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12th ranked Oklahoma came into the game at perfect 5-0, a team with all the confidence in the world after the last two Red River Shootouts ended in blowout fashion. For the Longhorns, it had been a tough season with a couple shameful losses, a fired defensive coordinator, and change at the Athletic Director and potentially Head Coach spots. Oklahoma came in the heavy favorite, Texas came in with it’s backup quarterback and little to no depth along the offensive line. The Sooners were set up to show up and blowout the Longhorns.
Only someone forgot to let the Longhorns know how things were to go.
Johnathan Gray ran for 123 yards as part of a crushing running game which gained 255 yards overall, and Case McCoy threw two touchdown passes as the Longhorns crushed Oklahoma 36 to 20 in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday. Dubbed the “State Fair Street Fight†by many including great Texas Ex Rod Babers, The Longhorns channelled the moxie of the late great Texas quarterback and handed Bob Stoops a stunning loss.
The teams traded field goals in the early going, but you could tell this wasn’t the Texas team we’d seen all year, as the offensive line and running game were absolutely dominant. With 2:29 to go in the first quarter, the momentum turning play of the game was struck by the much maligned Texas defense, as DT Chris Whaley, who was a highly recruited running back in high school, intercepted an awful Blake Bell pass and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown to put Texas on top 10-3.
A few minutes later, Case McCoy channeled his brother Colt and hit Marcus Johnson in stride on a 59 yard bomb to put Texas head 17-3. Two Anthony Fera field goals sandwiched around a Damien Williams TD following a long kick off return left the score 23-10 at the half for the Longhorns. Just how dominant were the Horns? Outside of a WR sweep, the Sooners only had 47 yards rushing in the half. Blake Bell was harassed several times, and overall this Texas team looked like they wanted it more, and needed it badly.
The Sooners came out far more inspired in the second half, determined to overcome just how bad Blake Bell had played at point, but only managed a field goal to pull within 10 after the opening drive of the second half. With the momentum trying to swing toward the Sooners, Daje Johnson put it to bed, taking a Jed Barnett punt back 85 yards for a touchdown to put Texas up 29-13. Texas kept pounding the hapless Sooner offense, and just before the start of the fourth quarter McCoy hit Mike Davis from 38 yards out to put the Longhorns up 36-13.
The fourth quarter was more of a defensive slug fest, and the Sooners did have signs of life after Geneo Grissom took an awful and ill advised Case McCoy screen pass back 54 yards for a touchdown. The Sooners then got the ball back and drove into the redzone, but turned it over on downs after a Longhorns stand with 5:14 left.
From there, the Longhorns suffocated the Sooners with a time killing drive to end it. With his career on the line again, Mack Brown pulled out a major upset in Dallas.
Just how dominant was the Longhorns win? Texas rushed for 255 yards on 60 carries, and had 444 overall. Oklahoma had just 263 yards, many coming once the game was out of reach. Texas held the ball over 35 minutes, held OU to just 2/13 on 3rd down, and absolutely destroyed Sooner ball carriers every time they got a shot at them.
Does this change the grand scheme of things? No, it likely does not, but for yourselves, for this team, for the fan base, and for the State of Texas: Let the change talk chill till Monday. Go out and enjoy this win where Texas absolutely embarrassed Oklahoma…..
…and be happy… you aren’t going home to Norman.
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Hook Em!
