Woot! Great puzzle Emma! I might have been able to work the rest of the grid but was stuck in a few places so I gave up and decided to focus on the meta. Very fun solve and great click to the meta!
Native American people from near Lubbock, Texas (whose name happens to be only one letter different from TEXAS)
22A
Loud, as a crowd
23A
Unobjectionable quality
25A
Parsonage
26A
Letters said before a mic drop, perhaps (I'm only like 80% sure this clue makes sense - all these youths with their newfangled slang, I can't keep up anymore)
27A
Pantry staple, per Rachael Ray
28A
Like iodide or hydroxide
30A
Fiesta fare
33A
Concept in chaos theory about sensitivity to initial conditions
37A
Big do
38A
Japanese soup
39A
"My word!"
40A
Problems in math problems that can quickly become compounded if unnoticed
46A
Worth or Hood
50A
Before, before
51A
Org. within the Department of Justice
52A
Artists' stands
54A
Comedian Silverman
55A
Dutch home of painter Vermeer
57A
"By virtue of his office" (or her office? I don't know Latin grammar well enough to know if it works both ways)
60A
Greek letter around a Brazilian dance (cryptic clue alert!)
63A
Assess proportionately
64A
Self-described "America's Favorite Pasta Sauce Brand"
67A
When doubled, "Hungry Like the Wolf" band
68A
Like some wool sweaters
71A
Flying mil. branch
72A
Imposing building
74A
Some storage spaces
76A
One who's had five cups of coffee by 8 AM, probably
81A
Takes a break
85A
More suitable
86A
Monk, of "Monk"
87A
Nittany Lions' sch.
89A
The Way back to the breakfast morsel? (cryptic clue alert!)
90A
Condition battled by some survivors: Abbr.
91A
Artist with a museum in Santa Fe
95A
Instrument similar to a piccolo
98A
Breakdancer, in somewhat dated slang
99A
Recipe instruction re: flour (I never do this - do people do this?)
100A
Duel, par example
108A
Doesn't go
109A
Hanoi's country
110A
Isaac's eldest
111A
American author who, despite having dropped out of UVA after only one year, is apparently UVA's favorite alum (at least, that's the impression you get from the campus bookstore)
112A
Major artery
113A
"It so happens..."
121A
___ mail
122A
See 96-Down
123A
Tentativeness
124A
Soft minerals
125A
Suits
126A
High trains
127A
DEA agent
Down
1D
Letter before 7-Down
2D
The Ninth Doctor's first word to Rose, in "Doctor Who"
3D
"A long time ___, in a galaxy far, far away..."
4D
Clown
5D
"___, just don't" (quote from an exasperated Captain America in "The Avengers")
6D
The "I" of T.G.I.F.
7D
Letter after 1-Down
8D
Captain America's first name
9D
Opera hero, usually
10D
"___ the Tiger"
11D
Dorm leaders, for short
12D
English class assignments
13D
Form branches (this word is much more commonly used in noun form, and now I'm thinking about it I never would've guessed this was the definition of the verb, but it does make sense)
14D
___ Good Feelings
15D
"___ idée!" ("Good idea!")
16D
Not acidic
17D
Construct
19D
Young newts
20D
Not necessarily improved, despite what the advertisers will tell you
24D
Dog doc
29D
Largest US labor union
30D
Reset, as a scale
31D
Previously, previously
32D
"___ Intentions" (1999 teen drama based on "Les liaisons dangereuses")
33D
"Back to the Future" villain
34D
Tampa sch.
35D
"... if you put another ___ out of line, we'll bring you straight back home!" (part of Mrs. Weasley's howler to Ron, in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets")
36D
Fine thread
38D
Bon ___ (witticism, literally "good word" in French)
41D
Android played by Brent Spiner on "Star Trek: The Next Generation"
42D
Aired again
43D
Rodent often unfairly blamed for the Black Death
44D
The Buckeyes, briefly
45D
Emeritus: Abbr.
46D
Copyright provision
47D
Killer whales
48D
Indian yogurt dish similar to tzatziki
49D
"Stop, ___!"
53D
They're a year behind jrs.
54D
CA airport
56D
Plumped up, as pillows
57D
Non-standard: Abbr.
58D
___ B. Wells (journalist and co-founder of the NAACP)
59D
Popular boot brand
61D
First year of the 17th century
62D
Lake ___ Vista (Disney World locale)
64D
It's often given after a game
65D
Go with the flow
66D
Talents
68D
Frosting
69D
"Waterfalls" trio
70D
Movable bed
73D
Comparative suffix
75D
Steadfast
77D
Beat by a hair
78D
Exist
79D
God of Italy?
80D
Org. Emily Gilmore is very proud of belonging to, on "Gilmore Girls"
82D
Actress Vergara of "Chef"
83D
Boardwalk treat
84D
Editorial reversals
87D
"___ ___ Pitiful Me" (Linda Ronstadt or Terri Clark song)
88D
Blue expanse
92D
"Should ___ worried?"
93D
"Aladdin" monkey
94D
Singer Gloria of Miami Sound Machine
95D
Stressful exams
96D
With 122-Across, "Rosemary's Baby" author
97D
Iron man? (I stole this from Jack Murtagh's 12/10/20 NYT theme, but he had the clue and answer reversed)