The Whole Game WTH Davis?! – I know that execution has a lot to do with our running game. I can see that it is difficult to sell to a UT offense lineman that firing out and hitting your man at the snap of the ball can be as successful as back pedaling and protecting the quarterback who is completing 73% of his passes. But Coach Greg Davis needs to stop falling in love with solving a non-existent running game (62 yards with an average 1.8 yards/carry) with throwing more. Texas was up against the 111th ranked run defense in the country with Colorado which does not bode well for our next meeting against OU. If we cannot stop the opponents’ interior run blitzes (thanks for trying with the shovel pass), we will not be going very far this season.

2nd Quarter (2:55) WTH McCoy?! – I know that you are not supposed to pull on Superman’s cape, but I do not like the trend that I am seeing. This scenario is occurring way too much with Colt McCoy giving up an early turnover for the opponent to jump on for a score. I now that he was rushed out of the pocket on this play but his handling of the football caused the fumble to end up in the Buffs hands. He cannot continue this type of results if the team wants to contend for the title.

3rd Qt & 4th Qt. (13:37 & 14:13) WTH Tucker?! – I know the coaching staff loves that fact that you’re ambidextrous with your feet, but Justin Tucker (28.8 yards/avg.) you have to be able to punt better than the 25 yard & 5 yard efforts respectfully that you gave on your rugby style kicks. I know that our lack of covering skills on kickoffs makes you feel that much better about your style.

3rd Quarter (12:32) WTH Muckelroy?! – Your tip of QB Cody Hawkins pass early in the 3rd quarter ended any type of momentum that the Buffs were trying to establish in the second half. Roddrick Muckelroy was clearly the defensive MVP with 11 total tackles and 1 crucial sack to start the fourth quarter.

The Whole Game WTH Shipley?! – Not only did you single handily put your stamp on the Horn’s offense ( 11 catches for 147 yds.) with incredible catches (1st Qt. 7:33 & 2nd Qt.:46) but you changed the momentum again with your ability to take it to the house (3rd Qt. 12:29) on a 74 yard punt return (thanks for blocking referee Cooper Castleberry) to end the Buffs hopes. You can start talking about Jordan Shipley in the same breath as Michigan’s Desmond Howard when he was starting his Heisman run back in 1991.

3rd Qt. & 4th Qt. WTH Punt return unit?! – Great job by the Longhorn punting unit to set up a back breaking return for at touchdown by Jordan Shipley and a crowd raising punt block by Marquis Goodwin that resulted in Ben Wells running it in for the score. We need more great special teams next week!

4th Quarter WTH Hawkins?! – Coach Dan Hawkins changed his Colorado family and his nuclear family at the same moment with the pulling of his son Dan Hawkins for redshirt freshman Tyler Hansen. The move came along with 5 false start penalties in the quarter which added to the Buffs accumulating 20 penalties for the game which resulted in 140 penalty yards. Thanks Coach Dan for pulling the plug on your season with your son who will definitely want to join you for Halloween festivities at your house later this month.

Next up for the Longhorn football team is Oklahoma at 11am at the Cotton Bowl on October 17th.

Matt - At the start of the season I would have told you I was a little worried about this Colorado matchup, especially with the big game against OU the week after. Thankfully Colorado has struggled this year and I don’t see them putting up much of a fight. They are outmatched in every way, and have to deal with playing in front of 100,000 opposing fans. Basically there is no chance for the Buffaloes week. Texas wins big and should cover the 33 point spread. Texas 55, Colorado 17

Ross - Be ready for a little rust on the Longhorns after their bye week when they meet the Buffaloes this Saturday night. The Horns offense will be slow out of the gate since the offense is predicated on some much timing between Colt and his receivers. The Horns defense will step up in the first half to keep the Buffs in check. Get ready for the offense to up tempo to start the second half where the Horns will dominate a disappointing team from the North. Texas 38, Colorado 10

3 Alabama at 20 Ole Miss (+4) – 3:30 PM EST on CBS. Ole Miss definitely has a lot to prove today against Alabama if they want to be taken seriously in the SEC. Alabama is looking to bounce back after probably their worst game of the season. Ole Miss QB Jevan Snead is also looking to rebound, after going 7 of 21 for 107 yards in their loss to South Carolina. With the spread so close, mistakes will probably decide this one. Alabama seems like the more controlled team, and I see them winning the turnover battle. Take Alabama minus the points.

Colorado at 2 Texas (-33) – 7:15 PM EST on ESPN. At the start of the season I would have told you I was a little worried about this Colorado matchup, especially with the big game against OU the week after. Thankfully Colorado has struggled this year and I don’t see them putting up much of a fight. They are outmatched in every way, and have to deal with playing in front of 100,000 opposing fans. Basically there is no chance for the Buffaloes week. Texas wins big and will cover the 33 point spread.

1 Florida at 4 LSU (+9) – 8 PM EST on CBS. Night game at Death Valley, need I say more? LSU has won 32 consecutive Saturday night games, and I don’t see that changing this weekend. Tebow’s status is questionable, and even if he does go I don’t see him being 100%. Florida has had an extra week to prepare, but most of that time has probably been spent coddling Tim Tebow and stroking his ego. LSU is proving to be a good running team, and if you give Jordan Jefferson enough time he is a very capable quarterback. It really doesn’t get much better than this in college football. Florida’s 14 game winning streak ends tonight. Take LSU plus the points.

WTH Buffs?! – Coach Dan Hawkins proclaimed double digit wins for his team which is now mathematically impossible unless they go to a bowl game (yeah sure!). With losses to Toledo and Colorado State the Buffs are 1-3 as they come into Austin this coming Saturday. Hey RB Darrell Scott (91 total yards through 4 games) still happy about choosing to attend Colorado.

WTH Sooners?! – You get a slight pass due to the injuries that you have sustained, but come on now. You were supposed to be undefeated (2-2 record) instead you lose to Miami and BYU heading into conference play. They say a wounded animal is dangerous. I hope the rest of the BIG XII sees this as an opportunity to shoot you instead of run away from you.

WTH Aggies?! – I know that the Razorbacks are from the SEC, but you do not need to be scared of them. QB Jerrod Johnson looks more like Reggie McNeal than the second coming of Vince Young. I wondered watching Coach Mike Sherman with his huge plastic menu/play sheet which section told him to teach blocking for his QB.

WTH Raiders?! – Be on the lookout for more insanity coming from the mad scientist/pirate that is Coach Mike Leach. He banned twitter from his players after it was posted that he was less than punctual to one of his team meetings. He now has the opportunity to have a junior QB carousel in which to play with after Taylor Potts went out with a concussion and in stepped Steven Sheffield to lead Texas Tech to a 3rd win of the season (3-2).

WTH BIG XII?! – The conference stands with a 34-12 non-conference mark which is hardly something to write home about after our chief rival, the SEC, ended up with a 24-3 non-conference mark and the SEC held a 6-3 advantage over BCS conference foes. Throw in that the Big XII finished with a 4-7 record against BCS teams that included a 0-3 finish this past Saturday. (UT did not schedule one BCS non-conference game this year which is a concern). The beginning of the season the BIG XII had 3 in the Top 10 in the Associated Press poll which as of Oct. 4th we only have one – the Longhorns.

WTH SHOUT OUT?! – To the University of Texas No. 2 ranked women’s volleyball team lead by Coach Jerritt Elliott and senior Destinee Hooker who are now 11-0 overall and have a 6-0 conference record. The biggest props go to the team for beating Nebraska Cornhuskers on their home court last Saturday the 26th which snapped their 82 match home winning streak. Next up for the Longhorn women is a showdown with OU this Saturday October 10th at 12pm at Gregory Gym. See the women play in the afternoon and finish the day up with the men later that evening. Go Horns!

Next up for the Longhorn football team is Colorado at 6:15pm at DKR on October 10th.

Can Texas make it through their schedule and back to the Rose Bowl for another MNC?

It’s about that time to start sizing up the college football season, so here’s my rundown of games on the Longhorns schedule, in order from easiest to hardest. These rankings take each team’s projected strength, plus the location and timing of the game.

12. (Sept 5)

Why they’re here: Because this is a gimmie game. Don’t kid yourself; this is the Glass Joe on our schedule. In their two games versus big-time teams last year (Auburn and Ole Miss) the Warhawks were outscored 93-0. Best of luck fellas!

Why they’re not higher: Because they finished 4-7 last year and the game is at home. Seriously, the Christians walking into the Coliseum to face Lions had more of a chance. On the bright side, this may be our first glimpse at the QB of the future Garret Gilbert.

11. At (Sept 12)

Why they’re not here: Okay, this team is also Glass Joe… but playing at home in what should be the biggest game in their history. Sorry that’s all I got.

Why they’re not higher: Because the got pounded by the “big boys” in the WAC last year (TCU, Utah, BYU) by a combined score of 129-14. Bite the curb, and tell us how it tastes. We’ll try and not make you look too bad in front of your parents.

10. (Sept 26)

Why they’re here: Yes, they are a small conference school, but they have a coach who guided his previous team to two Rose Bowls. Don’t underestimate the importance of coaching in college football.

Why they’re not higher: Because when you move past the coach, this is still the same team we beat 42-13 in El Paso last year. And there won’t be any chicks giving their boyfriends hand favors on the mountain to distract our defense this year.

9. (Nov 7)

Why they’re here: They gave us a hell of a tussle in their place a couple of years ago. More than any “gimme” in the schedule, they probably believe they can beat us. Plus, given where they fall on the schedule (between Oklahoma State and Baylor) our boys could be due for a letdown.

Why they’re not higher: Because they lost to UTEP by 45 points last year. THE END.

8. Colorado (Oct 10)

Why they’re here: Because their coach is pretty damn good, and they play division one football there. Not intramurals brother…

Why they’re not higher: Because we smoked their ass last year, and this team traditionally is not great away from Boulder. Seriously, look it up: the school’s biggest three wins since joining the Big 12 have either come at home or on the a neutral site. Danger Dan Hawkins, danger!!!

7. At (Oct 24)

Why they’re here: Because last year at this time, people were picking them as a National title contender. Sure they lost a bunch of talent, but I’m sure Pinkle has a bunch of talent ready to shine, right?

Why they’re not higher: Wrong. Sorry, but Chase Daniels was special (for Missouri at least) and Jeremy Maclin and Chase Coffman are NFL talents. So far, Missouri hasn’t shown the ability to reload and keep pace in the Big 12.

6. (Sept 19)

Why they’re here: Because they beat us last year, and are always a tough out. Tech is the most hit-or-miss team in the country: when they’re off they can lose to SMU, when they’re on they can beat Oklahoma or Texas…

Why they’re not higher: at home. Sorry, I should have finished that thought. Look it up, Tech’s biggest wins in the last few years have come in Lubbock. Factor in that they will be working in a new starting quarterback, and the timing of this game is the final nail in the Red Raiders coffin. Don’t underestimate the “revenge” factor working in Texas’ favor.

5. At Texas A&M (Nov 26)

Why they’re here: It’s the Aggies; they have one good game in them a year and they always seem to save it for “t.u.”. They also will be playing at home and have the benefit of the 12th Man, plus they have a former NFL coach at the helm and a better-than-you-think reservoir of talent.

Why they’re not higher: Because the reservoir doesn’t run THAT deep. Look at the rankings, the Ags recruiting fell off mightily during the Fran tenure (or as they call it on Texags.com “the Dark Ages”). Plus the fact that the Horns seniors are 1-2 versus the Ags will provide a little extra motivation. A+M will really need the 12th Man… hell, they might even need to grab a 13th and 14th while they’re at it.

4. At (Nov 11)

Why they’re here: Because the Bears have the fastest collection of skill players in the Big 12 (no really!), and now their Freshman All-American QB Robert Griffin has a full year starting under his belt. If you recall, the Bears battled back to tie the score at 14 in Austin last year before Texas pulled away. I just have the feeling that Art Briles has one major upset in him next year… and A&M doesn’t count.

Why they’re not higher: Because playing Baylor on the road is only slightly more difficult than playing them at home. Waco is basically a stone’s throw from Austin, relatively speaking, so the crowd will be 40% Horn fans at worst. Plus, Colt McCoy’s girlfriend will be in attendance, so he’ll be extra motivated. Wouldn’t you be?

3. (Nov 21)

Why they’re here: Because Kansas is good, that’s why… potentially REALLY good. Todd Ressing is a top 10 quarterback nationally, and Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe form the conference’s best 1-2 punch on the outside. The Jayhawks’ falloff last year can directly be attributed to the defense, which should be much improved this fall.

Why they’re not higher: Because the game is in Austin and an improved Kansas squad is still a notch below what the Horns will line up with. The Texas D, playing without All-American Brian Orakpo, shut down the Jayhawks last season holding them to a season-low 7 points. Plus the timing of this game likely means the Horns will either be locked in on a BCS berth, or at the very worst trying to salvage the Cotton Bowl; regardless, it is unlikely they will have their guard down coming into this game.

2. (Oct 17)

Why they’re here: This is always the game of the year in the Big 12 conference, but with all the late season debate and hoopla last year, this game’s intensity has been ratcheted up to another level. The Sooners are they only team quite in UT’s weight class on the schedule, and like it or not, they’re won the last three conference championships. The offense is manned by Heisman winner Sam Bradford and All-American Jermaine Gresham (who’s caught three touchdowns in his career versus the Horns), and their defense looks both deep and talented. Plus they have Ryan Reynolds back, who’s like the greatest football player ever!

Why they’re not higher: No, really he’s not. This is still the same defense that Colt hung 38 on last season, and Greg Davis seems to have Brent Venerables’ number. The Sooners’ also lost four starters on the offensive line along with their top two receivers, so Bradford won’t likely duplicate his numbers from last year. And to be honest, all the extra motivation is on Texas’ side: they beat OU, OU gets the BCS title shot and Bob Stoops crows and taunts by taking some less-so-subtle shots at Mack Brown. It’ll be a battle, but Texas looks to be a little stronger than 08, whereas OU looks to have taken a slight step back.

1. (Oct 31)

Why they’re here: 26. That’s the combined halftime deficits the Horns have faced their last two trips to Stillwater. I don’t know if it’s something in the water or what, but our boys always seem to stumble through the first half, only setting the stage for a thrilling comeback. This team is too good for us to spot double digits in the first half, plus the Horns will be coming off one huge game (Oklahoma) and one somewhat tough road game (Missouri) the two previous weeks; can they be at their best three weeks in a row?

A lot of things about this scenario bring back memories from Lubbock last year.

The Horns take on Thursday at 2pm.

Check out this week’s Big 12 power rankings below:

1. 
   LW: 1

   The Sooners throttled an overmatched Baylor team and ended the game quickly by putting up 28 first quarter points. Baylor QB Robert Griffin ran well against them so maybe can do the same this week when the Sooners and Longhorns face off.

2. 
   LW: 2

   Mizzou wins in Lincoln for the first time in thirty years in a rout. The Tigers’ defense continued to give up big yards (particularly through the air) but only gave up 17 points to the Cornhuskers. This week the Tigers face Oklahoma State.

3. Texas

   
   LW: 3

   The Horns took care of business easily against CU in their conference opener. The offense wasn’t perfect but the defense nearly was in the team’s win. This week the Longhorns will try to take down rival and top ranked Oklahoma.

4. 
   LW: 4

   Tons of points for both Tech and Kansas State. The game was never in doubt for the Red Raiders but the team’s defense still is. The team faces a good passing offense this week in Nebraska and we’ll see if they’re up to the test.

5. 
   LW: 5

   The Cowboys whooped the Aggies and at 5 – 0 are climbing up the national rankings. The team advantage of five Aggie turnovers and won easily despite giving up a lot of yards. The Cowboys face a big time defensive test this week against Missouri and I don’t think they’re up for it.

6. 
   LW: 6

   Uh oh. I was tempted to drop Kansas even after squeaking by with a win against Iowa State. They had to rally from a 20-point halftime deficit to the Cyclones but surprisingly held their #16 national ranking. Should be an interesting game against Colorado this week.

7. 
   LW: 7

   Colorado coach Dan Hawkins desperately needs to find offensive line help or he’s going to get his own son killed. The line was completely dominated by the Longhorns and therefore couldn’t get anything started on offense. They travel to Kansas this week for a battle to be the North’s second best team.

8. 
   LW: 8

   They ran their mouth during the week and then spit on Missouri QB Chase Daniel before the game but got blown off the field once the game started. They make way too many mistakes (penalties and turnovers) to be a good team. Up this week is Texas Tech.

9. 
   LW: 9

   They’re still Baylor, in case you were wondering. Despite looking like an improved team early in the season they didn’t put much of a fight against Oklahoma. The defense surrendered nearly 600 total yards and 49 points in game that would have been much worse if OU hadn’t started taking it easy after just one quarter. This week the Bears have a winnable game against Iowa State.

10. 
    LW: 11

    The Cyclones move up one spot despite losing. They jumped out to a big halftime lead but just couldn’t hold onto it once KU got going in the second half. The game could have been either a sign the team is getting better or a backbreaking loss that sends them into a tailspin. We’ll find out Saturday against Baylor.

11. 
    LW: 10

    The Wildcats put up some yards against Texas Tech but were bad on third downs and couldn’t put up nearly enough points to make up for their defense. KSU needs to win their next two games against A&M and then Colorado if they hope to pull themselves up from the bottom tier of the conference.

12. Texas A&M

    
    LW: 12

    As predicted, the Aggies got their butts kicked against Okie State. The offense did put up a ton of yards but turned the ball over five times in the first half. This week they face a pretty average Kansas State at home so we’ll find out if they’re as bad as we think they are. Should be fun(ny).

Chris Ogbonnaya scoring against Colorado

Now with all of that said, Texas is 5-0 and you really can’t ask for much more heading into OU. I guess we will really get to see what Texas is made of with their tough upcoming schedule (OU, Mizzou, OSU, @Tech).

My favorite stat of the game? QB Cody Hawkins threw for only 13/33 and 118 yards. I bet he is going to have nightmares this week of the Texas defense. Now let’s see how each position fared:

Quarterback – Overall Grade: B

probably had his worst game of the season. Colt’s stats aren’t horrible, 23/30 for 262 yards and 2 touchdowns. The concerning part is the two interceptions. One of them was just a poor decision and had Tony Romo written all over it. Luckily Colt is having his off day in a game that wasn’t ever in question. I expect Colt to bounce back and have a great game against Oklahoma.

seems to be looking more and more lost out there on the field. And now when he is running and seems to be reluctant and has no purpose. Hopefully this isn’t the future of the Texas QB.

Running Backs – Overall Grade: B

had a career game. Chris O started off the game with a 65 yard touchdown and reception and later added a 51 yard run. His performance on Saturday deservedly earned him the starting nod against OU. It’s the other running backs that have me a bit worried. did show a little speed, but ended up with only 30 yards on 8 carries. I was expecting big things from McGee this year and he has yet to have that breakout game. did score two touchdowns, but had only 27 yards on 11 carries. It looks like Cody Johnson will be useful for short-yardage situations, but probably doesn’t have the fitness for much else. When is going to return? We need him stat.

Wide Receivers – Overall Grade: B-

Of course and had great games, but I am docking the receivers because someone else needs to step-up and give Colt a solid target. Only 3 catches were made by receivers other than Cosby and Shipley (not counting RBs). That just won’t cut it against Oklahoma this weekend. Man that injury is looking more and more costly.

Defense – Overall Grade: A

The defense was the main bright spot against . The defensive front-seven controlled the game and spent most of the game in QB ‘ grill. The defensive MVP had to be , who had a monster game in the middle with eight tackles, a fumble recovery, three QB hits, and two pass breakups. The play of the game goes to when he knocked down a long pass attempt early in the game. If he doesn’t make that play and Colorado scores, the game could have been totally different.

Overall Grade: B

The offense was decent and the defense showed signs of greatness. So how am I feeling going into next week? Pretty nervous. But luckily no matter what happens, OU will still SUCK!

The Horns lost their best player in but returns a ton of talent and depth everywhere but point guard. With defending conference and national champs losing so many players the conference is wide open this season. If either or somebody can step up to man the point the Longhorns should have another shot to win the conference and make a deep tourney run.

2008-09 Big 12 Preseason Poll

See how the coaches think the league will turn out below:

Chris Ogbonayya runs against Colorado

Starting this year the coaches have started to keep a “big board” of the top 11 players on the offense and defense each week. With the start of conference play, we’ve decided to make one of our own. Here’s the list after the game:

1. - Texas may have found their running back. Chris “O” made the game’s first big play on a 65 yard touchdown catch from Colt McCoy that set the tone. He also added 75 yards on the ground and showed some big play ability.
2. - The big guy was everywhere on Saturday night. Miller had eight tackles, a fumble recovery, three quarterback hits, and two pass breakups. He may be the conferences best in the middle.
3. - It says a lot about McCoy’s play thus far this year that the game versus Colorado is a step back. Colt had been playing out of this world so far, and came back to earth a bit against a Colorado team that decided to blitz all night. He finished 23 of 30 for 262 yards including two touchdowns and interceptions. McCoy didn’t lead the team in rushing finally, rushing for a solid 59 yards.
4. - Muckelroy was all over the field in this game. He led the team in tackling again, accounting for 10 tackles and a pass break up. The speed and violence he is bringing to this line backing core has the unit playing better than any group in Mack Brown’s tenure.
5. - “B-Rak” is making himself a lot of money this year. Texas fans were hoping he’d put it all together on the field and he hasn’t disappointed. When teams decided to block him with just one guy he seems to get at least a hit on the quarterback every time. He finished with only two tackles, but had five hits on the quarterback and made the pocket a place CU’s quarterback Cody Hawkins a place he didn’t want to be.
6. - As Earl Thomas goes, so goes this young secondary. The red shirt freshman appears to be the emotional leader of the group in the back. Earl’s name wasn’t mentioned all that much last night, and that is a good sign. He had two pass breakups and provided good support in the run game.
7. - Johnson began the game as the starting running back for the first time in his young career at Texas. With Ogbonnaya having such a big game and the score becoming lopsided, Cody was limited to a short yardage back. He capitalized however, and two touchdowns will get you on the big board every week.
8. - Shipley caught the other McCoy pass on the night. It wasn’t a huge day for the ex Burnet star, but he got in the end zone and moved the chains on a few receptions. He has definitely become the guy McCoy looks to on hot reads and around the goal line. Their chemistry is amazing.
9. - Cosby had the most catches on the team and appeared to be the most explosive on the night. The old guy on the team finished with nine catches for 71 yards. His long was just 15 however, as all the wide outs failed to make a big play.
10. - Sergio is just a physical freak. He causes havoc wherever he is on the field. When he lines up opposite Orakpo in the “buck” package an offense has no chance. Kindle looked better playing in space as he gets more and more comfortable on his surgically prepared knee. The light has finally come on in his third year on campus, and the sky appears to be the limit for this guy.
11. - Chykie Brown played his best game as a Longhorn Saturday night against Colorado. It started early, as the starting corner knocked down a long pass attempt by Cody Hawkins. If that pass is completed the game may have been completely different. The whole secondary played with a swagger it never had last year. The Tony Yayo hand dance needs to go, but the play of this group is here to stay.

Senior discusses CU and the Big 12 schedule:

talks about the difficulty in not looking past Colorado:

talks about the match-up with OU:

Source

The Texas defense hit QB Cody Hawkins often

The Texas Longhorns played their toughest opponent of the season Saturday but still dominated against the Colorado Buffaloes. The defense was downright dominant and the CU quarterback will be seeing the Texas defensive linemen and linebackers in his dreams for weeks. We’ll find out in less than a week what the Longhorns are made of.

See what everyone is saying about the game below:

Bevo Sports

• Video: Texas at Colorado highlights
• Live game blog
• All Texas/Colorado coverage

Local Media

• Texas/Colorado box score
• Texas/Colorado game quotes
• Texas/Colorado game notes
• Texas beats Colorado, looks ahead to OU
• Texas defense looks good after stuffing the Buffs
• Ogbonnaya looks like an answer at running back
• Scott’s limited results fine with UT
• Longhorn football notebook
• Takin’ Care of Business
• Becoming Brett

Colorado Media

• Longhorns roll over Buffs
• Overmatched Buffs come up far short against No. 5 Longhorns
• Longhorns crank up the “D”
• Buffs get clocked in speed trap
• CU’s defense lone bright spot vs. McCoy, Texas
• Buffs kicked while down
• Gap still large between CU, Big 12′s best
• Hawkins continues to struggle under center
• Teammates won’t put blame on Goodman

Texas media

• Unbeaten OU, UT should make Red River Rivalry hard to beat
• UT takes care of Colorado, sets up showdown with OU
• Texas defense rushing to the top
• Texas 38, Colorado 14, final thoughts
• Texas Longhorns make a statement with defense
• Chris Ogbonnaya could be the answer for Texas’ running game
• Longhorns wax Buffs
• UT drops Colorado 38-14 in Big 12 opener
• Houston Chronicle live blog

National media

• Ogbonnaya scores 2 TDs, saves another as No. 5 Texas cruises
• AP photo gallery
• Defense carries Texas to win at Colorado

There’s also some good but not embeddable highlights available from FSN to check out.

Notes: Comments on the article itself will be turned off till after the game. The Writer can view all comments sent to them but only they can publish your comments for everyone to see. The “autoscroll” feature ensures you’re always shown the newest content without having to refresh or scroll your screen. Subtle sound effects alert you to new content as the writer publishes it. You can turn these features on or off by using the controls at the bottom of the Live Blog.

Will the Longhorns avoid the upset? Can the defense continue to get after the opposing quarterback? Read on to see what the editors of Bevo Sports and a guest from Buffs.tv think will happen today:

Brian - The Longhorns played their best game of the season last week and I think they step it up again against Colorado. They were ranked last week but other than a win over not as good as we thought they haven’t been overly impressive. Texas’ special teams will be the key to avoid the upset. will continue to impress and freshman running back will get his first career 100-yard game. Texas wins by the same score they do every week… Texas 52 – Colorado 10

Matt - There are a couple of things that worry me about this game. First, it is an almost night game in Boulder. The fans will be crazy (probably drunk) and it is tough to play with that thin air. Second, the last time we played Colorado we beat them 70-3 and knocked out their quarterback. I’m pretty sure Colorado is looking for a little revenge and will keep that previous game in mind. And finally, this game comes a week before the Red River Rivalry, so there is definitely a possibility that the Horns will be looking ahead. Now with all of that said, I still think Texas has too much offense for Colorado to handle. And with the improved defense I don’t see Colorado doing too much. Texas needs to jump out to a quick start to kill the hopes for the Buffaloes. If they do that they should roll. Texas 45 – Colorado 20

Mike - The Longhorns face their first big test of the year on the road at Colorado to get Big 12 play started. Colorado has a solid team, and proved they could pull an upset by beating the week before last year’s Red River Shootout. Texas is on a roll and I don’t think anyone not wearing crimson and cream is going to slow the Horns down. Colorado wears black and gold. I may have started drinking the Kool-Aid on this one, but I think Texas wins and wins big. They dominate from the start and Colt McCoy keeps his Heisman hopes alive with another big game through the air and on the ground. The defense records over five sacks and two turnovers, and a running back will finally have a run over 30 yards. Texas 45 – Colorado 13

Marc from Buffs.tv - This game is going to come down to the trenches. Can the Colorado line hold off the Longhorns long enough for Hawkins down field? Can the Buffs get enough pressure on McCoy to force him into some bad decisions? If the Buffs can’t win at least one of these battles, winning the game will be very difficult. The good news is that the Buffs never give up in Boulder. This game will be decided in the fourth quarter. Texas 21 – Colorado 23

Can Colt McCoy make like VY against the Buffs?

Texas opens up Big 12 play tonight at 6pm against a good team coming off their first loss of the season. The Buffaloes are a talented team heading in the right direction thanks to head coach Dan Hawkins and the play of his quarterback son, but the Longhorns are 13-point favorites and if they do their job they’ll win the game.

Read below for the Longhorns’ keys to beat the Colorado Buffaloes:

1. Don’t look past Colorado to next week.

Texas fans are already making plans and looking forward to next week’s huge match-up with but the team can’t do the same. The Buffaloes are easily the toughest team Texas has faced and can easily pull off the upset if the Horns don’t play as well as they should.

2. Don’t give up a big kickoff return.

WR Josh Smith is Colorado’s biggest weapon, particularly on kickoff returns. Nothing kills momentum worse than giving up a backbreaking return after a touchdown. The kickoff coverage team has been solid so far but they haven’t faced a guy like Smith. Kicker needs to what he’s done all year and put his kickoffs high and in the end zone and he’ll completely neutralize Smith’s abilities.

3. Pressure quarterback Cody Hawkins.

After back-to-back weeks of seven sacks the Texas defense suddenly has one of the top pass rushes in the country. The Colorado offensive line has been decimated by injuries and and company need to take advantage. The real test comes next week but this will be a good indicator of what the defensive line and linebackers can do against an offensive line that doesn’t average sub-260 pounds. Texas needs to hound Cody Hawkins and bring him down for at least three sacks tonight.

Texas vs. Colorado in the Big 12 Championship

Conference play is in full swing this weekend with many teams getting their first real test of the season. The Big 12 now has 4 teams in the Top 10, with all of them on the road. It will be interesting to see if they can all come out unscathed. If Texas and Oklahoma both win their Big 12 openers, they will face off next week in a possible #1 versus #5 match-up.

Let’s take a look at a game in each of the big conferences. Remember, I did go 3-1 last weekend against the spread.

#13 Auburn at #19 Vanderbilt (+4) – 6:00 PM EST on ESPN. Vanderbilt is definitely one of the surprises of the season. And after last week their win against Ole Miss is looking that much better. Auburn has been anemic on offense and basically riding their defense to wins. With two weeks to prepare and home field, Vanderbilt has the advantage in this one. It will probably be close, but take Vandy to win.

#7 Texas at Colorado (+13) – 7:00 PM EST on FSN. There are a couple of things that worry me about this game. First, it is an almost night game in Boulder. The fans will be crazy (probably drunk) and it is tough to play with that thin air. Second, the last time we played Colorado we beat them 70-3 and knocked out their quarterback. I’m pretty sure Colorado is looking for a little revenge and will keep that previous game in mind. And finally, this game comes a week before the Red River Rivalry, so there is definitely a possibility that the Horns will be looking ahead. Now with all of that said, I still think Texas has too much offense for Colorado to handle. And with the improved defense I don’t see Colorado doing too much. Texas needs to jump out to a quick start to kill the hopes for the Buffaloes. If they do that they should roll.

#23 Oregon at #9 USC (O/U 57) – 8:00 PM EST on ABC. Everyone wants to see how USC will respond after getting smoked by Oregon State last week. I don’t expect to see a blowout or anything against Oregon, but I do expect to see USC’s A game. Both teams can score almost at will and this will probably be the typical Pac-10 shootout. Look for each team to score in the 40s and take the over in this one.

#14 Ohio State at #18 Wisconsin (+2) – 8:00 PM EST on ABC. Hardly anyone comes out of Camp Randall with a victory, with Wisconsin winning their last 16 at home and 27 of the last 28. Ohio State has now turned over the reigns to Terrelle Pryor, and with Beanie Wells back from injury their offense is heating back up. As long as their defense can do a decent job against the Badgers, Ohio State should be able to come out with the victory. Actually on second thought this game probably shouldn’t be on the “what to watch” list since it will probably be pretty boring. Just take Ohio State and cash-in in the morning.

Cody Johnson runs against Arkansas

Saturday at 6pm on FSN the Longhorns will start Big 12 play against . The Buffaloes are easily the Horns’ toughest opponent of the season so despite four blowout wins the team still hasn’t proven anything. Texas will lean on as they do every week, but Texas will also need these five other players to step up to take care of business:

The Texas coaches and fans thought the running game would be led by the tandem of and . While Whittaker has struggled to contribute as expected because of injuries to both knees, McGee has just struggled. Enter former fullback Cody Johnson. The big man has looked like the best ball carrier on the team not named . Mack Brown has preferred big, downhill runners throughout his career, a la Natrone Means and . And even though the UT running game doesn’t appear to suit Johnson’s strengths he has excelled. If Johnson can outperform McGee again, this time in a conference game, it seems likely that the combination of Johnson and Whittaker when he is healthy will lead the running game going forward into the season.

Texas has to find a third receiver. The physical appearance and upside of and led many to anoint them the leaders for the position. But through four games it is clear that McCoy does not trust these two yet for whatever reason. Colt does seem to trust Kirkendoll, who made a nice run after the catch early in last week’s blowout of . The loss of allows defenses to key on and . If Texas wants to continue their success through the air, one of the young receivers must step up. This week is Kirkendoll’s week to solidify himself as that guy.

There is no doubt that the true freshman from nearby Leander High School has exceeded expectations. After only being out of high school for six months, Gideon finds himself leading a young but talented secondary for the Texas Longhorns. Most 18 year’olds would be overwhelmed, but the coach’s son appears to be taking to his new position like a duck to water. Gideon hasn’t made a whole lot of huge plays, but according to defensive coordinator , Gideon is lining up the defense correctly. I think Muschamp, a former college safety, sees a lot of himself in Gideon and for UT fans that is assuredly a good thing. Teams are going to try and confuse the secondary to create big plays, if Gideon can limit these by being smart and aware, the Longhorn defense could become one of college football’s best this year.

If nobody else is running, I’d like to nominate myself as the President of the Keenan Robinson fan club. This may be premature but Robinson has looked like a star in the making every time he is on the field, albeit in cleanup duty. He has the speed and nose for the football that Muschamp craves in his line backing unit. Overall the group of , , , and has looked great, but Robinson gives this defense the ability to keep three linebackers on the field against three receiver sets. The other linebackers on the team struggle in space. With Robinson’s speed and ball skills, he is a prime candidate to get more time as the opposing offenses become faster. The problem is deciding whose snaps the talented freshman cuts into. The combination of Robinson and Muckelroy at linebacker with Kindle playing rush end appears to be the best combination for Texas on obvious passing downs.

Historically, Texas has not done great on kick coverage. Don’t believe me? Watch the DVD of the first Rose Bowl Texas played in. With the talent on campus, it has appeared the Horns have struggled to find the types of players it takes to excel on special teams coverage. Kick coverage is more about willingness and want to than superior athletic ability. Kickoff specialist Justin Tucker is making this quandary obsolete. Tucker has been booming the ball, forcing touchbacks at a rate not seen on the 40 acres. It’s beginning to seam that on balls he doesn’t kick into the end zone come at the coach’s request in order to get a look at the coverage unit. Against teams like , , , and special teams could decide the game. A weapon like Tucker, and on the punt team with John Gold, gives Texas an advantage in every game.

Check out this week’s Big 12 power rankings below:

1. 
   LW: 1

   The Sooners jumped to a huge first quarter lead against and then just road that through the end of the game. QB Sam Bradford threw for a ton of yards but had by far his least accurate performance of the season. More troubling for OU is the complete ineffectiveness of the running game. They tried to force the issue but manage to only rush for an abysmal 25 yards on 36 carries.

2. 
   LW: 2

   Bye week. The Tigers face Nebraska this weekend to open Big 12 play.

3. Texas

   
   LW: 3

   Another week and another 52 – 10 win for the Longhorns, this time over SEC rival . The Texas offense has been impressive all season but for the first time all season the defense was dominant. The front seven was able to sack the Razorbacks’ QBs seven times and the Horns are now top five nationally with 16 sacks on the season. Texas faces Colorado Saturday at 6pm on FSN.

4. 
   LW: 4

   Bye week. Red Raiders open Big 12 play against Kansas State.

5. 
   LW: 8

   Okie Lite put another 50 spot on the scoreboard this past weekend against Troy. The Trojans aren’t exactly a national power but struggled to get past them while the Cowboys racked up 612 total yards. They host the Aggies Saturday at 7pm.

6. 
   LW: 7

   Bye week. KU opens conference play with a virtual bye against Iowa State.

7. 
   LW: 5

   Colorado didn’t show up well in a surprisingly thorough loss to . QB and coach’s son Cody Hawkins was inaccurate and inefficient and the running game didn’t do enough to pick him up. The FSU offense wasn’t much better but thanks to terrible kick coverage was able to play with a short field on several possessions. The Buffaloes face the Longhorns Saturday.

8. 
   LW: 6

   Nebraska fans may be disappointed in a home loss to but Bo Pelini’s team fought hard till the end and almost came back and won it. This week Nebraska has a tough one when they host #4 Missouri.

9. 
   LW: 10

   Bye week. Next up are the number one ranked Sooners.

10. 
    LW: 9

    Another shaky week for the Wildcats, barely beating a 1 – 3 Louisiana-Lafayette team in Manhattan. QB Josh Freeman and the offense again looked solid but the defense looked like swiss cheese. The Ragin’ Cajuns ran all over them to the tune of 335 total rushing yards in the game. Not good. Up this week is Texas Tech.

11. 
    LW: 12

    Bye week. This week the Cyclones face off against Kansas.

12. Texas A&M

    
    LW: 11

    Just how bad are the Aggies? Army wasn’t just winless but they were winless against mediocre competion, and at Kyle Field the A&M needed a fourth down stop to escape with a win. Their match-up with Oklahoma State Saturday night will be an interesting one to watch (but not actually watch because it’s embarrasingly not being televised).