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. Louisiana-Monroe (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 Wyoming (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. UTEP (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. Central Florida (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 Missouri (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. Texas Tech (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 Baylor (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. Kansas (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. Oklahoma (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. Oklahoma State (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.
Heisman runner-up Colt McCoy, friend of the working man and enemy to Sooners everywhere, finished 2nd on ESPN’s rankings for top 40 players in the Big 12. Colt was joined by teammates Sergio Kindle (13), Jordan Shipley (18), Adam Ulatoski (27), Earl Thomas (32) and Chris Hall (37).
Predictably, Oklahoma leads the list with 10 players, 5 of which are in the top 11.
Now I know this list is just opinion and is designed to create discussion, but I see this list as just another example of the seemingly eternal well of respect in which Oklahoma draws. Really?? Travis Lewis and DeMarco Murray are better than Sergio Kindle…really? Keenan Clayton makes the top 40 and Roderick Muckleroy doesn’t… really?
Just like last year, OU had 8 All-Big 12 first teamers while Texas had just 4. Texas beats Oklahoma, so which team has the better head coach? Oklahoma of course!
Really?
I’m really hoping that this year is the one that finally turns the tide of respect our way permanently. I can’t speak for everyone, but I for one am damn sick and tired of the team that has done the most damage to our conference’s national reputation getting the benefit of the doubt every time.
Chris Ogbonnaya scores against the Sooners.
Sometimes, I love ESPN Classic. Usually when they replay college football during the “dog days” of the season (May-July) that keeps my ever-present desire for college football that much sharper. One such occasion occurred last week, as ESPNC replayed the Texas/OU 2008 game in all its glory, unless you’re a Sooner. So, with pen and paper in hand, I decided to cue up my DVR and record some observations in hindsight (i.e. when I’m not shot gunning Modello’s and cursing whatever evil demon Bob Stoops sold his soul to). Enjoy!
1. Our offensive line got whipped in the first half.
Colt was running for his life in the 1st half, and our passing game was relegated to quick passes out of necessity. I forgot how badly we got worked in this area early on. The three first half sacks really could have been six were Colt not so mobile.
2. The Ryan Reynolds myth.
I have officially had enough of this crap; YOU know what I’m talking about, cause we’ve all heard this excuse since about five minutes after the final gun in the RRS. We only began to move the ball once Oklahoma’s leader Ryan Reynolds left the game with a knee injury, and IF he stays healthy it would have been a different story. If you need a refresher, just read this OU stooge or check the game recap at Red Dirt Kings.
Funny thing about it… Reynolds wasn’t even on the preseason All Big-12 team; after he tears his ACL every Sooner fan will tell you he’s the best MLB in the country. Let’s look at some hard data:
For the game, in which he lasted about 2 1/2 quarters, Reynolds registered 3 tackles. What’s more, two of them game on his first series (he stuck Chris Ogbonnaya for no gain, and then limited him to a 3 yard run). So, for those of you math majors, in the remaining 2 quarters he played (which translates to five series) he made ONE TACKLE!! Why the drop off in production? Simple once we went to the 4 WR formations, Reynolds became obsolete. He’s your typical OU linebacker, he plays the run aggressively and rushes the passer, but if you get him in coverage he is vulnerable. Three separate times in the first half, Jordan Shipley either shook him loose or made him miss badly on a tackle. It was a totally mismatch, and St. Reynolds became Donnie from The Big Lebowski…totally out of his element. The longer he would have stayed in the game, the worse he would have looked.
So, why did we start to move the ball better in the second half? Because their defensive line wore down, giving Colt more time to find holes in the zone defense Oklahoma was playing. Reynolds being in there would have lead to him having to cover someone down the field, and we’ve seen that movie (go cue up Jermichael Finley career highlight video, I swear half the plays are against Oklahoma. Where he was covered by… drumroll please… Ryan Reynolds).
One more thing, Reynolds’ replacement Brandon Crow, who OU fans blame solely for the loss to us, registered five tackles in barely over a quarter of action. That’s right, Reynolds’s replacement logged almost twice as many tackles than he did. So, that’s it, Ryan Reynolds is good not great and his injury didn’t hurt OU all that much. The next time snotty dirt burglar fans try to use his injury as an excuse, drop the hammer of knowledge on them.
3. Our “calls”
You know, cause between the refs screwing them AND losing the greatest linebacker every to step put on a pair of shoulder pads, what chance did OU have to win the game? This might be beating a dead horse, but I decided to look into this for the record. There were three main calls that drew criticism: the two roughing the passer calls and the “fumbled” interception in the end zone that was ruled an incomplete pass.
- The first roughing the passer call was a BAD call that went in our favor, no question about it. This call bailed us out of a 3rd and 14 and probably resulted in a “free” 3 points for us. No excuses.
- The second RTP penalty was correct. It wasn’t malicious, but Colt was a good four steps out of bound when Travis Lewis shoves him in the back and jerks his jersey. It looked to be one of those “I’ll hit you late, but not hard enough to get a flag” shenanigans that OU seems to specialize in. Keep your hands to yourself Mr. Lewis!
- The dropped interception…I don’t even know what to say. It’s like trying to explain to a grownup why water is wet; you don’t even know how to begin because the point is so blatantly obvious that any explanation feels asinine. Anyway, here goes… IF a player catches the ball, maintains possession, but when he hits the ground the ball gets jarred loose, IT IS NOT A CATCH!! Invariably there is always some moron who chimes in (usually very know-it-allish) “The ground can’t cause a fumble!” No, it can’t, but it damn sure can cause an incompletion. Learn it, live it, love it.
4. OU’s tomfoolery
Before I can get into this, I think everyone out there that supports the Burnt Orange can agree that Oklahoma cheats worse than a meth-addicted three card Monte dealer. However, that seems to be a common theme in ANY heated rivalry; the Haggys and Red Faders swear that the refs give us every call. The difference is, in this case it is totally true (see Big Red Auto Imports and any game film of an Oklahoma). But instead of making random claims, I decided to game to the game film:
- 1st drive of the game (that didn’t take long, did it?), Lamarr Houston beats Duke Robinson off the ball and has a beeline to sack Bradford. Robinson grabs Houston’s jersey and spins him (blatant holding) and Bradford has time to let the play develop and hit the running back for a 34-yard gain. There is no way that WASN’T holding! So instead of a third and long (if Houston makes the sack) or 2nd and 20 (if the refs could have found their flags), OU had a 1st down in Texas territory.
- In the second quarter, 2nd and 19, Oklahoma runs that jailbreak screen and Manual Johnson is a good yard past the line of scrimmage when he catches the ball. That would have been okay, except for the three OU linemen downfield. Instead of a 2nd and 24, they get 3rd and 6.
- In the third quarter, same situation that I just described, only this time Johnson is a good two yards past the line of scrimmage when he catches the ball. Instead of 3rd and 15, they score a touchdown.
That’s three infractions calls that OU got away with, all which lead to touchdowns. And don’t even get me started on Loadholt; he grabbed Orakpo so often I think he wanted to date him. Don’t be shy Phil, tell him how you feel!
- In the sake of fairness, there were a couple of plays I thought OU got away with something turned out to be legit. A few of their jailbreak screens WERE behind the line of scrimmage (nullifying the illegal man downfield) and the first touchdown where I thought Manual Johnson never broke the plane (he clearly did).
- You want proof of the Big 12 media bias for the Sooners? Trent Williams, the All-Big 12 first team and winner of the lineman of the year award, was absolutely destroyed by Sergio Kindle. Sergio beat him for a sack, two QB pressures and drew a holding penalty against Williams. DeMarcco Murray, who was a repeat selection on the All-Big 12 team first team, did absolutely nothing against us, gaining seven yards on six carries. And the Big 12 coach of the year Bob Stoops? He spent the entire second half taking turns looking confused, and then constipated.
In closing, now that I have watched this game for the third time, this was Oklahoma’s best shot. Seriously. DeMarcco Murray was healthy (for all the good he did), Oklahoma busted out their maddeningly effective jailbreak screen for this game (which we had no time to prepare for, as opposed to Florida) and they converted all their opportunities inside the red zone. For all the smoke being blown about how OU was a different team at the end of the season, with all due respect, so were we. Our freshman safeties had grown up, the young receivers had emerged and our defense was playing lights out (allowing 16 points combined it its last 2 regular season games). We could have played them again and the result would have been the same.
God, I can’t wait for October 17th!
2008 Big 12 Champs?
Yesterday’s spring game was the first chance for many fans to see the team since the Fiesta Bowl, but it was also a chance for the media to wander the halls of Moncrief-Neuhaus. Statesman writer Kirk Bohls noticed something interesting about the team’s updated trophy area, namely a “2008*” under the list of Big 12 conference championships.
Read Bohls’ update from today below:
Trying to defuse a controversy over claiming credit for a championship they didn’t win, the Texas Longhorns are removing “2008*” from a list of Big 12 titles posted in a team meeting room.
A team official said today that coach Mack Brown had not been aware of the asterisked claim and wanted it taken down.
After online posts here and elsewhere Sunday, the Longhorns’ decoration quickly drew fire - especially in Oklahoma, where Sooner fans have taken to the radio airwaves and Internet boards to scoff at the Longhorns’ claim to a share of the Sooners’ tie-broken title.
Personally, it doesn’t upset me too much though I understand the University needs to handle itself a little differently than us as fans. I’m still ticked off about how last year went down. Reportedly (according to @suzhalliburton) the asterisk was supposed to only be under the Big 12 South area to denote last year’s division tie. Yesterday was the first time it was brought to Mack Brown’s attention and now it’s coming down.
Hey, at least we didn’t claim a spring game victory.
Posted February 23rd, 2009 by Mike
Filed under: Basketball, Feature
What a difference a week makes? Last week at this time the fans on the 40 Acres were left scratching their heads wondering out loud if their Texas Longhorns were really going to end up in the NIT.
One week later on the back of AJ Abrams scoring ability and the inability of player of the year candidate Blake Griffin to take a hit the Longhorns are right back in the thick of things after a win over Oklahoma. The team now holds wins over Oklahoma, UCLA, Villanova, and Wisconsin. Out of their eight losses only the Arkansas and Kansas State losses can be considered bad.
The style of play Texas uses makes every game a dog fight. The style is a double edged sword. Every game being close makes teams vulnerable to lesser teams who are hot down the stretch of a ball game, i.e. Kansas State. The style also keeps a team in a game they probably shouldn’t be in, i.e. Oklahoma.
Texas’ back yard mentality stifled the Sooners in the first half while Griffin dealt with foul trouble and a glass chin. The Longhorns made a run to push out the lead, but anyone who has watched this team play all season knew Oklahoma would make a run. In fact, the Sooners made two double digit to zero runs in the second half as the Longhorns struggled to score when Abrams was being guarded and forwards Damion James and Gary Johnson struggled with their mid-range game.
Texas has been prone to long dry spells offensively all year because of inconsistent point guard play. The major bright spot, besides the win itself, on Saturday night has to be the emergence of Dogus Balbay as the true starting point guard.
The move makes this team the same as last year’s with the trade at the one guard Balbay for DJ Augustin. While the trade is nowhere near even, it does allow Justin Mason to stay on the floor and concentrate on defense and clean ups instead of running the show and more importantly it puts James back at power forward where he can slash to the bucket and be a monster on offensive rebounds.
Balbay has the ability to penetrate the lane and either finish with his underrated athleticism or find a shooter in the corner. Abrams can shoot from anywhere at any time, but the other Texas shooters like James, Mason and Connor Atchley enjoy success when they catch and shoot. The ease in which their shot came off of drive and kick plays has been missing all season. When Abrams was the point guard the offensive relied on isolation and pick and rolls, when Mason was the point guard he had the ability to get to the bucket but only to get himself points, but now that Balbay is the man at the point the whole Texas offense has opened up.
Another positive that came from beating the Sooners was the play of Dexter Pittman. The big guy dominated the paint even when Griffin was still healthy and fresh. He also made the key rebound and bucket of the game following an Abrams miss with less than 15 seconds left in the second half.
Saying Atchley is struggling on par with our economy. And just like the guys in Washington it looks like head coach Rick Barnes is at a loss on what to do. Barnes has started him, brought him off the bench, played him inside, and even tried playing him at the small forward for stretches. Atchley played decent against Oklahoma but he is not the threat he once was. There was a time some were calling him the best pro prospect on the roster this year. Not anymore.
Pittman received the start because of the matchup with Griffin, but after his strong play with Griffin out of the game don’t be surprised to see Atchley coming off the bench for the rest of the season. If Pittman does get the start it will mean Atchley would be the second big man to come off the bench after Gary Johnson. Right now Johnson and Pittman do more for this team, and while I’m sure it is hard for Barnes to sit a senior who has given so much for the program Barnes still has to do what is best for the program. At this time that may be taking away significant minutes from Atchley.
While the win has many guaranteeing a tournament berth for the Longhorns, Texas still has work left to do. They have three winnable games against Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, and Baylor before finishing up in Kansas against the Jayhawks before the Big 12 Tournament.
If Texas can go three of four in that time they’d finish at 10-6 in conference. That gets Texas in no matter what happens in the tournament because believe it or not the nation respects the Longhorn basketball program more than the fans and students do.
Posted February 22nd, 2009 by Brian
Filed under: Basketball
The Longhorns big win over the Sooners mirrored their 2008-09 basketball season, with huge swings between good play followed by long stretches of mediocrity and frustration. Fortunately, Saturday night senior guard AJ Abrams took his teammates on his back during the second half with 16 straight points and the Horns were able to pull out a very important win over their biggest rival.
Next up for Abrams and the Horns is another important conference match-up against Texas Tech Wednesday.
Nothing makes Texas fans happier than the misery of rivals Oklahoma and Texas A&M. The Sooners sneaked their way into the BCS National Title game, but as just like they’ve done in five of their last six bowl games they went home as losers. We went to bed happy when OU lost to Florida but one Oklahoma sorority girl could not be consoled:
(Side note, I had no idea the Rooster Teeth guys were UT grads.)
Lance Zierlein of the Houston Chronicle has posted his list of the five best and worst underclassmen decisions of 2009 draft and I think they’re pretty dead on. He’s one of the few guys out there that really knows his stuff regarding the NFL Draft and Big 12 football.
Zierlein thinks Texas linebacker/defensive end Sergio Kindle made the right call by returning to Texas for his senior season. Right now Kindle is still relatively raw at both linebacker and as a pass rusher, and with another year of seasoning under Will Muschamp he could explode in 2009. I also agree completely with his thoughts on the decisions by players such as USC’s Mark Sanchez, OU’s Sam Bradford, and Kansas State’s Josh Freeman.
The relevant notes from Zierlein are posted below:
Best
3. Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas - Staying In: Kindle opened up many scouts eyes as a pass-rusher this year at Texas. Will Muschamp recognized that Kindle’s top potential wasn’t at LB but as a pass rusher. Kindle has good straight line speed but needs to become a more fluid athlete and he has a chance to do that with another year at Texas.
Worst
2. Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma - Staying In: I say this is a bad decision, but as long as he plays well next year, he’ll be a top 3 pick next season. The problem is that he is losing almost his entire offensive line as well as two of his top targets. Injury is the only real concern for me here, but he probably would have been a top 3 pick this season and maybe the top pick.
3. Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State - Coming Out - What are you thinking, Josh? You have the size and arm strength that NFL teams would salivate over if you could just put together a big year on the collegiate level. Why not go back and improve on your numbers and then become the hot name in the 2010 draft?
Posted January 13th, 2009 by Mike
Filed under: Basketball, Feature
Texas coach Rick Barnes is looking for answers beyond AJ Abrams at guard for the Horns.
If you think you’re frustrated, imagine being Rick Barnes. Two games into the conference season and this team still has no idea who it is. Let’s be clear, if Texas would have won Monday night’s game in Oklahoma the team would have won a game against the best team and player in the conference on the road in a primetime game. They didn’t, and that fact shouldn’t make anyone lose sleep. But the problems that were exhibited in the first half may require at least a week’s supply of Lunesta.
Texas simply does not have a reliable guard to run the offense. Oklahoma does, and despite the presence of the best player in basketball, sorry Tyler Hansbrough, this game simply came down to one team having the ability to create by getting in the lane, and one that could not. Guard play rules college basketball, and Texas has none.
Oklahoma guards constantly got into the lane and made plays for themselves and their teammates. All three starting guards for the Sooners scored in double figures. The only player not named AJ Abrams to score in double figures was Damion James, who had been shutout and benched for most of the first half.
Rick Barnes was unhappy heading into the locker room. He stated that if guys didn’t want to do their job he’d find someone who would. Bench players like Harrison Smith and Dogus Balbay got extended time in the first half because of James and Justin Mason’s struggles. James was able to bounce back in the second half, but Mason continues to struggle. Basketball is a game of confidence and Mason has none right now on the offensive end.
Texas played better in the second half, even cutting the lead to four points midway through the second half. The low post defenders did a decent job keeping Blake Griffin in check. When on the court Dexter Pittman was able to out muscle the future top three pick in the lane. But the attention Griffin forced the Texas defense to pay to him allowed Sooner guards to live in the lane.
Texas plays Oklahoma again on February 21st in Austin, and before that game happens the Longhorns have to figure out their perimeter play on offense.
Fans knew it would be close but the final 2008 Heisman voting came down to 151 points between the first and third place finishers. Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford ended up edging out Texas quarterback Colt McCoy to take home this season’s Heisman Trophy. The two Big 12 QBs didn’t get the most first place votes (that honor fell to third place finisher Tim Tebow) but Bradford pulled in enough place votes to “earn” the trophy.
The final voting totals for the top three are below:
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Bradford, Oklahoma | 300 | 315 | 196 | 1,726 |
| Colt McCoy, Texas | 266 | 288 | 230 | 1,640 |
| Tim Tebow, Florida | 309 | 207 | 234 | 1,575 |
Kirk Herbstreit and Co. discuss how the voting broke down right after the presentation:
It wouldn’t surprise me if both Bradford and Tebow test the NFL draft waters but if they don’t we could see these same three finalists again next December. McCoy is coming back for sure and will certainly be at the top of a very short list of Heisman favorites in 2009.
Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship
Let’s see what else looks good this weekend. I went a decent 3-2 last weekend and should continue my 75% pace this weekend.
#1 Alabama at #4 Florida (-10) - 4:00 PM EST on CBS. This is probably one of the more shocking lines that I have seen in a while. And not necessarily because I don’t agree with it, but because the undefeated, #1 team in the nation is double digit underdogs playing in their conference championship. Needless to say Alabama will have a chip on their shoulder for this one. I am still not convinced that Tim Tebow can throw the ball effectively against a good defense. Have you seen his passing touchdown highlights? They are always ugly lobs to a receiver that is wide open, never a crisp pass into coverage. I think Alabama will be able to contain the run and force Tebow to beat them through the air (which he can’t), and not only cover the spread but win outright. Take Alabama moneyline.
#5 USC at UCLA (-33) - 4:30 PM EST on ABC. Some weird controversy in this game with Pete Carroll wanting to wear the home jersey even though they are the road team. You know what, who cares, I say let them both wear home jerseys. It’s not like it is going to matter. Last weekend USC’s defense only allowed 4 first downs. This weekend they will only allow 3. UCLA is not playing well right now and is too young in the talent positions. This game was over before it even started. Take USC and give the points.
#20 Missouri at #2 Oklahoma (-17) - 8:00 PM EST on ABC.I hate when you can’t control your own destiny, but yet again Texas fans have to sit back and root against Oklahoma for a shot at the national championship. At the beginning of the year I would have said Missouri has a shot, but after we destroyed them at home this season and seeing how they have been playing lately, I will go ahead and say they have no shot at winning this game. In fact, they really don’t have a shot at covering this game. Oklahoma will get up 21-0 in the first quarter and never look back. Take Oklahoma and give the points.
Want to be really pissed? Read this story about a Harris Poll voter from The Oklahoman’s Barry Tramel:
Some have questioned the validity of the Harris Interactive poll, which has had a spotty run in its four years as being part of the BCS.
The skepticism could be valid.
True story from the Boone Pickens Stadium pressbox Saturday night.
I asked Harris poll voter Pat Quinn, the former Oklahoma State University sports information director, how he would vote OU and Texas if the Sooners won Saturday night.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Quinn said. “Doesn’t really matter.”
Really?
“I think Alabama and Penn State will probably play for the national championship,” Quinn said.
You do?
“They’re the only undefeated teams, aren’t they,” Quinn said.
Uh, actually, Penn State has a loss.
“Oh well,” Quinn said, “those Big Ten teams have a lot of votes.”
Sigh. It’s so awful it’s almost hard to get angry about it. It’s not exactly unexpected as I was already under the impression that a great deal of Harris Poll voters watched little to no college football every weekend. I hope the BCS takes a long look at exactly who is voting in these things (including the current coaches) and whether they’re qualified to do so. Just a wild guess, Mr. Quinn won’t be a voter again next year.
ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit thinks the Longhorns deserved to be ahead of Oklahoma but like most of us saw this coming. In a decision between two teams with nearly identical resumes, the Longhorns settled the head-to-head on the field back in October. Watch Herbie break it down below:
Texas and Oklahoma already settled it on the field
Now that the Longhorns took care of business on the field against the Aggies it’s time to join the 40,000 strong movement…
Better Consider the Scoreboard
We’ve somehow come to a time when head to head no longer matters…
It’s constantly suggested that College Football is a playoff and that things should be decided on the field. Well, on October 11, 2008 that happened. Texas beat Oklahoma head to head on a neutral field.
The goal of this site is simple, remind people that the game was played and we got a winner. In a situation where you must decide between two teams, shouldn’t you take the one that won the game?
Support the Cause
- Visit the 45 - 35 website.
- Join the Facebook group.
Other Links
- ESPN.com - The Longhorns have already proved it on the field.
- FoxSports.com - All together now … 45-35 … 45-35 … 45-35
- Rivals.com - A rank way to decide conference
- Sagarin Ratings - Strength of schedule favors Horns
Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State
Another solid 2-1 last weekend and I am planning on going undefeated today. Let’s see what’s going on:
#22 Georgia Tech at #11 Georgia (-7.5) - 12:00 PM EST on CBS. Georgia doesn’t have a shot at going to the National Championship, but they probably don’t care much about that this Saturday as all they want to do is kill Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech, and the whole ACC for that matter, has been very up and down this season. Since Georgia Tech played so well last weekend, they are due to get blown out this weekend. Take Georgia and the easy win.
Auburn at #1 Alabama (-14.5) - 3:30 PM EST on CBS. Even Auburn had ANY semblance of a real quarterback, I would probably take them in this game. Even though this is a heated rivalry game, since Alabama already has the SEC West wrapped up, I feel they may be looking ahead to Florida. But that won’t really matter much since they will jump out early and dominate this game from the beginning. Take Alabama, but buy the half point just in case.
#4 Florida at #20 Florida State (+16.5) - 3:30 PM EST on ABC. The same thing applies in this game. Florida already has the SEC East wrapped up and all anyone can talk about it their matchup against Alabama. Florida State actually has the athletes that can keep up with Florida and won’t be too surprised by their speed. Now that won’t help them win, but I do think it will help them cover. I am thinking Florida State covers this one.
Baylor at #7 Texas Tech (-23) - 3:30 PM EST. The big question in this one is whether or not Texas Tech will have a letdown game after getting drubbed in Norman. Baylor has played pretty well this season and I think this 23 points might be a tad high. Yeah Tech can score some points, but I bet a lot of them think their season is over. Baylor might even win this one. Take the Bears and the points.
#3 Oklahoma at #12 Oklahoma State (+8) - 8:00 PM EST on ABC. Obviously the biggest game of the day for Texas fans. Luckily this weekend we actually get to root against OU. As much as I would like to think Oklahoma State can hang with OU, I just can’t make myself believe it. Oklahoma State does have the extra week to prepare for this one, but if OU plays up to their potential that doesn’t matter. I expect Stoops to have Oklahoma extra ready for this one and they probably plan to make another statement this weekend. Take Oklahoma and give the points, and say goodbye to our National Championship dreams.
Obviously this year’s Texas vs. Texas A&M football game has more on the line than just bragging rights. The Longhorns enter the game at number two in the BCS, but hold such a slight lead in the standings that many worry that an Oklahoma win over Oklahoma State will propel the Sooners into the Big 12 Championship game and with that into the National Title game.
On top of all the BCS hoopla, Texas also wants to erase the memory of the Aggies ruining their last two seasons. The Aggies are awful, but they were for the last two years so the focus for Mack Brown and his staff has been to keep their players focused on the task at hand. There are some aspects of this puzzle that the football team can control and some that they can’t. The Longhorns must focus all their energy on what they can control.
For this week’s preview we look at what the Longhorns must do to sway a few voters back their way.
- Beat the Hell out of A&M. The fans yell it, the team must do it. Even if the BCS wasn’t in the picture the recent history of this game should give these players enough motivation to put it on the Aggies. There is no doubt Texas has had the better team the last two years, but there is also little doubt who wanted the game more. A&M have been more physical than the Longhorns over that stretch and in football the team that hits the other in the mouth first usually has the upper hand. Keep in mind that while players like Colt McCoy have beaten the Sooners twice in their career, they have not beaten A&M. Texas needs to do it big this week.
- Don’t let up. Mack Brown is a nice guy. Too nice at times. Coaches like Bob Stoops and Mike Leach make no bones about putting up big points even when the game is well out of reach. And while common sense would suggest that the voters would understand that a win is a win style points do count. There is no doubt that Oklahoma will put a as many points as they can if given the opportunity on Saturday night in Stillwater and Texas must do the same on Thanksgiving night. Texas needs to let their players play the whole game and put up over 60 points. All the voters know that Texas beat OU head to head, but many have given the nod to the Sooners in the polls because they feel Oklahoma has been more dominant in the last few games. Texas needs to put up a huge score on Thursday because the vote on Sunday will likely come down to who looks better this week.
- Run the ball. Oklahoma is being viewed as the better team because people feel they have more ways to beat you. Last week against Texas Tech the Sooners did something Texas couldn’t do. They controlled the line of scrimmage and moved the ball on the ground at will. Voters, especially the coaches, want to see balance. Texas has not had balance this year unless the running comes from McCoy. With Foswhitt Whittaker back in the mix and the emergence of a health Vondrell McGee, the Longhorn running game has improved over the last few weeks. The Longhorns need to be able to run the ball when the other team, the announcers, and everybody watching knows they are about to run it. The Longhorns have struggled with that this year, but voting is a what have you done for me lately job and if Texas can come out and dominate it will erase a lot of the concerns people have had about the UT offense all season long.
- Shutout. It might be a little much to ask for a shutout, but this team needs something close to that to impress the voters. I think most people consider Texas’ and OU’s offense on par with each other. Oklahoma gets the advantage in most people’s mind because of a perceived opinion that the Sooner defense is better than Texas’. A score of 42-6 would help Texas more than say a score of 65-24. Texas needs to be dominant in every aspect of the game, but a complete whipping of the Aggies on defense would impress the voters tremendously. All eyes will be on Texas this weekend and Will Muschamp needs to prove why he is being selected as the next head coach at Texas.
- Remind the voters 45 - 35. This is going to be on the fans. Mack Brown and his staff have rightfully put all the week’s energy on beating A&M. It will be up to the fans on Thursday night to get the word out that what happens on the field should matter the most. It can be done with chants of “45 – 35″ and with the signs that the Longhorn nation is looking to print out and distribute to all the people in attendance. When the cameras go into the stands in between plays or coming back from commercials the viewers at home need to be bombarded with evidence of the victory at The Fair Grounds.
Even with all this done it might not be enough to stay in front of Oklahoma, but at least UT would have done everything they could to get there. If the Big 12 Championship is OU vs. Missouri it will be a match up of two teams Texas beat by double digits on the year. The Longhorns have over achieved for much of the year and deserve to catch a break. Hopefully they will this weekend. No matter what happens just remember: Go Baylor Bears.
The latest BCS rankings are out and despite the gains by Oklahoma in the two human polls, Texas has taken advantage of the the Texas Tech loss and moved up two spots to number two in the rankings. The computer polls are the reason the Horns are hanging on now but since the Sooners play a ranked team this week it may take an impressive Thanksgiving Day win to remind voters that the Horns actually beat the Sooners when they matched up in October.
Check out the top 10 below:
| Rank | Team | BCS Average |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama | 0.987 |
| 2 | Texas | 0.920 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 0.912 |
| 4 | Florida | 0.875 |
| 5 | USC | 0.797 |
| 6 | Utah | 0.785 |
| 7 | Texas Tech | 0.778 |
| 8 | Penn St. | 0.752 |
| 9 | Boise St. | 0.658 |
| 10 | Ohio St. | 0.620 |
Texas Tech obviously crossed the end zone
Well besides that game there really isn’t much to watch this Saturday. I guess that just gives more time to warm-up before the big game at night. And just FYI, I did go 3-0 last weekend against the spread, and plan to this weekend also.
Michigan at #10 Ohio State (-21) - 12:00 PM EST on ABC. I guess if you wake up early enough and have nothing else to do, this is the game to watch. With Michigan losing 8 games this year (first time ever by the way) and Ohio State in the #10 spot, you would think this would be an easy win for OSU. But in this kind of game anything can and usually happens. Ohio State doesn’t have the offense to cover a 21 point spread against Michigan, and this could be the game to save Coach Rodriguez’s job. Now I don’t really expect Michigan win, but it wouldn’t surprise me, and I think they easily stay inside the points. Take Michigan.
#15 Michigan State at #8 Penn State (-15.5) - 3:30 PM EST on ABC. A win for Penn State here and they are in the Rose Bowl. This could also be Coach Pat’s last year in Happy Valley, so you know the players are fired up. Michigan State has lost 10 straight games against ranked opponents. The weather looks rough up north, which means the running game takes on more importance. With Michigan State’s already weak passing game, I expect Penn State to load up on the run and prevent Javon Ringer from having a big game. This one will be over in the first half. Take Penn State.
#2 Texas Tech at #5 Oklahoma (-7) - 8:00 PM EST on ABC. The game every Texas fan will be watching. If Texas Tech wins they are automatically in the Big 12 Championship. If Oklahoma wins, they will have to also beat Oklahoma State and stay ahead of Texas in the BCS to play in the championship. Lots of pressure in this one. Texas Tech always pulls a “Tech” and implodes on themselves for at least one game. And this year will be no different. Oklahoma has been averaging 47 points in the first half in their last 4 games. When playing an offense like Tech, it can never be over in the first quarter, but this one could start getting ugly early. Take OU in this one.
An interesting note on the spread. It is holding steady at 7 even though you will see the juice rising all the way up to +110 at some places. That means there is obviously a lot of public money coming in on Tech, but there is some reason the bookies are holding that number. To me that seems odd and just another reason to take OU.
SI.com writer Stewart Mandel has written up his predictions for all the BCS and non-BCS bowls and has the Horns headed to the Fiesta Bowl. He’s predicting Texas Tech will win out and make it to the BCS title game. The Red Raiders winning out would make football hell freeze over but is actually the clearest path for the Horns to make it into a BCS game. Mandel’s BCS and Big 12 predictions are below:
BCS Bowls
Orange: Maryland (ACC champ) vs. Cincinnati (Big East champ)
Rose: Penn State (Big Ten champ) vs. USC (Pac-10 champ)
Sugar: Alabama (BCS at-large) vs. Utah (BCS at-large)
Fiesta: Texas (BCS at-large) vs. Ohio State (BCS at-large)
BCS Championship: Texas Tech (BCS No. 1) vs. Florida (BCS No. 2)
Big 12 non-BCS Bowls
Alamo: Missouri (Big 12 No. 4) vs. Northwestern (Big Ten No. 4)
Holiday: Oregon State (Pac-10 No. 2) vs. Oklahoma State (Big 12 No. 3)
Toilet: Michigan (Big 10 No. 9) vs. Texas A&M (Big 12 No. 11)
Sun: Arizona (Pac-10 No. 3) vs. Nebraska (Big 12 No. 5)
Insight: Minnesota (Big Ten No. 6) vs. Kansas (Big 12 No. 6)
Cotton: Oklahoma (Big 12 No. 2) vs. LSU (SEC)
Thanks to a (joyous) Penn State loss the Longhorns have moved up another spot in the latest BCS rankings released Sunday. Thanks to that loss and human voters seeing the error of their ways, Texas is third ahead of Florida and more importantly Oklahoma. The Horns dropped big from number one after their loss to Texas Tech but moved back passed those teams this week in both the USA Today Coaches Poll and the Harris Poll.
Texas’ ranking against the Sooners is huge on the chance their is a three-way tie between those two teams and the Red Raiders for the Big 12 South. In that scenario the division winner will be determined by which team has the highest BCS ranking. If the Horns end up winning out and in the Big 12 Championship, a win over the North’s representative would likely mean a shot at the whole enchilada.
The BCS top 10 rankings are listed below:
| BCS | Harris Poll | USA Today | Comp. Rankings | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | BCS Avg | Prvs | RK | Pts | % | RK | Pts | % | Avg | % | |
| 1 | Alabama | .9814 | 1 | 1 | 2808 | .9853 | 1 | 1508 | .9889 | 2 | .970 |
| 2 | Texas Tech | .9715 | 2 | 2 | 2768 | .9712 | 2 | 1469 | .9633 | 1 | .980 |
| 3 | Texas | .8798 | 4 | 4 | 2471 | .8670 | 5 | 1300 | .8525 | 3 | .920 |
| 4 | Florida | .8640 | 5 | 3 | 2531 | .8881 | 3 | 1348 | .8839 | T-5 | .820 |
| 5 | Oklahoma | .8444 | 6 | 5 | 2427 | .8516 | 4 | 1314 | .8616 | T-5 | .820 |
| 6 | USC | .7896 | 7 | 6 | 2329 | .8172 | 6 | 1268 | .8315 | 8 | .720 |
| 7 | Utah | .7692 | 8 | 8 | 2034 | .7137 | 7 | 1104 | .7239 | 4 | .870 |
| 8 | Penn State | .6839 | 3 | 7 | 2073 | .7274 | 8 | 1074 | .7043 | 10 | .620 |
| 9 | Boise State | .6783 | 10 | 9 | 1940 | .6807 | 9 | 1028 | .6741 | 9 | .680 |
| 10 | Georgia | .6156 | 13 | 12 | 1581 | .5547 | 12 | 842 | .5521 | 7 | .740 |
Related: View the full BCS rankings
Texas’ loss to last week to Texas Tech didn’t knock them completely out of the national title race but it certainly shook things up. Texas fans spent the next 72 hours crunching numbers and running scenarios that could result in the Longhorns still making it to the title game. That may make math and stats nerds happy but its just another sign of just how ridiculous the NCAA Division I FBS not having a playoff really is.
ESPN’s Pat Forde makes a(nother) strong case for a playoff in college football:
No less a voice than Barack Obama’s called on Monday night for a playoff in college football. To which The Dash says hallelujah, it’s time for some pressure on the ossified system from the top down. Once upon a time, the Tide wooed Butch Davis to be their coach. The first round of The Dash’s eight-team playoff would shape up as follows today: Top seed and SEC champion Alabama versus eighth-seeded ACC titlist North Carolina in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The backstory would make this interesting, since the Crimson Tide were interested in current Tar Heels.
The first round of The Dash’s eight-team playoff would shape up as follows today:
Top seed and SEC champion Alabama versus eighth-seeded ACC titlist North Carolina in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The backstory would make this interesting, since the Crimson Tide were interested in current Tar Heels coach Butch Davis as far back as 2000, when he was the coach at Miami. That was before Mike Price, before Dennis Franchione and before Mike Shula. Then Bama got it right — royal-flush right — with Nick Saban.
Second seed and Big Ten champion Penn State versus seventh-seeded Big East winner West Virginia in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando. Just for fun they could award the old Lambert Trophy for the best school in the East to the winner.
Third seed and Big 12 champion Texas Tech versus sixth-seeded Pacific-10 champ USC in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Would anyone enjoy seeing the Red Raiders’ O (first nationally in passing offense, second in total offense, third in scoring) against the Trojans’ D (first nationally in pass defense, first in total defense, first in scoring defense)?
Fourth seed at-large selection Texas versus fifth seed at-large selection Florida in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego. Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow on the same field might be a little fun.
(Dash apologies to Oklahoma and Utah for being the best teams left out. Y’all can console each other in, say, the Alamo Bowl.)
After that: semifinals at the Orange and Fiesta Bowls. National title in the Rose Bowl. Championship trophy presented by Dashette Irina Shayk.
Decide for yourself whether that playoff would generate any interest. After you’ve thought it over for five seconds, call the president of your favorite university and scream into the phone that you want a playoff. Do not stop screaming until you are out of breath or they have hung up on you — and then redial and scream again.
Maybe it will come to pass by the time Tebow’s kids are in college.
Or maybe it happens a little faster depending on Tuesday’s election results.
Just imagine adding the Texas Rose Bowl win over USC, plus the brutal four game stretch the team just finished, plus even more on the line than ever before. How fun would that be?
The Longhorns lost the battle to Texas Tech on Saturday but they still haven’t lost the war. The new BCS rankings were revealed tonight and Texas fell only to number four, behind Alabama, Penn State, and Texas Tech who moved all the way up to number two. The Horns still have a every good chance to end up back in the top two and headed to the national title game.
All the Horns need is for two teams ahead of them to go down, and with the remaining schedules ahead for both Tech and Alabama that is a distinct possibility. Texas fans need to be rooting hard for Oklahoma and Oklahoma State the next few weeks and for LSU this week against Alabama. The team needs to take care of business during the final weeks of the season for any of this to matter, but fans will be doing a lot of scoreboard watching.
The BCS top 10 rankings are listed below:
| BCS | Harris Poll | USA Today | Comp. Rankings | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | BCS Avg | Prvs | RK | Pts | % | RK | Pts | % | Avg | % | |
| 1 | Alabama | .9747 | 2 | 1 | 2798 | .9818 | 1 | 1498 | .9823 | T-1 | .960 |
| 2 | Texas Tech | .9372 | 7 | 3 | 2644 | .9277 | 3 | 1409 | .9239 | T-1 | .960 |
| 3 | Penn State | .9286 | 3 | 2 | 2689 | .9435 | 2 | 1437 | .9423 | 4 | .900 |
| 4 | Texas | .8531 | 1 | 6 | 2322 | .8147 | 7 | 1227 | .8046 | 3 | .940 |
| 5 | Florida | .8268 | 8 | 4 | 2391 | .8389 | 5 | 1268 | .8315 | 5 | .810 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | .8220 | 4 | 5 | 2366 | .8302 | 4 | 1290 | .8459 | 9 | .790 |
| 7 | USC | .7551 | 5 | 7 | 2273 | .7975 | 6 | 1232 | .8079 | 10 | .660 |
| 8 | Utah | .6972 | 10 | 9 | 1864 | .6540 | 9 | 1018 | .6675 | 7 | .770 |
| 9 | Oklahoma State | .6660 | 9 | 8 | 2021 | .7091 | 8 | 1066 | .6990 | 11 | .590 |
| 10 | Boise State | .6529 | 11 | 10 | 1797 | .6305 | 10 | 958 | .6282 | 8 | .700 |
Related: View the full BCS rankings
The new BCS standings are out and the Longhorns remain easily atop the list. A close game against Oklahoma State had no effect on either the human or computer polls that make up the rankings. Texas is number one in every computer poll and holds nearly every first place vote in both the Harris and USA Today Coaches poll.
All the team has to do is take care of business and it appears there’s no way any other team could jump them in the rankings. One indicator of how much both the humans and robots love the Longhorns are the rankings of both OSU and Oklahoma even after losses to Texas. After the loss this weekend the Cowboys only fell one spot in the Harris Poll and two in the USA Today poll. This might mean the Horns could lose a game and still be around number three in the BCS. Let’s hope we don’t find out.
Check out the top ten in the latest BCS rankings below:
| Harris Poll | USA Today | Computer Rankings | BCS | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | RK | Pts | % | RK | Pts | % | % | Comp avg | BCS Avg | Prvs | |||
| 1 | Texas | 1 | 2839 | .9961 | 1 | 1522 | .9980 | 1.000 | 1 | .9981 | 1 | ||
| 2 | Alabama | 2 | 2696 | .9460 | 2 | 1439 | .9436 | .960 | 2 | .9499 | 2 | ||
| 3 | Penn State | 3 | 2650 | .9298 | 3 | 1414 | .9272 | .920 | 3 | .9257 | 3 | ||
| 4 | Oklahoma | 4 | 2370 | .8316 | 4 | 1265 | .8295 | .820 | T-4 | .8270 | 4 | ||
| 5 | USC | 7 | 2255 | .7912 | 6 | 1228 | .8052 | .750 | 6 | .7822 | 5 | ||
| 6 | Georgia | 8 | 2124 | .7453 | 8 | 1137 | .7456 | .820 | T-4 | .7703 | 7 | ||
| 7 | Texas Tech | 5 | 2286 | .8021 | 5 | 1246 | .8170 | .610 | T-10 | .7431 | 8 | ||
| 8 | Florida | 6 | 2258 | .7923 | 7 | 1199 | .7862 | .610 | T-10 | .7295 | 10 | ||
| 9 | Oklahoma State | 9 | 1871 | .6565 | 10 | 972 | .6374 | .730 | T-7 | .6746 | 6 | ||
| 10 | Utah | 10 | 1802 | .6323 | 9 | 987 | .6472 | .730 | T-7 | .6362 | 11 | ||
Related: View the full BCS rankings
Not sure any weekend will be able to top the match-ups we saw on Saturday, but there are plenty of good games to watch tomorrow. You get to start your day off with an early SEC battle with #22 Vanderbilt playing at #10 Georgia. Then you get a nice afternoon game with #16 Kansas playing at #4 Oklahoma. After that I suggest you take a quick nap and then it will be time for #1 Texas to take on #11 Mizzou in the marquee match-up of the day. Gameday will be in Austin, as will I.
Let’s take a look at the rest of the big games. FYI, I went 3-1 last weekend against the spread (for around the 5th straight weekend). Hopefully some of you are making some money with me.
#22 Vanderbilt at #10 Georgia (-15) - 12:30 PM EST on ESPN Gameplan. How will Vanderbilt respond to their first loss of the season? I’ll tell you how, they will get destroyed by Georgia in Athens. Let’s just take a quick look at the numbers here. Georgia is averaging 440 yards in total offense and Vanderbilt is only averaging 262.5 yards. Georgia is averaging 280.8 yards passing and Vanderbilt is only averaging 102.7 yards. This has blow-out written all over it.
#16 Kansas at #4 Oklahoma (-20) - 3:30 PM EST on ABC. Talk about a line jump, this game was set to open at 14 and was immediately bumped up to 20. Seems like a big number to me. Oklahoma’s best defensive player Ryan Reynolds is out for the season and their defense is fresh off allowing 438 yards to Texas. Kansas’ 7th ranked passing offense should keep them in the game. I don’t expect Kansas to win, but I think they can hang in there and not lose by 3 touchdowns.
#12 Ohio State at #20 Michigan State (+3.5) - 3:30 PM EST on ABC. I guess you won’t really be able to watch this game since the OU game will be on, but this one could get interesting. Ohio State should be on high upset alert as Michigan State has been on a roll winning their last 6 games. You may know by now I am a big advocate of the run game, and that is where Michigan State excels with Javon Ringer already racking up over 1100 yards. And just so you know since Pryor took over the quarterback duties from Boeckman, the Buckeyes have had the 10th worst passing offense averaging 128 yards per game. I am liking Michigan State here, money-line.
#11 Missouri at #1 Texas (-5) - 8:00 PM EST on ABC. I remember reading Hornfans last week and noticing most people seemed pretty level headed in that it would take a great game to beat OU. Now if you read Hornfans you will see a lot of people talking about how we will dominate Mizzou and how we will be all over Chase Daniel, etc, etc. This scares me a little. Missouri is a tough team and they don’t average 555 yards (383 yards passing) for nothing. And then you have the fact that Texas just gave up 5 passing touchdowns and you can see where my concern is. With all of that said I think Texas will be up for this game and ready to defend their #1 ranking. Home field advantage is the key here.
Good interview up on Dan Patrick’s site with Dan and Colt McCoy. Colt talks about beating OU, being on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and of course the SI cover jinx. Click play to listen to the eight minute interview below:
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