Lincoln. Neb. ? Coach Mike Leach’s head was spinning after all that happened in the final minutes of Texas Tech’s victory over Nebraska.

Had it not been for Nebraska nose tackle Le Kevin Smith fumbling while returning an interception, No. 15 Texas Tech wouldn’t have been in position for Cody Hodges to throw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Joel Filani with 12 seconds left in a 34-31 victory Saturday.

“I don’t even remember that,” a straight-faced Leach said a few minutes after the game. “Oh, yeah, that was a good deal.”

Actually, it was a great deal for the Red Raiders (5-0 overall, 1-0 Big 12 Conference), who squandered a 21-point lead before scoring late to preserve their best start since 1998.

Smith intercepted Hodges near the goal line with 1:11 left and, instead of falling down to secure possession for Nebraska, he decided to run the ball back. Bryan Kegans pried the ball loose, and Danny Amendola recovered to set up the Raiders at the Nebraska 18.

“To be honest, I cried a little,” Tech linebacker Fletcher Sessions said. “When the dude tried to run the ball and it got tipped out, I said ‘It’s meant for us to win this game.”‘

On fourth-and-two from the 10, and with Titus Adams and Wali Muhammad in his face, Hodges threw into end zone, where a diving Filani pulled in the ball for the winning touchdown.

“We had him hemmed in and pinned on the rush,” Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said. “I thought we had him for a sack, but he made a hell of a play.”

The Huskers (4-1, 1-1), who lost, 70-10, last year in Lubbock, trailed 21-0 early in the second quarter. But they were in position to avenge their worst loss in school history with their greatest comeback. Zac Taylor’s four-yard touchdown pass to Terrence Nunn gave Nebraska its first lead, 28-27, with 10:10 left. Jordan Congdon’s 27-yard field goal made it a four-point cushion.

The Raiders converted two fourth downs in the last two minutes and handed the Huskers their first homecoming loss since 1968.

“Moses was in high school the last time these guys lost on homecoming,” Leach said. “Those ghosts circle around (Memorial Stadium), and you have to fight through that and everything else. Hanging in there as an entire team is what happened best.”

Nebraska linebacker Bo Ruud said the wrong team won.

“That’s the worst luck we’ve had at Nebraska, I think, ever,” Ruud said. “I don’t think Nebraska has ever lost a game like that. That’s a hard one to deal with.”

Hodges, the nation’s leading passer, completed 34 of 45 attempts for 368 yards and four touchdowns.