JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two safeties, a 96-yard touchdown run, an onside kick, multiple fourth-down gambles, controversial replays, a key fumble and a last-second field goal?

It must be bowl season.

It can only be Texas Tech.

No. 21 Virginia thought it had a sure victory Tuesday with a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter. But no lead is safe against the Red Raiders. Tech scored twice in a span of 21 seconds, and Alex Trlica's 41-yard field goal with 2 seconds left capped a stunning 31-28 comeback win in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl.

Talk about a coincidence. The last time Tech (9-4) won a New Year's Day bowl also came at the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1, 1954.

"We have a slow start every time, it seems like," said Tech quarterback Graham Harrell, who completed a whopping 44 of 69 passes for 407 yards and three touchdowns. "We just have a flair for the dramatic, I guess."

This wasn't like the Red Raiders' wild comeback in last year's Insight Bowl, when Tech clawed back from a 31-point deficit to win in overtime in Tempe, Ariz. This one had sudden turns in the final six minutes.

Even Tech players couldn't believe what happened at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.

"I think everybody was a little taken aback at how it transpired so quickly," Trlica said.

Trailing 28-14, Tech took over at its 49 with 5:38 remaining. A 14-yard catch by Danny Amendola on fourth-and-4 moved Tech to the Virginia 20. Two plays later, Harrell lobbed a 20-yard pass to Michael Crabtree in the end zone. The Biletnikoff Award winner from Carter cradled the ball and got his left foot down against the chalk.

Officials needed another look, but there wasn't enough video evidence to overturn the call, so the touchdown stood with 3:31 remaining.

On Virginia's ensuing possession, the Cavaliers (9-4) faced second-and-13 at their 17. Cavaliers coach Al Groh said he wanted backup quarterback Peter Lalich to run a simple screen pass.

"You figure that's pretty safe," Groh said. "You don't see too many get sacked on screen passes."

Tech interim defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill said he knew a screen pass was coming, calling it one of Virginia's "bread and butter plays." Defensive tackle Rajon Henley blew through an opening, smashed into Lalich and forced a fumble that Tech recovered at the 4.

One play later, Tech's Aaron Crawford raced off tackle for a touchdown and the score was tied, 28-28, with 3:10 remaining.

Virginia sent starting quarterback Jameel Sewell, who suffered a knee injury earlier, back into the game as the Cavaliers tried to run the ball and eat up some clock. Smart thinking, considering they had a huge day on the ground.

Mikell Simpson had a 96-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. It was the longest running play in Virginia history and the second-longest rushing play in NCAA bowl history. Oregon State's Terry Baker had a 99-yard run in the 1962 Liberty Bowl.

Simpson finished with 170 rushing yards, and the Cavaliers totaled 249.

But Tech forced a three-and-out and took over again at its 47. This time, instead of passing, Tech coach Mike Leach let Kobey Lewis run four straight times. Then Lewis had a 10-yard reception, moving Tech to the Virginia 23.

Trlica, who hit a career-long, 52-yard field goal to force overtime in last year's Insight Bowl, nailed a 41-yarder in swirling winds for the win.

"To be honest," Trlica said, "I wasn't too nervous and wasn't too freaked out."

It's amazing nobody was freaking out in the first half. Harrell was flagged twice for intentional grounding in the end zone for two safeties. Those two plays, plus Simpson's long run and Chris Gould's 23-yard field goal just before halftime gave the Cavaliers a 21-7 lead.

Tech recovered a surprise onside kick to open the second half and eventually emerged victorious.

"Everybody continued to expect to win, and that's a big part of it," Leach said. "You fight to the finish and see where it takes you."