Nothing missing this year
Posted on Saturday, October 11, 2008
DALLAS — If the Texas-Oklahoma series were only about the sights, sounds and smells of their annual matchup at the Cotton Bowl, it would still be a lot of fun.
It’s special, though, because on top of a great environment there is a long tradition of high-caliber, high-stakes games — and today’s should be a doozy.
This will be the 103 rd meeting between the Red River rivals, but only the 10 th time each team comes in with a ranking that can be counted on one hand: the Sooners at No. 1, the Longhorns at No. 5.
The crowd will be bigger than ever, topping 92, 000. That breaks down to an additional 8, 000 folks in burnt orange on one side of the 50-yard line and an extra 8, 000 in crimson and cream on the other side. Decades later, players remember the explosion of those colors when they walk down the tunnel and onto the field, and now it should be even more spectacular.
“I’m ready for Saturday already,” Texas quarterback Colt McCoy said — on Monday.
Both quarterbacks know the intensity of this rivalry and the joy of winning, each having done so as a freshman. McCoy did it two years ago, Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford last October.
Now they are back and leading two of the nation’s most potent offenses. Whoever wins will have his team in prime position for the Big 12 title and for a national championship. They might also go home as the Heisman Trophy front-runner.
“It’s more than just bragging rights,” Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops said.
Heck, even the coin toss will be important.
The Longhorns are outscoring opponents 52-9 in the first quarter and 132-29 in first halves. As impressive as that is, Texas Coach Mack Brown has to note that “they’ve been better.” The Sooners are winning first quarters 103-3, a number so lopsided it looks like a misprint. Just ask Michigan fans; their team has 103 points all season. Another 22 major-college teams don’t even have that many.
Oklahoma does it with a nohuddle scheme that keeps defenses from shuffling personnel and with Bradford picking on the guys coaches would have taken out.
Protected by an offensive line featuring four seniors, he throws to receivers Manuel Johnson, Juaquin Iglesias and Ryan Broyles, or tight end Jermaine Gresham, or gets the ball to running backs DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown.
The result: OU is racking up 49. 6 points and 540 yards a game, and Bradford has the second-best passer rating in the country.
“We trust him so much,” Stoops said.
The Sooners defense is darn good, too, allowing 159 yards passing a game, a teeny number considering opposing offenses are playing catch-up from the start.
For Texas, this starts a makeor-break stretch. Third-ranked Missouri is next, followed by No. 17 Oklahoma State and No. 7 Texas Tech.
Against Oklahoma and the rest, the Longhorns will need great defense and an offense that can run the ball to control the clock and play keep-away. They have done those things so far, but haven’t really been tested. The Longhorns haven’t faced a ranked opponent, and only Colorado (3-2 ) has a winning record among teams they have played. (OU has beaten TCU and Cincinnati, which are a combined 9-0 outside losses to the Sooners. )
Texas’ defense is run by new coordinator Will Muschamp, a fiery guy who knows about rivalries from his days with LSU and Auburn. His resume includes a victory over the Sooners in the January 2004 national championship game. His depth chart, however, includes two freshman starters. Still, they’ve given up only 11. 4 points a game, fourthbest in the country, and are recording a national-best 3. 8 sacks per game.
McCoy is the Longhorns’ leading rusher, which shows what a dual threat he is and how much trouble Brown has had settling on a featured back. Senior Chris Ogbannaya will start, something he’s done only once.
McCoy’s decision-making is what makes the Longhorns go, especially when they go no-huddle. He’s fourth in the country in passer efficiency, just a bit behind Bradford.
“We are both doing a good job of leading our team,” Mc-Coy said.
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