43 yd line.
- After 2 runs by Shannon Woods net 9 yards, Harrell goes to deep to Crabtree but the ball is knocked away by the defense.
- Tech goes for it on 4th down with a backfield of Crawford and Crabtree. Crabtree takes the ball on a pitch from Harrell and goes 49 yards untouched to the endzone.

Texas Tech 7
Eastern Washington 0
Early 1st Quarter

- Two runs for a loss and a deflected pass and the Eagles are punting.

- Eric Morris with a huge 23 yd return to the EWU 38 yd line.
- On 1st and 10 from the EWU 27, Harrell finds Crabtree at the 13 yd line. He makes 1 man miss and finds the endzone for a TD.

Texas Tech 14
Eastern Washington 0
9:44 1st quarter

- Marcus Bunton welcomes an EWU to the Big 12 with a huge clothesline to break up a pass that would've given the Eagles a first down.

- Finding no luck running the ball, the Eagles try a screen pass on 3rd down but that is quickly snuffed out by the Tech defense and they have to punt again.

- Eric Morris with another great return to give the Air Raid the ball on their opponents 30 yd line.
- Harrell tries to thread the needle on a pass to Adrian Reese on 3rd and long but the ball falls incomplete.
- Donnie Carona calmly converts his first Big 12 FG from 45 yds out.

Texas Tech 17
Eastern Washington 0
7:22 1st quarter

- Anthony Hines steps in front of a pass on 1st down and returns it to the EWU 13 yd line before being knocked out of bounds.
- 2 plays later, Crabtree again finds the endzone, this time on a WR sweep.

Texas Tech 24
Eastern Washington 0
6:44 left in 1st quarter

- Marcus Bunton picks off a pass at the EWU 43 yd line and returns it for a TD. This is absolutely brutal. I could be leaving before halftime!

Texas Tech 31
Eastern Washington 0
4:12 left in 1st quarter

- Things are turning around for EWU now. They get a nice kickoff return and a first down before having to punt. This time they stop EMo after a 3 yd punt return and the Air Raid will take over at their own 25 yd line.
- Things don't stay that way for long though as Harrell finds Ed Britton behind the safeties for a 69 yd completion and TD.

Texas Tech 38
Eastern Washington 0
1:14 left in 1st quarter

- Another 3 and out for the Eagles but the first quarter is FINALLY over!

Texas Tech 38
Eastern Washington 0
End of 1st Quarter

- Texas Tech is unable to move the ball and tries a fake punt on 4th and long from the EWU 46. However the pass is knocked down and the Eagles take over.
- After EWU gets 2 first downs, Brandon Sesay destroys the QB on 3rd down and his pass falls hopelessly to the ground.

- After a relatively quiet start to the 2nd quarter, Crabtree streaks down the sideline and is an easy target for Harrell to find; this time it's for a 66 yd TD, Crabtree's 4th of the day.

Texas Tech 45
Eastern Washington 0
8:12 2nd Quarter

- Harrell goes deep over the middle but underthrows Adrian Reese and the pass is easily picked off by a waiting safety with just under 6 minutes left.
- Former Tech WR turned CB (he's currently injured in real life) L.A. Reed makes up for his old QB's mistake and intercepts a pass 3 plays later.
- This time it's a 2 play drive that ends with Harrell finding Detron Lewis for a 19 yd TD.

Texas Tech 52
Eastern Washington 0
4:23 2nd Quarter

- The Red Raiders finally have a long, sustained drive that ends with Harrell finding Adrian Reese in the corner of the end zone on a 3 yd pass.

Texas Tech 59
Eastern Washington 0
0:23 2nd Quarter

- For good measure, Brandon Sesay bull rushes the opposing OT and sacks the QB to end the first half.

Texas Tech 59
Eastern Washington 0
HALFTIME

Noteable Stats
- Graham Harrell is 18 of 27 for 279 yds 5 TD's and 1 INT
- Michael Crabtree has 7 receptions for 139 yds and 2 TD's as well as 2 carries for 51 yds and 2 TD's
- Ed Britton has 3 catches for 81 yds and 1 TD
- Brandon Sesay has 2 tackles, 1 QB sack, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 QB hurries
- The hypothetical L.A. Reed leads the defense with 5 tackles and 1 INT. He also has 2 pass deflections
- Eastern Washington has 28 net yards in the first half (37 passing, -9 rushing)
- Texas Tech has 341 net yards in the first half

Start of 3rd Quarter

- The backups are in now for Tech's offense. The defense is a mixture of starters and 2nd string guys.

- EWU drives inside Tech's 35 yd line but can't make a 48 yd FG.

Texas Tech 59
Eastern Washington 0
8:39 3rd Quarter

- Taylor Potts leads the offense to the EWU 26 yd line but badly misjudges the defense and throws the ball to a wide open LB.
- On their next possession, Potts is 3 of 3 and finishes off the drive by finding Harrison Jeffers on a screen pass where he's able to show off his talent by making 3 guys miss on his way to a 39 yd TD catch and run.

Texas Tech 66
Eastern Washington 0
4:40 3rd Quarter

- Anthony Hines picks off a pass at the EWU 32 yd line but Tech has to settle for a FG to start the 4th quarter.

Texas Tech 69
Eastern Washington 0
14:44 4th Quarter

- Another inconsistent drive from Taylor Potts ends with Donnie Carona bouncing a 37 yd FG attempt off the left upright...8:19 left in the 4th

- Taylor Potts finds Detron Lewis in the corner of the endzone for a 14 yd TD pass.

Texas Tech 76
Eastern Washington 0
3:46 4th Quarter

- Eastern Washington gets the ball down inside the Tech 5 yd line but loses 3 yds on 3 plays. They go for it on 4th down but Brandon Sesay blows up the halfback on an attempted HB screen and the Eagles still don't get on the board.

Texas Tech 76
Eastern Washington 0
2:02 4th Quarter

- Graham Harrell in at QB now (no idea why). After a long run is called back due to holding, Harrell finds Detron Lewis for a 97 yd TD pass with just under a minute left.

Texas Tech 83
Eastern Washington 0
:53 4th Quarter

FINAL STATS

Total Offense...663...166
Passing Offense...33 of 60 589 yds 8 TD's 2 INT's...15 of 36 134 yds 0 TD's 4 INT's
Rushing Offense...12 carries 74 yds 2 TD's...36 carries 32 yds 0 TD's

Graham Harrell - 19 of 29 376 yds 6 TD's 1 INT
Taylor Potts - 13 of 29 199 yds 2 TD's 1 INT

Michael Crabtree - 7 catches 139 yds 2 TD's, 2 carries 51 yds 2 TD's
Detron Lewis - 11 catches 234 yds 3 TD's
Eric Morris - 7 catches 86 yds

Brian Duncan - 7 tackles 1 tackle for loss 1 INT 2 pass deflections
L.A. Reed (hypothetical) - 7 tackles 1 INT 2 pass deflections
Brandon Sesay - 5 tackles (3 for loss) 2 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR