Victory is so very sweet

I have been helping run the Viva twitter account for about 3 years. This was my third Texas week and subsequent game.

The jawing online is always fierce, and the pressure is always looming ahead as for years Texas had Tech’s number. The first two years were like that for me, lots of excitement and great content on twitter then devastating defeats. First, the heartbreaking loss against Texas in Lubbock in 2020. Then it was the massacre in Austin the following year.

As time expired, with Texas having gone the length of the field in 20 seconds to tie the game, it felt like I and all of Red Raider nation was looking at another hard to handle loss against Texas.

But this game was different. This team, hell this program, are different now.

In comes Joey McGuire and his massive balls. In comes Zach Kittley to scheme enough offense to overcome a two touchdown deficit. In comes Tim DeRuyter to adjust the entire gamplan after being gashed for a half. In comes Merriweather to smack Bijon and jar the ball loose. In comes Donovan Smith, who never quit and laid his body on the line time and time again. In comes Price, who made play after play. In comes the big TEs Mason Tharp and Baylor Cupp, who both put on one of the finest displays their position has ever seen catching the ball. In comes Trey Wolff, who has literal ice in his veins.

In comes so many guys who bought in. Who stopped believing that big bad Texas was better than they were, and started believing that West Texas is tougher than the whole damn state.

And wouldn’t you know it, where past Tech teams would have faded or come up just short this squad got it done. I can’t quite process my emotions on this. The season is very long, but for this one night I can take a breath and just enjoy what has happened and what it means for what is coming. Beating Texas is huge, beating back-to-back ranked teams at home is bigger, and turning Lubbock back into a fortress is the biggest thing.

So the Horns are down, the Guns are Up, and Texas Tech is moving past Texas. In all three major sports in 2022, Tech was victorious over the Horns. For an athletic program like Tech, who is way outspent by their Austin enemies that is quite the accomplishment.

I said it tonight on the Spaces, for football (your most valuable commodity) we will look back on this night as when it all turned. When Tech stepped out of the doldrums and became a player once again in college football. Coach McGuire made history tonight. The house he is building is as sturdy as any in the nation, and Red Raider Nation is starting to see how amazing it will be once he is done.

Goodbye Texas, don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out. Wrecked Texas.