Looking at the statistics, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy must have an affinity for playing Texas Tech.
As a redshirt freshman in 2006 playing in the hostile Jones AT&T Stadium, he brought the Longhorns back from a 21-point deficit with 256 yards passing, four touchdowns and one interception while picking up 68 yards rushing on nine carries.
The poise he showed then is similar to how the Heisman Trophy front-runner is performing now.
Tech safety Darcel McBath, who has five interceptions this season, was a sophomore that season and praised McCoy for his ability to carry UT when it needs him most.
"We gave them our best shot, but those guys - being the guys that they are, led by Colt - they rallied and came back," said McBath, whose No. 5 Red Raiders play No. 1 Texas at 7 p.m. Saturday at Jones AT&T Stadium. "That's exactly what kind of leader Colt is. He's never going to give up."
Then last season in Austin, McCoy threw four touchdowns and rushed for two more in a 59-43 win. Add it all up and McCoy probably can say his best Big 12 Conference games have come against Tech, averaging 262 yards passing, five total touchdowns and one interception a game.
McCoy's efficiency this year is unprecedented. He completes 81.8 percent of his passes and is ranked second in the nation in passing efficiency at 186.4. Not to mention he led No. 1 Texas to victories against three straight Top 11 teams in the nation.
Against then-No. 8 Oklahoma State last week, McCoy broke the school record with 18 straight completions, finishing with four touchdowns on 38-of-45 (84.4 percent) passing. The week before, McCoy carved up then-No. 11 Missouri's defense, going 29-for-32 (90.6 percent) passing.
When it comes to third-down conversions, McCoy calmly keeps a drive alive. The Longhorns are third in the nation with a 58.6 third-down conversion percentage. Against Oklahoma State, UT converted 11-of-14 in third-down situations.
Tech coach Mike Leach said the biggest difference in McCoy is his physical appearance, which could be from a combination of maturing and working out with strength and conditioning coach Jeff Madden.
"He's really impressive and I think he has improved," Leach said. "He's better physically, and I guess he went in there with "Mad Dog" and did some pushups and ran some laps. He's bigger and stronger looking than he has been in the past and he's faster too."
Now McCoy, whose hometown is Hobbs, N.M., will play his second game in Lubbock, where he has good mix of family and friends in surrounding cities. He played high school football in Tuscola, near Abilene, and has family in West Texas.
"Basically, my whole high school goes to Texas Tech," he said. "Everybody I know back home goes to Tech, so there are a lot of friends and family out there."
As quarterback, McCoy controls the Longhorns destiny to a certain degree when it comes to the national championship. In turn, if he can navigate the Longhorns to the promised land, he could sew up the Heisman Trophy.
McCoy said the national attention comes with the territory of what he has accomplished this season.
"It's fun and it's exciting, and you just have to go out and put a smile on your face and enjoy it," he said. "You like that better than the fans not noticing you or wanting to say hi and things like that."
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