This is the first in a series of re-posts of classic columns that I've done through the years. We'll do this leading all the way up to the BCS National Championship Game on January 7th. Part I: The 2005 Red River Rivalry game, where Texas was looking to end an ugly five game losing streak to the Sooners. The Horns were big favorites, as they were rolling towards the national title game and Oklahoma already had two losses, but still...
What we learned from last weekend: Urban Meyer isn't used to going on the road...Michigan can show up out of the blue...Kansas State must REALLY suck...Texas A&M is the 4th best team in the state of Texas...Pete Carroll must write scenarios on the chalkboard before the game and see if his team can do it; "okay team, we're going to let them go ahead 21-3 at the half and try to come back? Can we do it?!?!?"...and Brad Smith is no Vince Young.
Anyhow...
I've tried everything.
I've used Eminem songs as inspiration. I've written minute by minute accounts of what we'll do that weekend. I've written pep talks and I think I've even tried picking OU one year.
Nothing seemed to help.
Longhorn fans almost seemed to accept last year's fifth straight loss in the series. I know I almost did. Sure, I was pissed and flabbergasted, but by the time we got to the bottom of that ramp I was cracking jokes and wondering what we were going to do that night (turns out have one drink and crash at the hotel).
But as Oklahoma State happened, and Kansas happened and we went to the Rose Bowl and Vince Young performed "The Producers" on the Michigan defense happened, we began to wonder...
What's it going to take to beat OU?
There are those out there, even myself included, that have enjoyed the Michigan wins, the Oklahoma State wins, the Ohio State wins, etc., but have been holding back for one thing....
A win over Oklahoma.
Because it's nice to talk about those milestone victories and talk about going to Houston for the Big XII Championship Game and talk about going to Pasadena for some bowl game, but at the same time it seems a bit silly to get ahead of ourselves when we've lost 5 straight to the Sooners.
All of that can change this weekend.
Sure it will still be silly to talk about Pasadena after this weekend, but finally the monkey would be off our back and we can talk about what can be, not what could have been.
Stores in Austin tried to get cute and make T-shirts and bracelets that said "Reverse the Curse". Others said that maybe Mack just can't do it against Bob Stoops. We thought about different t-shirts we could wear, different seating arrangements and whether or not we needed to get our prostate exam this year.
None of that matters, of course.
For, not unlike the Ohio State game, this one comes down to one man and one man only.
Vincent Young.
The last two years, turnovers in the red zone by Young have killed UT scoring drives and sent the Sooners on to victory. Don't get me wrong, I'm not really blaming the guy or placing the blame on his shoulders, afterall he was young and OU's defense made a lot of people look silly (except Matt Leinart....ha!).
As many have said and I reiterated in the Ohio State TWTWB, this is Vincent's team. Meaning that Saturday it will be on his shoulders to end the memories of Roy Williams vaulting over the line and hitting Chris Simms. Erasing the memories of Cedric Benson sitting on the bench and then getting stuffed when he did get in the game. Erase the memories of looking at the scoreboard hitting 0:00 last year and seeing Texas 0. Erasing the memories of Quentin Griffin on the delay draw getting another 10 yards. Erasing the memories of Jason White throwing dart after dart downfield on the way to 60 points. Erasing the memories of Rocky Calmus intercepting a pass and taking it to the endzone.
And shutting those f'ing Ruffnecks and their stupid little cannons up.
This team is different, and I believe that it is all because of Vincent Young. Who among us didn't believe that when he came on to the field with 5 minutes to go in Columbus that we weren't going to stuff the ball down their throats and walk out of there with a win?
VY did. He told his teammates that on the sidelines as soon as the Ohio State kicker missed the field goal.
And then he went out and did it.
He didn't talk about how they could still have a good season if they lost this game. He didn't talk about his Heisman Trophy chances. He didn't talk about wind conditions or the Ohio State defense.
He told his team that they were going to win because he believed in them and he believed in himself.
And *that* is the difference in this year's team.
There will be a lot of noise when Texas descends the ramp from the locker room to the Cotton Bowl field on Saturday afternoon. Insults will be hurled, boos will come down and profanities will be plentiful.
But VY won't hear them. He'll be too busy singing to himself and getting his team ready. They have a game to win and a streak to end.
And come Sunday morning the Cotton Bowl stands will be empty and the stadium quiet.
Just like the Longhorns critics.
On to the games...
Ohio State -3.5 @ Penn State:
Many are trying to proclaim Penn State contenders after their resounding win over Minnesota last week...
But not so fast, my friends.
Since when is Minnesota the benchmark of Big Ten teams? Sure they have a great rushing attack, but Penn State is in for a surprise on offense when they see those OSU linebackers.
Joe Pa comes back to Earth (hopefully gingerly, we don't want him breaking a hip).
Ohio State 31 Penn State 17
ATS - Ohio State
SU - Ohio State
Georgia @ Tennessee -3:
These teams look similar, even if the numbers don't really say so. Both have great defenses and so-so offenses. Although Georgia has put up some pretty numbers, they haven't been putting up the points on the scoreboard.
Georgia has the advantage in the "little" things, however. They have better special teams and force turnovers, which is something the Vols haven't yet done this year.
Expect a low scoring battle.
Georgia 23 Tennessee 17
ATS - Georgia
SU - Georgia
Cal @ UCLA -1.5:
It's the matchup of the unbeatens as 5-0 Cal finally gets to play in the Rose Bowl against 4-0 UCLA. No truth to the rumors that Mack Brown lobbied to get Texas/OU played in the Rose Bowl this weekend instead.
Cal has been dreadful through the air this year, instead going to Justin Forsett time after time. UCLA's rush defense hasn't been great this year, but it did hold Adrian Peterson in check.
I think UCLA pulls off a squeaker.
UCLA 31 Cal 28
ATS - UCLA
SU - UCLA
LSU -15.5 @ Vanderbilt:
Vanderbilt's run for the Rose Bowl ended quietly last week at the hands of Middle Tennessee State.
What a letdown.
LSU 37 Vanderbilt 14
ATS - LSU
SU - LSU
Texas A&M @ Colorado -3:
Colorado's defense has been more than adequate this season, coming into this matchup 12th in the nation.
Not that it matters when you're playing A&M. Joel Klatt is 72nd in the nation in pass efficiency.
Expect him to be a Heisman candidate come Sunday morning.
Colorado 31 Texas A&M 16
ATS - Colorado
SU - Colorado
Oklahoma v. Texas -14:
Texas has the #1 rushing attack in the nation. OU has the #3 rushing defense in the nation.
That's about where this matchup stops being favorable for the Sooners.
The Sooners rely heavily on inexperienced players, and the Red River Shoo....er, Rivalry isn't the place to gain experience.
Rhett Bomar has a bit of a flair for the dramatic, trying to run over defenders instead of dodging them. Aaron Harris is tying on a bib.
The Sooner OL has had it's problems, shuffling new guys in and out week after week. Rod Wright and Larry Dibbles are salivating.
The Sooner receivers are made up of mostly no names. The Longhorn secondary is one of the most seasoned in the country.
The Sooner secondary, on the other hand, is raw. Passing isn't Texas' strength, but ask Ohio State if they have some weapons in the air.
And we've made it this far without mentioning Vincent Young.
So Texas should blow them out, right?
You obviously haven't been watching the first 99 games of this series.
Texas 30 Oklahoma 20
ATS - Oklahoma
SU - Texas
For entertainment purposes only. Save your money for corn dogs, fried peanut butter & jelly & banana sandwiches and for a lawyer when the Texas Star finally collapses.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment