Texas Tech defenders Colby Whitlock (93) McKinner Dixon (43) and Daniel Charbonnet drive KU running back Jake Sharp to the turf last Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Red Raiders, who never had much of a defense in the past, are ranked third in the Big 12 in total defense this year. It's a big reason why Tech is 8-0 for the first time in 32 years.

Kansas running back Jake Sharp is driven to the turf by Texas Tech defenders Colby Whitlock (93) McKinner Dixon (43) and Daniel Charbonnet during the fourth quarter Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008 at Memorial Stadium.

In the eight seasons Mike Leach has completed as head coach of the Texas Tech football program, the Red Raiders have led the nation in passing yards in seven of those years.

But Tech never seemed to be an elite national program. The Red Raiders were fun to talk about at parties in terms of how their offense scored at the prolific rate of Bo Jackson in the original Tecmo Bowl. That’s where the talk stopped, though, because:

¢ Tech struggled on defense.

¢ The Red Raiders couldn’t run the ball with consistency.

¢ They were simply potential road blocks for Texas and Oklahoma, who usually represented the South in the Big 12 championship game.

This season? Tech has done its best to erase all of those preconceived notions.

For the first time in 32 years, The Red Raiders are 8-0. They’re running the ball effectively with Baron Batch and Shannon Woods, who are averaging a healthy 7.5 and 5.2 yards per carry, respectively. Tech has 23 rushing touchdowns in eight games.

Furthermore, the Red Raiders are third in the Big 12 in total defense and lead the conference with 14 interceptions. The defense isn’t all-world, but it’s probably the best defense Leach has put on the field in his nine years in Lubbock, Texas.

At 7 p.m. on Saturday in Lubbock, No. 6 Tech will play the biggest game in its program’s 83-year history. The foe, of course, is No. 1 Texas.

Never before has Tech won a national title. Never before has Tech won the Big 12. If Tech takes down Texas in front of a packed house and the first-ever appearance in Lubbock from ESPN’s College GameDay, the Red Raiders will be the front-runner to win the Big 12 and could contend for the BCS Championship.

“The fact that we mesh and have a good time on the field has been here (this year) more than ever in the past,” senior offensive lineman Rylan Reed said on a Texas Tech teleconference Monday. “We’re not just a football team. We’re a family. We go out with one fear, and that’s letting down our teammates. We’re doing everything we can do to not let that happen.”

It’s shown on the field.

Here’s how well Reed and the offensive line have protected quarterback Graham Harrell: Tech has thrown more passes (360) than any other team in the nation this season, and the Red Raiders are still second in the nation in sacks allowed with three. It’s as if Harrell has enough time to survey the field, consult with Leach on which receiver to throw to, recline in a beach chair, have an iced tea, pick out a pretty face in the crowd, look at his watch and decide it’s time to throw, and then, well…find someone who’s usually open.

These next three weeks will be huge if Tech wants to establish itself as a South power. The Red Raiders are home to Texas, home to Oklahoma State and at Oklahoma. They’ll close at home to Baylor.

“I think we’ve seen the Tech program grow because they have better players on defense,” Texas coach Mack Brown said on a UT teleconference Monday. “They’re forcing more turnovers, and I’m seeing a great football team now, not just a great offense, like some people have accused them of in the past.”

Time will tell.