The twelfth day of Texas Tech-mas - Jonathan Garibay’s 62 yard field goal

On the twelfth day of Texas Tech-mas, my Red Raiders gave to me...

Jonathan Garibay kicked a Texas Tech record setting 62 yard field goal as time expires to beat Iowa State and became bowl eligible. It was arguably the greatest single field goal ever made by a Tech football player in program history.

In my lifetime of watching Tech football, that previous distinction belonged to Alex Trlica’s 52 yard field goal that tied the game with the Minnesota Gophers in the 2006 Insight Bowl. Trlia’s kick help Tech come back from a 31 point deficit. Tech would secure the victory in overtime.

Tech had fired head coach Matt Wells three weeks prior. Fans were divided all season but Kirby Hocutt and Tech announced that Joey McGuire was hired as head coach on the Monday before the game. Sonny Cumbie was serving as offensive coordinator and interim head coach.

The hopes of reaching a bowl game in 2021 was growing bleak amongst the fanbase. Fans were more involved in talking about the hiring of McGuire as head coach than the upcoming game against Iowa State.

The Cyclones had Tech’s number in recent years. Tech was an underdog. The betting line had Iowa State favored by 12.5 points. Tech was coming off a bye week but had lost the previous game to Oklahoma by a score of 52-21.

Tech dominated the first half against the Cyclones. Unfortunately, in a similar fashion as the Kansas State game, the lead was squandered in the second half. Iowa State was able to tie the game on a field goal with exactly one minute remaining on the clock. Tech was out of timeouts.

Here’s the final drive.

• Touchback.
• Donovan Smith pass complete to Myles Price for 9 yards to the Texas Tech 34.
• Smith pass complete to Xavier White for 8 yards to the Texas Tech 42 for a 1st down.
• Smith run for 4 yards to the Texas Tech 46.
• Smith pass complete to Price for 8 yards to the Iowa State 46 for a 1st down.
• Smith pass incomplete.
• Smith pass complete to White for 2 yards to the Iowa State 44.

White was able to get out of bounds. Everyone expected one last hail mary from Smith. Fans were expecting overtime (and most likely a loss in overtime) as the field goal team trotted out on the field. The holder was positioned on the Tech 48 yard line on the left hash mark. That’s 52 yards away from the endzone and of course 62 yards from the yellow goal posts.

Then mass hysteria ensued.

This is probably the same video but I don’t care. Watch them ALL!!

Here it is again synced with the Tech radio broadcast.

WHOOOOOOOAAAAAA!

And here is the version synced with the Iowa State radio broadcast.

Visual of the Tech radio broadcast.

And of course, an alternate view from Tech athletics with Titanic music. Titanic music played over sporting moments never gets old.

This one kick reversed some doom and gloom the fanbase had been feeling. This one kick brought so much elation and joy to a hurting fanbase. This one kick helped heal the pain from disappointing season after disappointing season. This one kick brought joy where once there was despair.

Maybe I’m being a bit dramatic. However, along with loads of other Tech fans in attendance, I rushed the field for the first time in my life. It just felt appropriate. Garibay’s 62 yard field goal lifted a weight off my shoulders that I didn’t even realize was there. I needed to rush the field. It was important to me to share my celebration with the football team on the field.

I stood on the spot where the ball was kicked from. I stared at the goal posts the football went through. I watched as countless fans were smiling and dancing and rejoicing all around me. I took it in. I took all of it in.

Tech had hired a new coach. There was already hope for the future. Now there was hope for this season.

I was proud for Garibay. I was proud for Cumbie. I was proud for the Tech fanbase. I was proud that we were able to share this moment together. I will forever remember where I was when Garibay kicked a game winning 62 yard field goal.

My 12 part article series is now concluded. I hope you enjoyed going through some special moments for Texas Tech from 2021. Garibay had to be last. He had to be. Such a special moment. I’m proud to use my final article and give this day to celebrating this moment with you all. Watch those videos as many times as you like.

This is the twelfth and final piece of my 12 article series of great moments from Texas Tech during this year. These are in no particular order so it is not intended to be seen as a ranking. I just wanted to treat each moment as its own and give them their due respect. I hope you enjoyed this series modeled in the spirit of the 12 days of Christmas.