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http://www.redraiders.com/stories/100604/f...100604009.shtmlAttendance talk
Texas Tech has a chance to have three straight home crowds top 50,000 in the same season for only the second time in the football program's history. The Red Raiders drew 51,271 for their Sept. 18 home opener against TCU, and should be at or near Jones SBC Stadium's capacity for the next two home games versus Nebraska and Texas.
Athletic ticket manager Dave Welsh said Tuesday afternoon that a little more than 3,000 tickets remain for the Nebraska game at 6 p.m. Saturday and fewer than 150 are left for the Oct. 23 game against Texas.
Tickets for the Nebraska game are $50. Tickets for the Texas game are $75.
The only time Tech had three consecutive home crowds reach 50,000 was in October 1996 for Baylor (50,594), Nebraska (51,344) and Texas (50,607), according to Tech records.
Tech drew 50,000-plus last year for the Texas A&M, Colorado and Oklahoma games, but not in a row. Since the Tech-OU game was last year's home finale, the Raiders are working on a streak of two straight crowds of 50,000-plus.
Welsh said he's not certain Saturday's game will sell out.
"I really think it'll be a lot like TCU, where it'll look like a really good crowd, but just short," he said. "I could be surprised. TCU was only about 1,000 away from selling out. Nebraska, I think it'll depend on the weather."
Jones SBC Stadium's listed capacity is 53,702, but that takes into account all available space, including the press box area for non-paying media.
The Raiders could have four home crowds top 50,000 for the first time in one season. Only 2,000 tickets remain for the Nov. 6 Tech-Baylor game, Welsh said. Tech gets a boost that weekend with Family Day and area Fellowship of Christian Athletes promotions.
About 6,000 tickets are left for the Nov. 27 Tech-Oklahoma State game on Thanksgiving weekend.
Welsh said he thinks Tech can average 50,000-plus for the season, which would break a record for the third year in a row.
"That's our goal," athletic director Gerald Myers said. "Our goal is to set another record. We have sold more season tickets than ever before. Our goal is to average over 50,000 a game. I think we'll have a good chance to sell all those (Tech-Nebraska) tickets between now and game time. We'll have a pretty good walk-up on Saturday."
Tech's season tickets sale to the general public totaled 25,985.
Giving it up
Tech and Nebraska both need to take better care of the football. Nebraska is tied for 105th nationally in turnover margin out of 117 teams. Tech is tied for 93rd.
The Cornhuskers have 11 turnovers gained and 16 lost. Sophomore quarterback Joe Dailey has been responsible for most of Nebraska's giveaways. He's thrown 11 interceptions to go along with eight touchdown passes.
Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said he and assistant Jay Norvell try to keep Dailey from getting too carried away with good or bad passes.
"Coach Norvell handles our quarterbacks, and we monitor him very closely regarding his performance," Callahan said. "Some of the swings that we've had, positively and negatively, we really try to capture that immediately. We try to get a handle on it for him to keep an even keel, because he has things to manage during the course of the game."
In the fold
Tech defensive end Adell Duckett and linebacker Brock Stratton both were suited out for practice Tuesday. Tech's practices are closed and Tech personnel don't provide injury information, so the extent of their participation wasn't unknown.
Duckett and Stratton both missed the last game with undisclosed injuries.
Compiled by Don Williams