The 2000 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders from the Big 12 Conference and the East Carolina Pirates from Conference USA (C-USA) at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas on December 27, 2000. It was the inaugural game in the bowl's history. The game was the final competition of the 2000 football season for each team and resulted in 40–27 East Carolina victory.
Teams The bowl featured the East Carolina Pirates from Conference USA (C-USA) and the Texas Tech Red Raiders from the Big 12 Conference. This was the first meeting between the two teams.
East Carolina
The Pirates, led by ninth-year head coach Steve Logan, entered the game with a record of 7–4 (5–2 in C-USA play), finishing tied for second in the conference. This was the Pirates' second-straight bowl appearance, having played in the Mobile Alabama Bowl the previous season.
Texas Tech
The Red Raiders, led by first-year head coach Mike Leach, entered the game with a record of 7–5 (3–5 in Big 12 play), finishing fourth in the Big 12's South Division. Leach introduced a new, up-tempo, pass-heavy offense known as the air raid that saw starting quarterback Kliff Kingsbury attempt an average of 48.7 passes per game.
Game summary
Statistics ECUTTU First downs 25 18 Total yards 481 369 Rushing yards 252 62 Passing yards 229 307 Turnovers 5 2 Time of possession 33:08 26:52 Team Category Player StatisticsEast Carolina Passing David Garrard 17/27, 229 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Leonard Henry 20 rushes, 92 yards, 2 TD Receiving Marcellus Harris 3 receptions, 76 yardsTexas Tech Passing Kliff Kingsbury 31/49, 307 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT Rushing Ricky Williams 9 rushes, 55 yards Receiving Darrell Jones 6 receptions, 147 yards, TD
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