What an eventful day of college football. Week 7 saw Nos. 1, 5, 10, 12, 22, and 23 fall. The Wisky Badgers exposed THE Ohio State's weaknesses on defense as they jumped on the buckeyes 21-0, before adding to and holding on for a 31-18 win. Again, ESPN and many other media outlet's darling boy quarterback Terrelle Pryor struggle and Senator Tressel's team lay the usual, proverbial egg his team most always lays when his team is in the midst of a national title hunt.
Ohio State squandered away what I feel to be their LAST, BEST opportunity to make the national title game in the Big 10. Currently, with no conference championship game, all the buckeyes had to do was win out and they would have had a gift-wrapped invitation to the big dance by Thanksgiving. Now, OSU will have to not only navigate at divisional conference schedule, but also win a conference championship game to reach the title game. Now, oddly enough, perhaps the Big 10's most popular basketball school might have taken the steering wheel to the easy road for a title berth.
Don't believe me about the Spartans? Have a look at their schedule: at Northwestern and Iowa, at home for Minnesota and Purdue, then the finale at Penn State. All of those teams are struggling and the only real game left for Sparty is at Iowa. Navigate their way past the Hawkeyes and you could very well see Michigan State make a STRONG push for a national title game appearance. Weird, huh?
Nebraska, a word of advice for all: "...let it go..." For a slap year, Nebraska has stewed over the :01 controversy stemming from the Longhorn's win last year in the Big XII title game, a game that most likely was the straw that broke the Husker Nation and AD Tom Osbourne's back as the Huskers announced this summer that they would make a go of it in the Big 10. Bo Pelini should give Tom Osbourne a hug every day this year and thank him for the cupcake schedule that allowed his team to ride the hype-machine ESPN and Lee Corso put out there before the year started, picking Nebraska to win the Big XII and go on to the National Title Game.
Nebraska discovered Saturday what it meant to play a team with equal - maybe superior - talent to their own as "Freshman-Phenom" Taylor Martinez was outplayed by the anemic Garrett Gilbert who was literally lit up by Tony Jefferson and the Sooners two weeks ago in the Cotton Bowl. Perhaps all the build up and frustration kept the Huskers from playing to "potential" or perhaps Martinez came down with a little touch of the flu or perhaps Texas' offensive line came to a spiritual realization over the bye week and somehow finally decided they would finally block for the run.... OR, perhaps, and this is just my opinion, Nebraska...JUST ISN'T THAT GOOD! Simple, right?
Oh, and by the way Husker Nation, don't let the door hit you on the way out. While there may have been a plethora of OU fans quietly cheering for Nebraska in this game, as a guy that has grown up with the Big XII - yes, I do still remember the days of the Big 8 as well - I was all too happy to see Bo Pelini and his over-hyped, over-rated Huskers make the shameful walk into the locker rooms in front of their home fans. I have been dumbfounded from day one when Tom Osbourne announced that Nebraska would be leaving for the Big 10 (...really, Big 11). I believe that the Huskers will find it tough-going playing teams like Ohio State, Iowa, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan and Michigan State year after year.
Apparently, there must have been a week-long party that the South Carolina Gamecocks attended all week long as the team that throttled EVERYONE'S number one team Alabama last week, lost to Kentucky...KENTUCKY?! In basketball, that's allowable. Heck, that's expected. But in football? Steve Spurrier desperately needs to get his Gamecock team back to the Carolina's and get his team ready to face the mighty Vanderbilt Commodores.
Arkansas' loss was more entertaining throughout as they slugged it out with top ten Auburn 63-45, a game in which the defensive coordinators should not receive their pay checks this week. Staying in the SEC, the mighty Gators of Florida and Urban Meyer were up-ended by their old offensive coordinator Dan Mullen led his fighting Bulldogs into "the swamp" and handed the Gators their second consecutive home loss. If I would have told you 7 weeks ago that Mississippi State would be 5-2 - with a razor thin loss to Auburn (...by 3) and a tough game against LSU (...27-9) - and Florida would be 4-3, staring at life outside of the top 25, what would you say? I know what I would say, and it can't be repeated here.
***********************************************************************************
Getting back to our home state schools for a moment, the 6th ranked Sooners hosted the Cyclones from Ames, IA and OU simply mopped the deck with Iowa State. 52-0 was our final score from Norman and Sooner fans were able to experience a very memorable game as running back and senior Demarco Murray tied, then passed 1969 Heisman winner Steve Owens for most touchdowns in a career with 58. Sooner wide receiver Ryan Broyles also set an OU record with 15 receptions in a single game. Broyles tallied 10 grabs after just the first quarter alone. He racked up 182 yards and caught one of Landry Jones' 3 touchdown passes. With the initial BCS ranking coming out tomorrow, the Sooners should expect to be ranked somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-4. I will go ahead and predict that the first rankings will go Boise State, Oregon, Oklahoma and TCU.
In Lubbock ,Tx, Mike Gundy's Oklahoma State Cowboys did something they hadn't done since 1944: win at Texas Tech. As I wrote earlier in the season about OSU, you can STILL count me as someone that is extremely skeptical of this Poke team. Their best win thus far has been the win they recorded Saturday afternoon in Lubbock, but, they beat a Tech team whose best win is against lowly and perennial doormat Baylor. If you are the type of person that likes to speculate about a team's worth when comparing other wins and losses to other teams on their own and other team's schedules, Tech was blasted by Iowa State 58-32 and was beaten by 10 at home against a 4-2, unranked Texas team. Iowa State was just blown out by Utah in week 6 and OU in week 7, and their only other 2 wins are against directional universities.
To me, that mean that Iowa State is not that good of a team and that Texas Tech and Baylor, along with Mike Sherman's Texas A & M Aggies, will battle it out for the right to be declared the last ever Big XII South Division Doormat. After watching Baylor travel to Colorado and come away with the win - because apparently Dan Hawkins does not understand that you can actually send out your field goal kicker to attempt PAT when you score touchdowns - I will hedge my bet that Texas A & M will have the luxury of being the laughing stock of the final, full-strength Big XII South Division, DESPITE having the preseason offensive and defensive POY's.
I'll update later should Oregon State and Nevada be knocked off later this evening, but as of 11:32 PM, Week 7 of CFB has been nothing short of entertaining, especially if you're an Oklahoman.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
OU v. Texas Post-Game Article
“Sooner Magic” Makes a Comeback:
OU on track for title run
Dallas – The 105th edition of the Red River Rivalry was nothing short of thrilling last Saturday. If you tuned in for ABC's coverage of the historic match-up, you no doubt were left holding your breath – no matter which team you root for – until the 1:08 mark of the game, when Texas punt-returner Aaron Williams muffed a punt from Oklahoma's Tres Way, securing the 28-20 victory for the Sooners, leaving Texas fans across the country with another sour taste in their mouths with flashbacks of UCLA and another muffed punt that sealed the fate of the Longhorns.
OU's offense broke out in a fever on offense to start the game, driving 83 and 75 yards, respectively, on their opening two drives of the game to jump out to a quick 14-0 lead. Texas was unable to move the ball consistently throughout the entirety of the game. The absence of Texas' leading wide receiver, freshman Mike Davis, might have had something to do with Texas' inability to effectively match OU's scoring.
Another huge factor in the game came in the first half as the Sooner offense continually went up-tempo to throw off defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and keep the Longhorns from making critical substitutions to match-up with the different formations offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson threw at him.
OU quarterback Landry Jones was asked if he felt he got everything out of the up-tempo offense the Sooners ran, saying, “We wanted to come in here and tempo Texas’ defense, and I feel like when we were “tempoing” them, they weren’t getting set. We played pretty well in that aspect, getting past the line.”
After the game, Mack Brown had this to say about the quick pace the OU offense threw at them, “We worked on it all week and OU does a good job of it,” Brown commented, “They caused our defense to bust on a few third downs and our offense had very few plays and that kept the defense on the field too long in the first quarter. I felt like we got gassed just a little bit...”
Brown's statements rang true of the Texas defense as the Sooners took 34 snaps on offense to only 10 for Texas in the first quarter. By the halftime, the Sooners had amassed 21 points on 57 offensive plays, racking up 289 yards. On the other hand, Texas was only able to muster 7 points on 27 plays, totaling 174 yards.
And, as it goes in the Red River Rivalry, the team that rushes the ball best and wins the statistical battle of total rushing yards, wins the game every year since Coach Stoops began leading his Sooner teams into Dallas.
Demarco Murray rushed the ball 25 times for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns. Murray took ranks today with some of the most famous running backs of all-time. His 55 all-purpose touchdowns ranks only second to Heisman winner Steve Owens, he is the 9th Sooner to reach the 3,000 yard rushing mark for a career, and his two scores today moved him into second place for career points, now only 6 points away from tying the aforementioned Owens.
In the post-game, Coach Stoops said he was proud of his football team, saying, “[It was] A well played football game against an excellent team of Texas. My compliments to them again...This is a special rivalry so to come out today, play like we did, and win a good football game to put us at 5-0, and of course our first conference game to win, is always a big deal.”
Most of the interviews centered around discussion of calls and plays made late in the game. One of the first had to deal with a play call with just over six minutes left in the third quarter.
Holding on to a 28-17 lead, Coach Stoops trotted out kicker Patrick O'Hara for what would have been a 42 yard field goal attempt from the UT 25 yard line. After a delay of game moved the ball back 5 yards, Stoops still persisted on the field goal formation. Stoops’ decision would prove a costly mistake on the head man’s part as holder John Nimmo was sacked on the fake attempt that fooled no one in the stands, much less the Texas team.
“I figured hey, why not give it a go. I didn't plan on losing 12 yards [on the sack], I thought he [Nimmo] would throw the ball away or try for an interference call. Just lay out and give it a chance, but that didn't happen,” Stoops admitted after the game.
Luckily for Stoops, his defense answered the call on the very next play from the UT 43. Texas quarterback Garret Gilbert dropped back to pass what looked to be a down-field bomb, and was sacked for an 11 yard loss by linebacker Tom Wort. That play sent the ball back to the Texas 30 and disrupted Gilbert and the Texas offense, setting them into a 4th down, punt situation.
After getting the ball back at their own 26 yard line and going three-and-out, veteran punter Tres Way committed what would could have been a costly mistake for the Sooners as he shanked a 17 yard punt that allowed Texas a golden opportunity to score with plenty of time on the clock to make a surge to win the game.
However, the OU defense was able to stymie Texas' offense and hold the Horns to a field goal that would wind up being the last score of the game. The fireworks were not over yet as Bob Stoops and his Sooners pulled a little “Sooner Magic” out of their hats to secure the victory.
In case you don't know or remember, the term “Sooner Magic” is a particular term that has haunted fans of another rival school for decades. The phrase was born after the 1976 meeting between OU and Nebraska where Barry Switzer's young club pulled out a miraculous come-from-behind win in Lincoln with only three minutes to play, down 10 points.
On Saturday, October 2, 2010, Sooner Magic creeped into the Cotton Bowl to help Bob Stoops' young bunch win for the first time in two years against their arch-rivals.
With 1:39 left on the game clock, Texas kicked the ball to the Sooners, but not after Coach Stoops would worry the entire Sooner nation. Most people in the stands and watching at home thought Mack Brown would call for an onside kick – as apparently did Coach Stoops. Stoops sent out “the good-hands-team” to receive the kickoff and lined up nine players ten yards away from the ball.
Only Demarco Murray and Ryan Broyles drifted back in case Texas attempted to kick the ball over the heads of the first line of defense. Texas kicker Justin Tucker tried just that, a pooch kick over the front line's head, but his leg was too strong on the kick and the ball lazily bounced just over the line, into the end zone for a touch-back. The first sign of Sooner Magic was sweeping across the field.
After running back Demarco Murray carried the ball for no gain, Texas quickly called a timeout stopping the clock at 1:35. What happened next was purely Sooner Magic.
“The play got jacked up. It was a messed up deal. The head phones were not working. Yelling for a time out no one could hear. It was the same on the fake field goal. We had some communication issues. It was no one's fault, just a mechanical error,” offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson remembered.
Coach Stoops also was ready to take part in the blame for the play, saying, “I should have done a better job on that play as well. They [the offense] didn't feel good about it, so in that situation, I should have just used the last time out, and hopefully that would have given us a better play.”
On second down, ten yards to go from the 20 yard line, quarterback Landry Jones – who had committed no turnovers and had played an almost flawless game – took the snap and rolled to his right. Problem was, Landry should have rolled left.
“Coming off the sideline, I was a little confused about the signal for the play. When I took the snap, I went the wrong way. It was just a mess up from the beginning. It was pretty lucky on our part, to get the ball out of bounds and not have a turnover,” Jones remarked on his play.
As Jones ran right the ball seemingly fell out of his hand and Texas linebacker Emmanuel Acho hit Jones from behind, throwing him to the ground. Jones contorted his body as he hit the turf, rolled to try and tip the ball out of bounds. Somehow, Jones was apparently able to get a finger-tip on the ball and gave just enough of a push to help slide the ball out of bounds for a nine yard loss instead of what could have been an easy Texas touchdown.
Sooner Magic had now taken a front-and-center seat on the field with the OU team.
On the next play, OU's MVP of the game – running back Demarco Murray – darted through the heart of the Texas defense, rushing the ball 17 yards, back to the OU 23, giving punter Tres Way a chance to pin the Longhorns back to their side of the field.
Sooner Magic would make one final appearance for Coach Stoops and company, helping the OU team lock up the win.
Way hit a 36 yard punt that found Aaron Williams standing back for the return. Texas fans no doubt experienced feelings of deja-vu while OU fans were relishing in the Sooner Magic their team was able to take advantage of in the end.
As Williams called for the fair catch, deep snapper James Winchester stood only inches from him. Somehow, the sure-handed Williams inexplicably muffed the punt and Winchester quickly dove on top of the loose ball, sealing Texas' fate, giving Bob Stoops his seventh win against the Horns and Mack Brown.
While it may not have been a “pretty” win for the Sooners, junior linebacker Travis Lewis - who recorded a team high 10 tackles on the day - conjured up thoughts of Raider great Al Davis in his comments to the media, saying, “I will take the win, by three, by one, by 20 - it doesn’t matter. I don’t care. I will take the win, ” echoing Davis’ famous quote, “Just win, baby!”
And although some will look at this game as Texas giving the Sooners the game at the end, this writer felt a little magic in the air of the Cotton Bowl that afternoon. While I feel that the Longhorns certainly had golden opportunities to take the game from OU late in the game, the scoreboard still read 28-20 when the clock hit 0:00, and that meant that - to coin a phrase from the Sooners head man - “in the end” OU did what it had to do and stepped up at the crucial points of the game to cap off their victory in Dallas.
Up next for the Sooners is a bye week, followed with a bout with Iowa State - who beat Texas Tech in Ames this past weekend - on the 16th in Norman. Stoops and co. will look to take on the second half of their season and make a run toward a 7th conference championship and possibly another crack at the school’s 8th national championship, as many early BCS polls are beginning to show OU near the top of projected rankings.
For more on college and high school football, check out my blog http://footballimp.blogspot.com or email me at brett_t_hill@hotmail.com.
OU on track for title run
Dallas – The 105th edition of the Red River Rivalry was nothing short of thrilling last Saturday. If you tuned in for ABC's coverage of the historic match-up, you no doubt were left holding your breath – no matter which team you root for – until the 1:08 mark of the game, when Texas punt-returner Aaron Williams muffed a punt from Oklahoma's Tres Way, securing the 28-20 victory for the Sooners, leaving Texas fans across the country with another sour taste in their mouths with flashbacks of UCLA and another muffed punt that sealed the fate of the Longhorns.
OU's offense broke out in a fever on offense to start the game, driving 83 and 75 yards, respectively, on their opening two drives of the game to jump out to a quick 14-0 lead. Texas was unable to move the ball consistently throughout the entirety of the game. The absence of Texas' leading wide receiver, freshman Mike Davis, might have had something to do with Texas' inability to effectively match OU's scoring.
Another huge factor in the game came in the first half as the Sooner offense continually went up-tempo to throw off defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and keep the Longhorns from making critical substitutions to match-up with the different formations offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson threw at him.
OU quarterback Landry Jones was asked if he felt he got everything out of the up-tempo offense the Sooners ran, saying, “We wanted to come in here and tempo Texas’ defense, and I feel like when we were “tempoing” them, they weren’t getting set. We played pretty well in that aspect, getting past the line.”
After the game, Mack Brown had this to say about the quick pace the OU offense threw at them, “We worked on it all week and OU does a good job of it,” Brown commented, “They caused our defense to bust on a few third downs and our offense had very few plays and that kept the defense on the field too long in the first quarter. I felt like we got gassed just a little bit...”
Brown's statements rang true of the Texas defense as the Sooners took 34 snaps on offense to only 10 for Texas in the first quarter. By the halftime, the Sooners had amassed 21 points on 57 offensive plays, racking up 289 yards. On the other hand, Texas was only able to muster 7 points on 27 plays, totaling 174 yards.
And, as it goes in the Red River Rivalry, the team that rushes the ball best and wins the statistical battle of total rushing yards, wins the game every year since Coach Stoops began leading his Sooner teams into Dallas.
Demarco Murray rushed the ball 25 times for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns. Murray took ranks today with some of the most famous running backs of all-time. His 55 all-purpose touchdowns ranks only second to Heisman winner Steve Owens, he is the 9th Sooner to reach the 3,000 yard rushing mark for a career, and his two scores today moved him into second place for career points, now only 6 points away from tying the aforementioned Owens.
In the post-game, Coach Stoops said he was proud of his football team, saying, “[It was] A well played football game against an excellent team of Texas. My compliments to them again...This is a special rivalry so to come out today, play like we did, and win a good football game to put us at 5-0, and of course our first conference game to win, is always a big deal.”
Most of the interviews centered around discussion of calls and plays made late in the game. One of the first had to deal with a play call with just over six minutes left in the third quarter.
Holding on to a 28-17 lead, Coach Stoops trotted out kicker Patrick O'Hara for what would have been a 42 yard field goal attempt from the UT 25 yard line. After a delay of game moved the ball back 5 yards, Stoops still persisted on the field goal formation. Stoops’ decision would prove a costly mistake on the head man’s part as holder John Nimmo was sacked on the fake attempt that fooled no one in the stands, much less the Texas team.
“I figured hey, why not give it a go. I didn't plan on losing 12 yards [on the sack], I thought he [Nimmo] would throw the ball away or try for an interference call. Just lay out and give it a chance, but that didn't happen,” Stoops admitted after the game.
Luckily for Stoops, his defense answered the call on the very next play from the UT 43. Texas quarterback Garret Gilbert dropped back to pass what looked to be a down-field bomb, and was sacked for an 11 yard loss by linebacker Tom Wort. That play sent the ball back to the Texas 30 and disrupted Gilbert and the Texas offense, setting them into a 4th down, punt situation.
After getting the ball back at their own 26 yard line and going three-and-out, veteran punter Tres Way committed what would could have been a costly mistake for the Sooners as he shanked a 17 yard punt that allowed Texas a golden opportunity to score with plenty of time on the clock to make a surge to win the game.
However, the OU defense was able to stymie Texas' offense and hold the Horns to a field goal that would wind up being the last score of the game. The fireworks were not over yet as Bob Stoops and his Sooners pulled a little “Sooner Magic” out of their hats to secure the victory.
In case you don't know or remember, the term “Sooner Magic” is a particular term that has haunted fans of another rival school for decades. The phrase was born after the 1976 meeting between OU and Nebraska where Barry Switzer's young club pulled out a miraculous come-from-behind win in Lincoln with only three minutes to play, down 10 points.
On Saturday, October 2, 2010, Sooner Magic creeped into the Cotton Bowl to help Bob Stoops' young bunch win for the first time in two years against their arch-rivals.
With 1:39 left on the game clock, Texas kicked the ball to the Sooners, but not after Coach Stoops would worry the entire Sooner nation. Most people in the stands and watching at home thought Mack Brown would call for an onside kick – as apparently did Coach Stoops. Stoops sent out “the good-hands-team” to receive the kickoff and lined up nine players ten yards away from the ball.
Only Demarco Murray and Ryan Broyles drifted back in case Texas attempted to kick the ball over the heads of the first line of defense. Texas kicker Justin Tucker tried just that, a pooch kick over the front line's head, but his leg was too strong on the kick and the ball lazily bounced just over the line, into the end zone for a touch-back. The first sign of Sooner Magic was sweeping across the field.
After running back Demarco Murray carried the ball for no gain, Texas quickly called a timeout stopping the clock at 1:35. What happened next was purely Sooner Magic.
“The play got jacked up. It was a messed up deal. The head phones were not working. Yelling for a time out no one could hear. It was the same on the fake field goal. We had some communication issues. It was no one's fault, just a mechanical error,” offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson remembered.
Coach Stoops also was ready to take part in the blame for the play, saying, “I should have done a better job on that play as well. They [the offense] didn't feel good about it, so in that situation, I should have just used the last time out, and hopefully that would have given us a better play.”
On second down, ten yards to go from the 20 yard line, quarterback Landry Jones – who had committed no turnovers and had played an almost flawless game – took the snap and rolled to his right. Problem was, Landry should have rolled left.
“Coming off the sideline, I was a little confused about the signal for the play. When I took the snap, I went the wrong way. It was just a mess up from the beginning. It was pretty lucky on our part, to get the ball out of bounds and not have a turnover,” Jones remarked on his play.
As Jones ran right the ball seemingly fell out of his hand and Texas linebacker Emmanuel Acho hit Jones from behind, throwing him to the ground. Jones contorted his body as he hit the turf, rolled to try and tip the ball out of bounds. Somehow, Jones was apparently able to get a finger-tip on the ball and gave just enough of a push to help slide the ball out of bounds for a nine yard loss instead of what could have been an easy Texas touchdown.
Sooner Magic had now taken a front-and-center seat on the field with the OU team.
On the next play, OU's MVP of the game – running back Demarco Murray – darted through the heart of the Texas defense, rushing the ball 17 yards, back to the OU 23, giving punter Tres Way a chance to pin the Longhorns back to their side of the field.
Sooner Magic would make one final appearance for Coach Stoops and company, helping the OU team lock up the win.
Way hit a 36 yard punt that found Aaron Williams standing back for the return. Texas fans no doubt experienced feelings of deja-vu while OU fans were relishing in the Sooner Magic their team was able to take advantage of in the end.
As Williams called for the fair catch, deep snapper James Winchester stood only inches from him. Somehow, the sure-handed Williams inexplicably muffed the punt and Winchester quickly dove on top of the loose ball, sealing Texas' fate, giving Bob Stoops his seventh win against the Horns and Mack Brown.
While it may not have been a “pretty” win for the Sooners, junior linebacker Travis Lewis - who recorded a team high 10 tackles on the day - conjured up thoughts of Raider great Al Davis in his comments to the media, saying, “I will take the win, by three, by one, by 20 - it doesn’t matter. I don’t care. I will take the win, ” echoing Davis’ famous quote, “Just win, baby!”
And although some will look at this game as Texas giving the Sooners the game at the end, this writer felt a little magic in the air of the Cotton Bowl that afternoon. While I feel that the Longhorns certainly had golden opportunities to take the game from OU late in the game, the scoreboard still read 28-20 when the clock hit 0:00, and that meant that - to coin a phrase from the Sooners head man - “in the end” OU did what it had to do and stepped up at the crucial points of the game to cap off their victory in Dallas.
Up next for the Sooners is a bye week, followed with a bout with Iowa State - who beat Texas Tech in Ames this past weekend - on the 16th in Norman. Stoops and co. will look to take on the second half of their season and make a run toward a 7th conference championship and possibly another crack at the school’s 8th national championship, as many early BCS polls are beginning to show OU near the top of projected rankings.
For more on college and high school football, check out my blog http://footballimp.blogspot.com or email me at brett_t_hill@hotmail.com.
OSU v. Texas A & M Post-Game Article
Turnovers Key to Cowboy Win:
Jury Still Out on the Pokes
Stillwater - Contrary to popular belief by some Oklahoma State “insiders”, Mike Gundy led the Oklahoma State Cowboys onto Lewis Field Thursday evening wearing all black uniforms for the first time since the Pokes faced Colorado in a Thursday night game, that, oddly enough, saw now quarterback Brandon Weeden take over for an injured Zach Robinson and lead the Cowboys to a come-from-behind 11 point deficit for the win.
On September 30, 2010, no back-up quarterback would need to step in for Weeden, but his team did trail their Texas A & M rivals 21-7 going into halftime after Weeden committed all three Cowboy turnovers with a fumble and two interceptions.
“There’s areas where we have to improve in. We have to do a better job taking care of the ball,” Gundy said about his team’s turnovers. “Offensively, we started really, really slow and we put ourselves in a difficult situation.”
During that halftime period, Weeden told his team, “I told the [offensive] line, ‘We are going to win this football game, just give me time and we are going to make throws and they are going to make catches. This game isn't over, we have a lot of football left.’”
The second half saw the Cowboys come out with a fire and determination that the Pokes obviously lacked in the opening periods of the game. That preparedness and readiness to play hard and fight back without giving in proved to be the difference in the game.
The Poke defense allowed Aggie quarterback Jerrod Johnson to pass for 135 yards and 3 scores in the first half, but picked him off twice, stopping what very well could have been 14 more Aggie points Sherman’s group left on the field at the half.
While the OSU’s defense allowed the Aggies to gain 535 yards on 106 offensive plays - a record for most plays in a single game by A & M - the Pokes would force 3 additional turnovers from Johnson and stuff a fourth-and-one rushing attempt from Christine Michael on the OSU 32.
The difference in the game came down to the Aggies inability to force any more Cowboy turnovers, a true freshman making his mark on the game on the Aggies’ last drive of the game, and a clutch field goal kicker’s accurate leg.
But don’t think for a moment that this Cowboy’s staff will be content to simply let the offense bail out the defense as the team has relied on in the past. "Obviously we have a long way to go and a lot of improving to do, but it is a win.” Cowboy defensive coordinator Bill Young said after the game. “We are going to relish it, keep working hard, move on and try to get better."
Coach Gundy also weighed in on the Cowboy struggles on defense after the game, showing his disdain for the way some members of the Cowboy team were playing and acting during the first half’s action.
“When we got down 14, I was a little disappointed because I thought that we we’re showing signs of being weak. We had some guys that were limping and guys that had their head down, “ Gundy said, “We made a big point of that in the locker room at halftime because no matter what happens in a game, we’re not going to show signs of being fatigued or weak.”
It is this type of mindset that has helped lead the Pokes to a 4-0 start and what can only be labeled as a big win for the team as they appeared on national television as the marquee match-up - albeit the only - of the evening against the Big XII’s pre-season offensive and defensive players of the year.
Gundy and his squad were able to showcase the Cowboy football program to fans, alumni, general fans, recruits, etc. And don’t think for a moment these facts were spared on the staff, per Gundy’s opening statement to the media post-game.
“We did ESPN some justice on the ratings. It was quite a game.”
That it was for the Pokes. This game saw 73 combined points, a Cowboy team that shut down all-conference linebacker Von Miller and continually harassed and forced Jerrod Johnson into 5 total turnovers, showcased what should be an all-conference selection in receiver Justin Blackmon and proved yet again that - in most college football games - the team that wins the turnover battle will win.
Speaking of turnovers, there will likely be none better for the Cowboys the entire season than the one true freshman linebacker Shaun Lewis recorded with only 16 seconds to play as the game seemed sure for either an overtime or possible pong field goal attempt from A & M.
Johnson dropped back on a second-and-seven from the A & M 46. When he tossed the ball, he failed to notice Lewis dropping back into coverage over the middle. Lewis had made the right call to drop to his left and was in perfect position to make the pick.
In true rookie style, Lewis began to run back the ball and instead of keeping his feet, the freshman went down seemingly untouched at the A & M 40. It was of no consequence for the Pokes as they would pick up 17 yards on two plays in just 15 seconds.
As A & M’s Sherman attempted to ice senior kicker Dan Bailey, Gundy had some instruction for him as he trotted out to give the Cowboys the win: “I just told him to keep his head down, “ Gundy said, “Every once in a while he’ll peek in practice some, but if he keeps his head down – he’s a veteran and experienced – we expect him to make it, and he expects to make it.”
And make it he did, splitting the uprights with ease, lifting the Cowboys to their 4th win of the season keeping the Cowboys perfect and giving Coach Gundy his 40th win as Head Coach.
There is still yet more to learn about the Cowboys in the coming weeks.
The Pokes will take their game on the road for the first time this season on October 8th to Lafayette, Louisiana for a tilt with the Cajuns, then they will face a team on the road that they have not beat outside of Stillwater in 66 years: Texas Tech.
Other tests this season will include a bout with current Big XII heavyweight and top ten ranked Nebraska at home on October 23rd, trips to Kansas-State and Texas on October 30th and November 13th, respectively. And lastly, the annual Bedlam game with OU on November 27th.
If the Cowboys can clean up their pass coverage skills on defense and continue the opportunistic play they have exhibited over the last two games on defense throughout these upcoming tests, Gundy’s team might be ripe for a Big XII South Division push of perennial powers Oklahoma and Texas. Falter in two or more of those four games, and the Pokes will find themselves back in the middle of the south division yet again, something many expected going into the season with the losses of key players off of last year’s 9-4 group that lost in the Cotton Bowl Game.
Mark me down as one that feels the jury is still out on these Cowboys.
What was proved on Thursday evening was that: Texas A & M quarterback Jerrod Johnson is not fully recovered from shoulder surgery over this past offseason; Brandon Weeden, when given time, can find open receivers; Kendall Hunter is still very capable of rushing for over 100 yards per game against tough defenses; Justin Blackmon is developing into an all-conference type receiver akin to names like Bryant and Woods; and it proved that this young, inexperienced team is growing.
They got the win in the way that will be most conducive for this team to go back, study the film and learn from their mistakes, and there is clearly more work that needs to be done on both sides of the ball. What should make those things a bit easier to fix might be the hunger and desire of such an overall young team experiencing success on the field in front of family and fans, any way they can get the “W”.
For me, Coach Gundy couldn’t have wrapped it up any better, saying, “We have a lot of areas to improve, but for those young men to find a way to win a game was the most important part of it. I firmly believe that winning this game will do more for us than winning 65-10.”
For more NCAA and high school football coverage, check out my blog at http://footballimp.blogspot.com, or email me at brett_t_hill@hotmail.com.
Jury Still Out on the Pokes
Stillwater - Contrary to popular belief by some Oklahoma State “insiders”, Mike Gundy led the Oklahoma State Cowboys onto Lewis Field Thursday evening wearing all black uniforms for the first time since the Pokes faced Colorado in a Thursday night game, that, oddly enough, saw now quarterback Brandon Weeden take over for an injured Zach Robinson and lead the Cowboys to a come-from-behind 11 point deficit for the win.
On September 30, 2010, no back-up quarterback would need to step in for Weeden, but his team did trail their Texas A & M rivals 21-7 going into halftime after Weeden committed all three Cowboy turnovers with a fumble and two interceptions.
“There’s areas where we have to improve in. We have to do a better job taking care of the ball,” Gundy said about his team’s turnovers. “Offensively, we started really, really slow and we put ourselves in a difficult situation.”
During that halftime period, Weeden told his team, “I told the [offensive] line, ‘We are going to win this football game, just give me time and we are going to make throws and they are going to make catches. This game isn't over, we have a lot of football left.’”
The second half saw the Cowboys come out with a fire and determination that the Pokes obviously lacked in the opening periods of the game. That preparedness and readiness to play hard and fight back without giving in proved to be the difference in the game.
The Poke defense allowed Aggie quarterback Jerrod Johnson to pass for 135 yards and 3 scores in the first half, but picked him off twice, stopping what very well could have been 14 more Aggie points Sherman’s group left on the field at the half.
While the OSU’s defense allowed the Aggies to gain 535 yards on 106 offensive plays - a record for most plays in a single game by A & M - the Pokes would force 3 additional turnovers from Johnson and stuff a fourth-and-one rushing attempt from Christine Michael on the OSU 32.
The difference in the game came down to the Aggies inability to force any more Cowboy turnovers, a true freshman making his mark on the game on the Aggies’ last drive of the game, and a clutch field goal kicker’s accurate leg.
But don’t think for a moment that this Cowboy’s staff will be content to simply let the offense bail out the defense as the team has relied on in the past. "Obviously we have a long way to go and a lot of improving to do, but it is a win.” Cowboy defensive coordinator Bill Young said after the game. “We are going to relish it, keep working hard, move on and try to get better."
Coach Gundy also weighed in on the Cowboy struggles on defense after the game, showing his disdain for the way some members of the Cowboy team were playing and acting during the first half’s action.
“When we got down 14, I was a little disappointed because I thought that we we’re showing signs of being weak. We had some guys that were limping and guys that had their head down, “ Gundy said, “We made a big point of that in the locker room at halftime because no matter what happens in a game, we’re not going to show signs of being fatigued or weak.”
It is this type of mindset that has helped lead the Pokes to a 4-0 start and what can only be labeled as a big win for the team as they appeared on national television as the marquee match-up - albeit the only - of the evening against the Big XII’s pre-season offensive and defensive players of the year.
Gundy and his squad were able to showcase the Cowboy football program to fans, alumni, general fans, recruits, etc. And don’t think for a moment these facts were spared on the staff, per Gundy’s opening statement to the media post-game.
“We did ESPN some justice on the ratings. It was quite a game.”
That it was for the Pokes. This game saw 73 combined points, a Cowboy team that shut down all-conference linebacker Von Miller and continually harassed and forced Jerrod Johnson into 5 total turnovers, showcased what should be an all-conference selection in receiver Justin Blackmon and proved yet again that - in most college football games - the team that wins the turnover battle will win.
Speaking of turnovers, there will likely be none better for the Cowboys the entire season than the one true freshman linebacker Shaun Lewis recorded with only 16 seconds to play as the game seemed sure for either an overtime or possible pong field goal attempt from A & M.
Johnson dropped back on a second-and-seven from the A & M 46. When he tossed the ball, he failed to notice Lewis dropping back into coverage over the middle. Lewis had made the right call to drop to his left and was in perfect position to make the pick.
In true rookie style, Lewis began to run back the ball and instead of keeping his feet, the freshman went down seemingly untouched at the A & M 40. It was of no consequence for the Pokes as they would pick up 17 yards on two plays in just 15 seconds.
As A & M’s Sherman attempted to ice senior kicker Dan Bailey, Gundy had some instruction for him as he trotted out to give the Cowboys the win: “I just told him to keep his head down, “ Gundy said, “Every once in a while he’ll peek in practice some, but if he keeps his head down – he’s a veteran and experienced – we expect him to make it, and he expects to make it.”
And make it he did, splitting the uprights with ease, lifting the Cowboys to their 4th win of the season keeping the Cowboys perfect and giving Coach Gundy his 40th win as Head Coach.
There is still yet more to learn about the Cowboys in the coming weeks.
The Pokes will take their game on the road for the first time this season on October 8th to Lafayette, Louisiana for a tilt with the Cajuns, then they will face a team on the road that they have not beat outside of Stillwater in 66 years: Texas Tech.
Other tests this season will include a bout with current Big XII heavyweight and top ten ranked Nebraska at home on October 23rd, trips to Kansas-State and Texas on October 30th and November 13th, respectively. And lastly, the annual Bedlam game with OU on November 27th.
If the Cowboys can clean up their pass coverage skills on defense and continue the opportunistic play they have exhibited over the last two games on defense throughout these upcoming tests, Gundy’s team might be ripe for a Big XII South Division push of perennial powers Oklahoma and Texas. Falter in two or more of those four games, and the Pokes will find themselves back in the middle of the south division yet again, something many expected going into the season with the losses of key players off of last year’s 9-4 group that lost in the Cotton Bowl Game.
Mark me down as one that feels the jury is still out on these Cowboys.
What was proved on Thursday evening was that: Texas A & M quarterback Jerrod Johnson is not fully recovered from shoulder surgery over this past offseason; Brandon Weeden, when given time, can find open receivers; Kendall Hunter is still very capable of rushing for over 100 yards per game against tough defenses; Justin Blackmon is developing into an all-conference type receiver akin to names like Bryant and Woods; and it proved that this young, inexperienced team is growing.
They got the win in the way that will be most conducive for this team to go back, study the film and learn from their mistakes, and there is clearly more work that needs to be done on both sides of the ball. What should make those things a bit easier to fix might be the hunger and desire of such an overall young team experiencing success on the field in front of family and fans, any way they can get the “W”.
For me, Coach Gundy couldn’t have wrapped it up any better, saying, “We have a lot of areas to improve, but for those young men to find a way to win a game was the most important part of it. I firmly believe that winning this game will do more for us than winning 65-10.”
For more NCAA and high school football coverage, check out my blog at http://footballimp.blogspot.com, or email me at brett_t_hill@hotmail.com.
OU vs. Texas Game Article
Thriller in Dallas; OU Outlasts Longhorns 28-20
Texas haunted by eerily similar plays
Dallas - The 105th meeting between OU and Texas started off quick for the Sooners and Texas fans experienced a little deja vu from last week’s game versus UCLA. The Sooners ran a whopping 57 offensive plays while Texas was only able to eek out 27, a stat that was definitely reflected in the first half of action.
Senior defensive tackle Adrian Taylor made his first start of the season aa did fellow senior defensive end Pryce Macon, both Texas natives, of which OU started a total of 9.
After losing the coin flip, OU received the kick and proceeded to drive the ball 83 yards on 13 plays, chewing up 4:09 of clock en route to their first score of the game. Landry Jones took a second and six hike from Ben Habern and handed off to Demarco Murray, who then scampered 18 yards to his left, putting the Sooners on the board first, 7-0.
That score marked Murray’s first in the Red River Rivalry since his freshman campaign in 2007.
Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert had no success on his first series from scrimmage, throwing for three straight completions, but for -2, -2, and 7 yards, respectively.
After the Texas punt to the OU 25, Jones trotted the Sooner offense out onto the field yet again and would lead his group to pay-dirt once again. This time, Jones completed a 16 yard pass on first-and-ten to freshman receiver Kenny Stills to put OU on top 14-0.
Looking to get their offense on track, the Longhorns took the field and in 4 plays, found what UT fans were looking for. Sophomore running back DJ Monroe pounced over the left side of the OU defensive line, broke into the secondary, and when OU safety Jonathan Nelson came up lame attempting to cut him off, Monroe walked into the end zone for Texas’ first score.
With 3:46 to play in the first, OU led Texas 14-7. The score would stand there until the 7:19 mark of the second quarter.
After a 27 yard shank-punt from UT punter John Gold, OU took the ball with its best field position of the day at the UT 48. On second-and-ten from the UT 31, Jones looked to have another score, but an illegal shift on receiver Ryan Broyles negated the score.
Texas then committed a pass interference penalty that looked questionable at best, giving the OU offense life again, and Jones cashed in. Junior receiver Dejuan Miller caught a 15 yard strike from Jones that set-up OU on the UT 5. After two run plays, OU looked to Jones again from the 2 yard line, where he found sophomore tight end James Hanna for the touchdown.
OU would see the ball 2 more times with Texas receiving 3 more opportunities. Neither team could move the ball well, the teams trading punts until Texas last possession that ended the half. With time expiring, Garrett Gilbert heaved a hail mary pass from the UT 44 yard line and was intercepted by OU senior safety Quinton Carter.
The teams entered the haltime period with OU on top 21-7, the Sooners out-gaining Texas on offense 270 yards against only 165. Jones passed 29 times, completing 20 of those for 163 yards and 2 scores, while Murray rushed 15 times for 64 yards and a score of his own. Dejuan Miller led the way at receiving for the Sooners with 4 grabs for 55 yards. Stills and Hanna caught each of Jones touchdown passes.
Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert struggled to find rhythm in the passing game, going 10 of 15 for a mere 58 yards and an interception, his longest pass completion of only 10 yards. Running back DJ Monroe, despite his 60 yard highlight-reel touchdown run, only managed 5 additional yards on 3 carries. Mack Brown’s team was in for a long second half.
The Longhorns came out sputtering on offense in the second half, but still managed to light the scoreboard. After two holding calls on the Longhorns - one that negated a long pass pay from Gilbert to wide receiver Marquis Goodwin- a successful fake punt and Gilbert’s longest pass of the day - 44 yards - to junior wide out James Kirkendoll, Texas was only able to put 3 points up, due in part to a hard hit by freshman Tony Jefferson on Gilbert that flipped the quarterback on his head.
Neither team would score again in the quarter as both defenses stepped up and stopped the other from reaching the end zone. That would change in the last frame as the final few minutes of the fourth quarter proved to be some of the most exciting moments in recent memory of this rivalry.
On an eight play, 54 yard drive that took up 2:48 seconds, Demarco Murray ran for his second score of the game, a beautiful 20 yard scamper to the edge of the defense as he tip-toed along the sideline, keeping his feet in bounds, stretching OU’s lead, 28-10.
With the ball on their own 24, trailing by 18, the Longhorns had to make something happen, and they did. Aided by a 33 yard pass to running back Cody Johnson, Gilbert tossed his first touchdown pass of the game when he found Johnson for a short, 5 yard strike, giving the Longhorns life, 28-17.
Coach Stoops would make his first real mistake of the game when he elected to allow Patrick O’Hara to trot out onto the field for what looked like a 41 yard field goal try. OU proceeded to commit a 5-yard delay of game penalty, then faked the 46 yard attempt and was sacked for a 12 yard loss.
Luckily for the Sooners, linebacker Tom Wort dropped Gilbert for an 11 yard sack and Texas was not able to pick up a first down. After alternating possessions, OU kicker Tres Way shanked a 17 yard kick and gave Texas great field position on the OU 46.
Gilbert completed a 40 yard bomb to wide out Malcolm Williams to the OU 6. Fortunately for the Sooner Nation, OU’s defense stiffened and held UT to a 21 yard field goal that made the score 28-20.
Then, Mack Brown would make his own bad call on a kick. The Longhorns lined up for the kickoff and the Sooners lined up in what looked to be a favorable return formation for the Longhorns to kick the ball high and have a chance for a recovery. Texas instead kicked the ball low and on the bounce, the ball rolled into the end zone giving the Sooners the ball at their own 20.
On the following Sooners possession, offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson made his own worst call of the game, rolling Landry Jones out for a pass at games’ end. As Jones rolled out of the pocket, he was hit and fumbled the ball back to the 6 yard line; however, Texas’ defense was unable to fall on the ball and cover the turnover opportunity and the ball stayed with OU.
Knowing OU would rush the ball, the Texas defense allowed Demarco Murray to run for 17 yards, setting up a punt to junior cornerback Aaron Williams. When the ball from Tres Way came down to Williams, the return-man muffed the ball and it was there covered by the Sooners’ long snapper James Winchester. A nightmarish play akin to the muff punt in the UCLA loss a week ago.
The Sooners knelled out the ball to preserve the win 28-20. Landry Jones finished the day with 242 yards and OU won not only the game, but the rushing battle as well, going off for 127 yards versus Texas’ 107, proving yet again that the team that runs the ball, wins the game in this historic game.
Texas haunted by eerily similar plays
Dallas - The 105th meeting between OU and Texas started off quick for the Sooners and Texas fans experienced a little deja vu from last week’s game versus UCLA. The Sooners ran a whopping 57 offensive plays while Texas was only able to eek out 27, a stat that was definitely reflected in the first half of action.
Senior defensive tackle Adrian Taylor made his first start of the season aa did fellow senior defensive end Pryce Macon, both Texas natives, of which OU started a total of 9.
After losing the coin flip, OU received the kick and proceeded to drive the ball 83 yards on 13 plays, chewing up 4:09 of clock en route to their first score of the game. Landry Jones took a second and six hike from Ben Habern and handed off to Demarco Murray, who then scampered 18 yards to his left, putting the Sooners on the board first, 7-0.
That score marked Murray’s first in the Red River Rivalry since his freshman campaign in 2007.
Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert had no success on his first series from scrimmage, throwing for three straight completions, but for -2, -2, and 7 yards, respectively.
After the Texas punt to the OU 25, Jones trotted the Sooner offense out onto the field yet again and would lead his group to pay-dirt once again. This time, Jones completed a 16 yard pass on first-and-ten to freshman receiver Kenny Stills to put OU on top 14-0.
Looking to get their offense on track, the Longhorns took the field and in 4 plays, found what UT fans were looking for. Sophomore running back DJ Monroe pounced over the left side of the OU defensive line, broke into the secondary, and when OU safety Jonathan Nelson came up lame attempting to cut him off, Monroe walked into the end zone for Texas’ first score.
With 3:46 to play in the first, OU led Texas 14-7. The score would stand there until the 7:19 mark of the second quarter.
After a 27 yard shank-punt from UT punter John Gold, OU took the ball with its best field position of the day at the UT 48. On second-and-ten from the UT 31, Jones looked to have another score, but an illegal shift on receiver Ryan Broyles negated the score.
Texas then committed a pass interference penalty that looked questionable at best, giving the OU offense life again, and Jones cashed in. Junior receiver Dejuan Miller caught a 15 yard strike from Jones that set-up OU on the UT 5. After two run plays, OU looked to Jones again from the 2 yard line, where he found sophomore tight end James Hanna for the touchdown.
OU would see the ball 2 more times with Texas receiving 3 more opportunities. Neither team could move the ball well, the teams trading punts until Texas last possession that ended the half. With time expiring, Garrett Gilbert heaved a hail mary pass from the UT 44 yard line and was intercepted by OU senior safety Quinton Carter.
The teams entered the haltime period with OU on top 21-7, the Sooners out-gaining Texas on offense 270 yards against only 165. Jones passed 29 times, completing 20 of those for 163 yards and 2 scores, while Murray rushed 15 times for 64 yards and a score of his own. Dejuan Miller led the way at receiving for the Sooners with 4 grabs for 55 yards. Stills and Hanna caught each of Jones touchdown passes.
Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert struggled to find rhythm in the passing game, going 10 of 15 for a mere 58 yards and an interception, his longest pass completion of only 10 yards. Running back DJ Monroe, despite his 60 yard highlight-reel touchdown run, only managed 5 additional yards on 3 carries. Mack Brown’s team was in for a long second half.
The Longhorns came out sputtering on offense in the second half, but still managed to light the scoreboard. After two holding calls on the Longhorns - one that negated a long pass pay from Gilbert to wide receiver Marquis Goodwin- a successful fake punt and Gilbert’s longest pass of the day - 44 yards - to junior wide out James Kirkendoll, Texas was only able to put 3 points up, due in part to a hard hit by freshman Tony Jefferson on Gilbert that flipped the quarterback on his head.
Neither team would score again in the quarter as both defenses stepped up and stopped the other from reaching the end zone. That would change in the last frame as the final few minutes of the fourth quarter proved to be some of the most exciting moments in recent memory of this rivalry.
On an eight play, 54 yard drive that took up 2:48 seconds, Demarco Murray ran for his second score of the game, a beautiful 20 yard scamper to the edge of the defense as he tip-toed along the sideline, keeping his feet in bounds, stretching OU’s lead, 28-10.
With the ball on their own 24, trailing by 18, the Longhorns had to make something happen, and they did. Aided by a 33 yard pass to running back Cody Johnson, Gilbert tossed his first touchdown pass of the game when he found Johnson for a short, 5 yard strike, giving the Longhorns life, 28-17.
Coach Stoops would make his first real mistake of the game when he elected to allow Patrick O’Hara to trot out onto the field for what looked like a 41 yard field goal try. OU proceeded to commit a 5-yard delay of game penalty, then faked the 46 yard attempt and was sacked for a 12 yard loss.
Luckily for the Sooners, linebacker Tom Wort dropped Gilbert for an 11 yard sack and Texas was not able to pick up a first down. After alternating possessions, OU kicker Tres Way shanked a 17 yard kick and gave Texas great field position on the OU 46.
Gilbert completed a 40 yard bomb to wide out Malcolm Williams to the OU 6. Fortunately for the Sooner Nation, OU’s defense stiffened and held UT to a 21 yard field goal that made the score 28-20.
Then, Mack Brown would make his own bad call on a kick. The Longhorns lined up for the kickoff and the Sooners lined up in what looked to be a favorable return formation for the Longhorns to kick the ball high and have a chance for a recovery. Texas instead kicked the ball low and on the bounce, the ball rolled into the end zone giving the Sooners the ball at their own 20.
On the following Sooners possession, offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson made his own worst call of the game, rolling Landry Jones out for a pass at games’ end. As Jones rolled out of the pocket, he was hit and fumbled the ball back to the 6 yard line; however, Texas’ defense was unable to fall on the ball and cover the turnover opportunity and the ball stayed with OU.
Knowing OU would rush the ball, the Texas defense allowed Demarco Murray to run for 17 yards, setting up a punt to junior cornerback Aaron Williams. When the ball from Tres Way came down to Williams, the return-man muffed the ball and it was there covered by the Sooners’ long snapper James Winchester. A nightmarish play akin to the muff punt in the UCLA loss a week ago.
The Sooners knelled out the ball to preserve the win 28-20. Landry Jones finished the day with 242 yards and OU won not only the game, but the rushing battle as well, going off for 127 yards versus Texas’ 107, proving yet again that the team that runs the ball, wins the game in this historic game.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
OSU V. Texas A & M Game Article
Cowboys, Aggies Put on Memorable Show
Bailey’s Late Heroics Lift OSU past A & M
The 26th meeting of the Oklahoma State Cowboys versus the Aggies of Texas A & M did not start off the way Coach Mike Gundy would have liked. After a record-setting outing in their last game with rival Tulsa, the Pokes would commit two costly turnovers that would lead to Aggie touchdowns with the Cowboy offense only able to manage just 22 total yards on 17 plays.
After receiving the opening kickoff, Senior A & M Quarterback Jerrod Johnson led the Aggies down the field on a 7 play drive, Johnson dropped back for a pass that was tipped at the line of scrimmage for an interception by Junior Safety Markelle Martin.
However, the Cowboys were unable to move the ball on a stout Aggie defense and were forced to punt the ball away. After a Texas A & M three-and-out, OSU received the ball on their own 25 yard line.
On a second and eight yards to go, A & M Junior Defensive Back Terrence Fredrick blitzed off the edge untouched and hit Cowboy Quarterback Brandon Weeden in the back, causing a fumble that was recovered and returned to the Cowboy 5 yard line. Two plays later, Johnson found Junior Wide Receiver Jeff Fuller in the corner of the end zone for the game’s first score. At the 7:41 mark, the Aggies led 7-0.
OSU’s ensuing possession would see the Pokes pick up their first and second first downs of the game, but the drive would end in a punt. After the Aggies punted the ball back to the Cowboys on their own 35, Weeden would commit his second turnover of the game.
On a third down and two, Weeden was intercepted by Aggie Sophomore Defensive Back Dustin Harris. The Aggies would then drive the ball 55 yards in 11 plays, capping it off with a 3 yard shovel pass from Johnson to Junior Runningback Cyrus Gray, giving Texas A & M a 14 point advantage.
The second quarter of play would see the two teams trade scores and interceptions. The Cowboys would gain an additional 85 yards of offense during the second frame for a total of 107, but coupled with their 122 yard first quarter, the Aggies were able to clone their output during the same period, racking up 242 yards by halftime.
Texas A & M would commit their first turnover of the game in the second quarter on a third down and three from the Cowboy 28 yard line when Johnson tossed a 22 yard interception to Senior Defensive End Ugo Chinasa. OSU would threaten the end zone for the first time in the game after a Kendall Hunter 10 yard rush and 15-yard late hit penalty on the Aggies.
The Aggies forced the Pokes into a 4th and 3 and Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgorsen decided to leave his offense on the field for an attempt to pick up first down yardage. Weeden dropped back to pass and deja vu literally hit the quarterback, this time in the form of Junior Defensive Back Lionel Smith. Weeden’s pass was disrupted by the hit and the throw was caught at the 9 yard line by Aggie Senior Linebacker Michael Hodges.
On the ensuing possession, Chinasa would get to Johnson for the Cowboys’ first sack of the game, throwing the Aggie QB for a 10 yard loss. After a punt back the the Cowboys’ 35 yard line, Brandon Weeden would lead the Pokes down the field for their first score of the game. On a first and ten from the Aggie 38, Weeden found Freshman Runningback Joseph Randle streaking over the middle of the Aggie defense for a 38 yard touchdown pass.
Unfortunately, the Aggies were not quite done. After a 47 yard kickoff return by Cyrus Gray, Jerrod Johnson directed a 10 play, 53 yard drive that saw Johnson hook up again with Jeff Fuller on a six yard touchdown strike to end the quarter. The Aggies had re-extended their earlier 14 point lead to enter halftime.
The Aggies turned in a strong offensive performance in the first half going 3-for-3 in red zone opportunities and converting 2 fourth down plays. Jeff Fuller’s 2 first half touchdown grabs broke a 42-year-old A & M receiving record for career scores. The Pokes struggled mightily only managing to gain 2 net rushing yards, failing to convert their only fourth down conversion attempt, and turning the ball over 3 times, resulting in 14 Texas A & M points.
When the Cowboys received the second half kick, Mike Gundy saw his team literally come alive on both sides of the ball. Texas A & M was not able to get to Weeden in the third quarter; however, it was the Cowboy defense that forced Texas A & M into turnovers, forcing the Aggies to give up the ball twice, opening things up for Holgorsen and the Cowboy offense. OSU would score 21 unanswered points to take the lead 28-21 by quarter’s end.
Brandon Weeden directed a 13 play, 73 yard drive to open the third quarter. Kendall Hunter was able to add to his stats for the day, capping the Cowboys’ drive with a 2 yard touchdown dive. Texas A & M’s lead was cut back to 7.
After Senior Linebacker Orie Lemon sacked A & M’s Johnson for a 6 yard loss, OSU got the ball back for their second possession of the third frame. It took 2:18 for the Cowboys to drive back down the field from their own 29 to even the score at 21 all. On a second down play, 5 yards to go, Brandon Weeden found his favorite target, Wide Receiver Justin Blackmon over the middle for a 29 yard touchdown bomb.
Texas A & M took the following kickoff from the Pokes and drove into Cowboy territory. On the Aggies third fourth down attempt, the Cowboys were ready and stoned Aggie Sophomore Runningback Christine Michael and forced a turnover on downs.
OSU was not able to pick up a first down and punted the ball back to the Aggies on their own 21 yard line. On the first play, Jerrod Johnson committed his third turnover of the game, an interception to Senior Cornerback Andre McGee. The Pokes took over on the Aggie 49, and in just 57 seconds, the Cowboys took their first lead of the game on a Kendall Hunter 7 yard touchdown run, his second score of the game. When the third quarter closed, the score stood OSU 28, Texas A & M 21.
The fourth quarter saw the Aggies trying desperately to catch back up to the Cowboys; and they did. The Cowboys would score a defensive touchdown to start off the fourth quarter scoring, but the Aggies were able to re-group their offense and answer back. The game would come down to each team’s last possession. And for the first time in his career, Brandon Weeden would face big-game pressure under the lights and on national television.
Texas A & M had the ball to begin 4th quarter play, but 8 plays in, Jerrod Johnson fumbled the ball as he attempted to avoid pressure by Cowboys Junior Defensive End Jamie Blatnick. Blatnick forced Johnson to fumble to ball and after a mad dash to recover it, Junior Linebacker James Thomas scooped up the ball and returned it 63 yards for the Pokes’ fifth touchdown of the game, extending their lead by a margin of 35-21.
A & M would finally answer the Cowboys at the 5:19 mark of the fourth. After 15 plays for 76 yards, Johnson found Sophomore Wide Receiver Kenric McNeal for a 4 yard touchdown pass. The Cowboys lead cut back to single digits at 35-28.
As the Aggie defense stiffened, the Cowboys were forced to punt the ball, giving A & M their opportunity to knot the score. And after a 4 play drive, covering 80 yards and only taking up 1:26, the Aggies did just that as Johnson found Sophomore Wideout Ryan Swope for a 28 yard touchdown pass and run.
OSU hurt themselves on the following kickoff, committing a penalty that moved the Pokes to their own 10 yard line. Unable to keep their drive alive, OSU punted back to A & M, who took over a their own 29. Four plays into the drive, Johnson tossed his 4th interception of the game to Freshman Linebacker Shaun Lewis, who returned the ball to the Texas A & M 40.
After a Brandon Weeden pass to Junior Receiver Josh Cooper for 9 yards and a Kendall Hunter 7 yard run, OSU lined up Senior Placekicker Dan Bailey for a 40 yard field goal attempt. After Coach Mike Sherman called timeout to ice Bailey, the Cowboy kicker trotted out for his attempt to send the Aggies home with their first loss of the season and he did just that, nailing the 40 yard game-clincher to keep the Cowboys perfect, now with hopes of a conference championship run with the Big XII’s toughest foes ahead of them.
Up next for the Pokes, a non-conference tilt with Louisiana-Lafayette on October 8th. For more on NCAA and high school football, check out my blog at http://footballimp.blogspot.com or email me at brett_t_hill@hotmail.com. (Printed in the Mcalester Mews-Capital. Big thanks again to Jay Knight!)
Bailey’s Late Heroics Lift OSU past A & M
The 26th meeting of the Oklahoma State Cowboys versus the Aggies of Texas A & M did not start off the way Coach Mike Gundy would have liked. After a record-setting outing in their last game with rival Tulsa, the Pokes would commit two costly turnovers that would lead to Aggie touchdowns with the Cowboy offense only able to manage just 22 total yards on 17 plays.
After receiving the opening kickoff, Senior A & M Quarterback Jerrod Johnson led the Aggies down the field on a 7 play drive, Johnson dropped back for a pass that was tipped at the line of scrimmage for an interception by Junior Safety Markelle Martin.
However, the Cowboys were unable to move the ball on a stout Aggie defense and were forced to punt the ball away. After a Texas A & M three-and-out, OSU received the ball on their own 25 yard line.
On a second and eight yards to go, A & M Junior Defensive Back Terrence Fredrick blitzed off the edge untouched and hit Cowboy Quarterback Brandon Weeden in the back, causing a fumble that was recovered and returned to the Cowboy 5 yard line. Two plays later, Johnson found Junior Wide Receiver Jeff Fuller in the corner of the end zone for the game’s first score. At the 7:41 mark, the Aggies led 7-0.
OSU’s ensuing possession would see the Pokes pick up their first and second first downs of the game, but the drive would end in a punt. After the Aggies punted the ball back to the Cowboys on their own 35, Weeden would commit his second turnover of the game.
On a third down and two, Weeden was intercepted by Aggie Sophomore Defensive Back Dustin Harris. The Aggies would then drive the ball 55 yards in 11 plays, capping it off with a 3 yard shovel pass from Johnson to Junior Runningback Cyrus Gray, giving Texas A & M a 14 point advantage.
The second quarter of play would see the two teams trade scores and interceptions. The Cowboys would gain an additional 85 yards of offense during the second frame for a total of 107, but coupled with their 122 yard first quarter, the Aggies were able to clone their output during the same period, racking up 242 yards by halftime.
Texas A & M would commit their first turnover of the game in the second quarter on a third down and three from the Cowboy 28 yard line when Johnson tossed a 22 yard interception to Senior Defensive End Ugo Chinasa. OSU would threaten the end zone for the first time in the game after a Kendall Hunter 10 yard rush and 15-yard late hit penalty on the Aggies.
The Aggies forced the Pokes into a 4th and 3 and Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgorsen decided to leave his offense on the field for an attempt to pick up first down yardage. Weeden dropped back to pass and deja vu literally hit the quarterback, this time in the form of Junior Defensive Back Lionel Smith. Weeden’s pass was disrupted by the hit and the throw was caught at the 9 yard line by Aggie Senior Linebacker Michael Hodges.
On the ensuing possession, Chinasa would get to Johnson for the Cowboys’ first sack of the game, throwing the Aggie QB for a 10 yard loss. After a punt back the the Cowboys’ 35 yard line, Brandon Weeden would lead the Pokes down the field for their first score of the game. On a first and ten from the Aggie 38, Weeden found Freshman Runningback Joseph Randle streaking over the middle of the Aggie defense for a 38 yard touchdown pass.
Unfortunately, the Aggies were not quite done. After a 47 yard kickoff return by Cyrus Gray, Jerrod Johnson directed a 10 play, 53 yard drive that saw Johnson hook up again with Jeff Fuller on a six yard touchdown strike to end the quarter. The Aggies had re-extended their earlier 14 point lead to enter halftime.
The Aggies turned in a strong offensive performance in the first half going 3-for-3 in red zone opportunities and converting 2 fourth down plays. Jeff Fuller’s 2 first half touchdown grabs broke a 42-year-old A & M receiving record for career scores. The Pokes struggled mightily only managing to gain 2 net rushing yards, failing to convert their only fourth down conversion attempt, and turning the ball over 3 times, resulting in 14 Texas A & M points.
When the Cowboys received the second half kick, Mike Gundy saw his team literally come alive on both sides of the ball. Texas A & M was not able to get to Weeden in the third quarter; however, it was the Cowboy defense that forced Texas A & M into turnovers, forcing the Aggies to give up the ball twice, opening things up for Holgorsen and the Cowboy offense. OSU would score 21 unanswered points to take the lead 28-21 by quarter’s end.
Brandon Weeden directed a 13 play, 73 yard drive to open the third quarter. Kendall Hunter was able to add to his stats for the day, capping the Cowboys’ drive with a 2 yard touchdown dive. Texas A & M’s lead was cut back to 7.
After Senior Linebacker Orie Lemon sacked A & M’s Johnson for a 6 yard loss, OSU got the ball back for their second possession of the third frame. It took 2:18 for the Cowboys to drive back down the field from their own 29 to even the score at 21 all. On a second down play, 5 yards to go, Brandon Weeden found his favorite target, Wide Receiver Justin Blackmon over the middle for a 29 yard touchdown bomb.
Texas A & M took the following kickoff from the Pokes and drove into Cowboy territory. On the Aggies third fourth down attempt, the Cowboys were ready and stoned Aggie Sophomore Runningback Christine Michael and forced a turnover on downs.
OSU was not able to pick up a first down and punted the ball back to the Aggies on their own 21 yard line. On the first play, Jerrod Johnson committed his third turnover of the game, an interception to Senior Cornerback Andre McGee. The Pokes took over on the Aggie 49, and in just 57 seconds, the Cowboys took their first lead of the game on a Kendall Hunter 7 yard touchdown run, his second score of the game. When the third quarter closed, the score stood OSU 28, Texas A & M 21.
The fourth quarter saw the Aggies trying desperately to catch back up to the Cowboys; and they did. The Cowboys would score a defensive touchdown to start off the fourth quarter scoring, but the Aggies were able to re-group their offense and answer back. The game would come down to each team’s last possession. And for the first time in his career, Brandon Weeden would face big-game pressure under the lights and on national television.
Texas A & M had the ball to begin 4th quarter play, but 8 plays in, Jerrod Johnson fumbled the ball as he attempted to avoid pressure by Cowboys Junior Defensive End Jamie Blatnick. Blatnick forced Johnson to fumble to ball and after a mad dash to recover it, Junior Linebacker James Thomas scooped up the ball and returned it 63 yards for the Pokes’ fifth touchdown of the game, extending their lead by a margin of 35-21.
A & M would finally answer the Cowboys at the 5:19 mark of the fourth. After 15 plays for 76 yards, Johnson found Sophomore Wide Receiver Kenric McNeal for a 4 yard touchdown pass. The Cowboys lead cut back to single digits at 35-28.
As the Aggie defense stiffened, the Cowboys were forced to punt the ball, giving A & M their opportunity to knot the score. And after a 4 play drive, covering 80 yards and only taking up 1:26, the Aggies did just that as Johnson found Sophomore Wideout Ryan Swope for a 28 yard touchdown pass and run.
OSU hurt themselves on the following kickoff, committing a penalty that moved the Pokes to their own 10 yard line. Unable to keep their drive alive, OSU punted back to A & M, who took over a their own 29. Four plays into the drive, Johnson tossed his 4th interception of the game to Freshman Linebacker Shaun Lewis, who returned the ball to the Texas A & M 40.
After a Brandon Weeden pass to Junior Receiver Josh Cooper for 9 yards and a Kendall Hunter 7 yard run, OSU lined up Senior Placekicker Dan Bailey for a 40 yard field goal attempt. After Coach Mike Sherman called timeout to ice Bailey, the Cowboy kicker trotted out for his attempt to send the Aggies home with their first loss of the season and he did just that, nailing the 40 yard game-clincher to keep the Cowboys perfect, now with hopes of a conference championship run with the Big XII’s toughest foes ahead of them.
Up next for the Pokes, a non-conference tilt with Louisiana-Lafayette on October 8th. For more on NCAA and high school football, check out my blog at http://footballimp.blogspot.com or email me at brett_t_hill@hotmail.com. (Printed in the Mcalester Mews-Capital. Big thanks again to Jay Knight!)
OU v. Texas Preview
Red River Rivalry: Interesting Battle Awaits
Norman – When Bob Stoops leads his 8th ranked Sooner squad onto the field at the Cotton Bowl against the 21st ranked Texas Longhorns, it will mark the 105th meeting between two of college football's most storied programs. With a combined 11 National Championships, 8 Heisman Winners, and 9 Big XII Championships between the two schools, history is simple an everyday matter when discussing OU and UT.
The Sooners will be looking to secure their first win since the 2007 Red River Rivalry match-up that saw the Sooners leave with a 28-21 win behind a 128 yard rushing performance by then Freshman Running Back Demarco Murray. Murray had one of the more memorable Sooner plays of recent memory in that game when he stretched a rush to the left side of the field, scampering along the sideline for a 65 yard touchdown.
For the Sooners to have a shot at winning this weekend in Dallas, Murray, now a seasoned veteran and senior, will need to have a similar day. Since Bob Stoops' first year as Head Coach, the team with the most rushing yards has won the game, with the exception coming in 2006 when both teams rushed for the same yardage- even then, the Longhorns out-averaged the Sooners on yards per rush and won the game.
Strangely enough, since the 2005 edition of this storied rivalry, the team with the most passing yardage has lost the game. In the last two meetings, OU has thrown for over 327 and 387 yards, respectively, against Texas' 127 and 277 respective outings; a fact not lost on OU Senior Running Back Mossis Madu.
“We know that every year the team that runs the ball bests is going to win it. So we definitely want to come out and salvage our run game against Texas. We need things to slow down a little more.”
The Sooners head man is also concerned about OU's run-game against a Texas defense ranked No. 2 nationally in total defense. When asked about OU's running game this week, Stoops had this to say about his team: “It needs to improve. It isn't as consistent as it needs to be. It gets down to some better execution and finishing some blocks and some of the ways we're calling things to give them more opportunities.”
And what about those swing passes the Sooners have gone to time-and-time again through the first four games? Stoops offered the following: “I will say some of it [the run game] definitely shows up in the passing game. The way people are defending you, there are opportunities. We've had a lot of success with play action passes and a lot of those quick screens that we run. In our eyes, those are runs.”
Another unknown for the Sooners going into this year's rivalry is the defense. The Sooners are ranked 97th in the country in total defense and 93rd in rushing defense whereas their counterparts, as mentioned earlier, come into the match-up with a No. 2 total defensive ranking, even though after their abysmal outing against UCLA last weekend in Austin, the Longhorns actually dropped to No. 20 in rushing defense this week.
Much discussion has been made of Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables scheme this year. As the season has progressed, OU's defense has seen a 4-2-5 look, substituting an extra Defensive Back for a Linebacker. After the razor-thin win against Cincinnati, where Running Back Isaiah Pead rushed 21 times for 169 yards – an impressive 8.0 yards per carry – it would seem that changes in the defensive alignment for Venables might be in order, despite his comments to the contrary.
When asked if his defense would see any changes leading up to the Texas game, Venables said, “Hopefully we play better than we did a week ago. No real big changes. Try to get better.”
And when asked about his starting Middle Linebacker, Red-Shirt Freshman Tom Wort, Venables showed confidence in the defender, telling reporters, “The mistakes that have happened, I definitely attribute it to youth. No question. The only other option - the next guy that comes in - has played less than him. He’s done a good enough job through practice and even in games that we feel he’s obviously the best choice.”
After experiencing their first loss of the young season, many of Mack Brown’s players expressed thier sentiments in the Longhorns standing “24-hour” policy. Defensive End Sam Acho, Cornerback Aaron Williams, Defensive Tackle Kheeston Randall, and Offensive Lineman Kyle Hix all echoed the use of a 24 hour period instituted by Coach Brown as a time to reflect on the game against UCLA, then move on to the next game.
On the loss, Brown was blunt. “We got out-hit. We got out-hustled. We got out-coached in all three phases. That’s totally unacceptable at Texas. It’s the first time that I think we’ve played that poorly since Kansas State in ’07.”
When asked how important this weekend’s rivalry match-up was and how his team could get confidence back, Brown commented, “They’re all [games] big. The biggest games at Texas are the losses...The only thing you can do is go out and play better. You can’t talk about it. You’ve got to produce.” Clearly, something that, if the Longhorns hope to have any marked success against OU, they must do come Saturday afternoon.
The one player OU looks to get to repeatedly Saturday is Starting Quarterback Garrett Gilbert. Though only a Sophomore, Gilbert knows the challenge facing him. “They [OU] are going to be a challenge for us. We are going to have to be very sharp.”
The Red River Rivalry might have lost some of its luster this weekend with Texas’ loss to UCLA, but make no mistake, both sides of this historic rivalry - and their respective fans - will be ready for battle. As the saying goes, “...throw out the records, throw out the hype...” because this game, no matter how good or bad either team may be coming in, most always lives up to the national attention and hype it receives.
I feel this game should be a defensive struggle throughout. OU has shown flashes on defense this year of being a typical Bob Stoops crew. With shut-down Cornerback Jamell Fleming practicing this week and ready to play come Saturday, the Sooners defense should be to full strength. Look for each team to unveil some new “wrinkle” on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. My prediction: OU 24, UT 17.
Norman – When Bob Stoops leads his 8th ranked Sooner squad onto the field at the Cotton Bowl against the 21st ranked Texas Longhorns, it will mark the 105th meeting between two of college football's most storied programs. With a combined 11 National Championships, 8 Heisman Winners, and 9 Big XII Championships between the two schools, history is simple an everyday matter when discussing OU and UT.
The Sooners will be looking to secure their first win since the 2007 Red River Rivalry match-up that saw the Sooners leave with a 28-21 win behind a 128 yard rushing performance by then Freshman Running Back Demarco Murray. Murray had one of the more memorable Sooner plays of recent memory in that game when he stretched a rush to the left side of the field, scampering along the sideline for a 65 yard touchdown.
For the Sooners to have a shot at winning this weekend in Dallas, Murray, now a seasoned veteran and senior, will need to have a similar day. Since Bob Stoops' first year as Head Coach, the team with the most rushing yards has won the game, with the exception coming in 2006 when both teams rushed for the same yardage- even then, the Longhorns out-averaged the Sooners on yards per rush and won the game.
Strangely enough, since the 2005 edition of this storied rivalry, the team with the most passing yardage has lost the game. In the last two meetings, OU has thrown for over 327 and 387 yards, respectively, against Texas' 127 and 277 respective outings; a fact not lost on OU Senior Running Back Mossis Madu.
“We know that every year the team that runs the ball bests is going to win it. So we definitely want to come out and salvage our run game against Texas. We need things to slow down a little more.”
The Sooners head man is also concerned about OU's run-game against a Texas defense ranked No. 2 nationally in total defense. When asked about OU's running game this week, Stoops had this to say about his team: “It needs to improve. It isn't as consistent as it needs to be. It gets down to some better execution and finishing some blocks and some of the ways we're calling things to give them more opportunities.”
And what about those swing passes the Sooners have gone to time-and-time again through the first four games? Stoops offered the following: “I will say some of it [the run game] definitely shows up in the passing game. The way people are defending you, there are opportunities. We've had a lot of success with play action passes and a lot of those quick screens that we run. In our eyes, those are runs.”
Another unknown for the Sooners going into this year's rivalry is the defense. The Sooners are ranked 97th in the country in total defense and 93rd in rushing defense whereas their counterparts, as mentioned earlier, come into the match-up with a No. 2 total defensive ranking, even though after their abysmal outing against UCLA last weekend in Austin, the Longhorns actually dropped to No. 20 in rushing defense this week.
Much discussion has been made of Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables scheme this year. As the season has progressed, OU's defense has seen a 4-2-5 look, substituting an extra Defensive Back for a Linebacker. After the razor-thin win against Cincinnati, where Running Back Isaiah Pead rushed 21 times for 169 yards – an impressive 8.0 yards per carry – it would seem that changes in the defensive alignment for Venables might be in order, despite his comments to the contrary.
When asked if his defense would see any changes leading up to the Texas game, Venables said, “Hopefully we play better than we did a week ago. No real big changes. Try to get better.”
And when asked about his starting Middle Linebacker, Red-Shirt Freshman Tom Wort, Venables showed confidence in the defender, telling reporters, “The mistakes that have happened, I definitely attribute it to youth. No question. The only other option - the next guy that comes in - has played less than him. He’s done a good enough job through practice and even in games that we feel he’s obviously the best choice.”
After experiencing their first loss of the young season, many of Mack Brown’s players expressed thier sentiments in the Longhorns standing “24-hour” policy. Defensive End Sam Acho, Cornerback Aaron Williams, Defensive Tackle Kheeston Randall, and Offensive Lineman Kyle Hix all echoed the use of a 24 hour period instituted by Coach Brown as a time to reflect on the game against UCLA, then move on to the next game.
On the loss, Brown was blunt. “We got out-hit. We got out-hustled. We got out-coached in all three phases. That’s totally unacceptable at Texas. It’s the first time that I think we’ve played that poorly since Kansas State in ’07.”
When asked how important this weekend’s rivalry match-up was and how his team could get confidence back, Brown commented, “They’re all [games] big. The biggest games at Texas are the losses...The only thing you can do is go out and play better. You can’t talk about it. You’ve got to produce.” Clearly, something that, if the Longhorns hope to have any marked success against OU, they must do come Saturday afternoon.
The one player OU looks to get to repeatedly Saturday is Starting Quarterback Garrett Gilbert. Though only a Sophomore, Gilbert knows the challenge facing him. “They [OU] are going to be a challenge for us. We are going to have to be very sharp.”
The Red River Rivalry might have lost some of its luster this weekend with Texas’ loss to UCLA, but make no mistake, both sides of this historic rivalry - and their respective fans - will be ready for battle. As the saying goes, “...throw out the records, throw out the hype...” because this game, no matter how good or bad either team may be coming in, most always lives up to the national attention and hype it receives.
I feel this game should be a defensive struggle throughout. OU has shown flashes on defense this year of being a typical Bob Stoops crew. With shut-down Cornerback Jamell Fleming practicing this week and ready to play come Saturday, the Sooners defense should be to full strength. Look for each team to unveil some new “wrinkle” on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. My prediction: OU 24, UT 17.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)