The hint of a rainbow could be seen through the clouds above the grain elevators in the distance to the north and east of Jones SBC Stadium when Texas Tech’s Sonny Cumbie and Jarrett Hicks teamed on a 22-yard touchdown pass with 6:23 remaining in the first quarter.

Another rainbow could be seen to the south and east, further evidence of the rain and hail that had recently passed through the area. Both had missed Lubbock proper, however.

The colors faded as the clouds moved across the west Texas sky in the early evening, growing darker but bringing no further storms — or, at least, no natural storms. There was, however, a man-made storm, one which engulfed the Nebraska football team. The man who made it was Cumbie. And the result was what Cornhusker coach Bill Callahan described as a “gut-wrenching” loss.

The air rained Cumbie passes, 56 of them. And the score was 70-10.

Football teams have represented Nebraska since 1890, and none has ever been beaten so badly or allowed so many points. “This was a tough team loss, very tough,” Callahan said.

And the irony was, Cumbie’s performance was really just a little better than average. The fifth-year senior from Snyder, Texas, went into the game leading the nation in passing yardage and total offense, with averages of 417 yards and 411.8 yards, respectively. He finished with 436 and 433. The way coach Mike Leach’s offense produces yards, a dozen or so one way or the other aren’t a big deal.

Texas Tech was leading the nation in passing yardage, averaging 423 per game, and the Red Raiders passed for 451 yards against a Nebraska defense that ranked fifth nationally, but one that couldn’t mount enough pressure to disrupt Cumbie’s routine. He was sacked just once, and rarely hurried.

The Cornhuskers were aware of Texas Tech’s offensive potential. But 70-10?

Early in the week, Callahan was asked about the Red Raiders’ spread offense. “It’s a very unique and unconventional system,” he said. “They have an unwavering commitment to what they do. They throw it, and then throw it again, and then they throw it some more, and then they’re going to throw it on top of that. That’s just a philosophical approach that they’re comfortable with.

“They’ve got a lot of confidence in the players and the system they have there.”

Texas Tech’s confidence in Leach’s system was a recurring theme throughout the week. “It’s a full-fledged commitment in terms of what they do and how they do it,” said Callahan.

Though the words were directed toward the Red Raiders, they could apply to Callahan’s expectations for his program as well. If things work out as he believes they will, confidence and commitment to his system will produce similar results for the Cornhuskers in the not-too-distant future.

That’s the key. Nebraska is experiencing growing pains, which became agony this time.

When the game finally ended, after a 49-7 second half, there was little to say but the obvious. “We need to get a lot better,” Callahan said. “We’re certainly capable of being a better football team.”

His words, no matter how accurate, were of little immediate consolation.

Still, for just over a half, most would have agreed. The Cornhuskers trailed at halftime 21-3, but less than a minute into the second half — 53 seconds to be exact — they had sliced the deficit to 21-10, when Mark LeFlore caught a Joe Dailey pass and turned it into a 74-yard play, and touchdown.

At that point, it appeared Nebraska might battle back.

But Cumbie got hot, or at least hotter than he had been — completing 15 passes in a row during one stretch — and the Red Raiders pulled away at the end of the third quarter. Cumbie passed to Johnnie Mack for 6 yards and a touchdown. He passed to Bristol Olomua for 3 yards and a touchdown and he passed to Mack again for 14 yards and a touchdown, all within a span of 2 minutes and 13 seconds.

The final two touchdowns came after turnovers, a lost fumble by true freshman quarterback Beau Davis and then, on his next snap, the first of four pass interceptions.

Davis had just moved ahead of true freshman Ryan Goodman on the depth chart, a move into which reporters should not read anything, Callahan said on Tuesday. But with the score 28-10, “I thought Beau would give us a spark,” said Callahan, because of “maybe a little bit of a deeper arm.”

The action was the first of the season for the slender Davis, who appeared to be headed for a redshirt. With Dailey taking almost all of the reps during practice, he had precious little preparation for what he faced from a Red Raider defense buoyed by an already substantial lead.

Dailey, who left the game after completing 14-of-34 passes for 187 yards and the touchdown to LeFlore, with one interception, took his being replaced in stride. “It’s not about my feelings. It’s about the guy in charge,” the sophomore captain said. “I’m here for the team, not myself.

“I struggled with them last year, and I’ll struggle with them this year.”

The Cornhuskers were expected to struggle this season as they learned a new system. But no one expected that struggle to translate into the worst loss in school history.

“It hurts, real bad,” said junior strong safety Daniel Bullocks, who intercepted a pass and returned it 38 yards to set up a David Dyches field goal late in the first half.

“We have to come back next week.”

Callahan was convinced they would. After all, there’s only one way to go after a 70-10 loss. “Those are strong-willed men in that locker room,” he said. “They’ll bounce back.”