Texas is even better after Oklahoma game
DALLAS | Many of the postgame questions at the Cotton Bowl aimed at victorious Texas were about Missouri.
Little did they know Oklahoma State was hours away from a major buzz kill.
What would have been the Big 12’s second top-five showdown in as many weeks disappeared with Oklahoma State’s 28-23 upset of the third-ranked Tigers in Columbia.
The Pokes were only crafting their own mega-matchup. If they can contain Robert Griffin and Baylor in Stillwater next week and Texas can keep Mizzou deflated, the league’s next big deal is Texas-Oklahoma State in two weeks.
Instead of following its remarkable 45-35 masterpiece over top-ranked Oklahoma on Saturday with another emotionally changed week of preparation, Texas must guard against overconfidence and find a way to take Missouri seriously.
History suggests that will happen.
The surest thing in the Big 12 is Texas’ focus the week after the Oklahoma showdown.
The Longhorns take a 10-0 post-Oklahoma record under coach Mack Brown into the game, and after the Tigers’ dispirited effort, there’s no reason to think the perfect streak will end.
Mizzou didn’t or couldn’t react to a physical defense. Quarterback Chase Daniel was bothered in a way that hadn’t happened in a couple of years, and his Heisman hopes were seriously damaged on a night he was outplayed by Oklahoma State’s Zac Robinson.
Part of that was the defensive pressure. Daniel got it in waves from the Cowboys. Robinson danced around what little the Tigers brought.
But Daniel’s third interception that sealed the deal was on him. A terrible throw completed a nightmare game, one that couldn’t have been anticipated from the quarterback who means so much to Missouri he’s part of the school’s promotional commercial along with professors during the telecast.
Oklahoma State gave Daniel and Mizzou the same treatment they received from Oklahoma in last year’s Big 12 championship game. That wasn’t supposed to happen again. Until Saturday, the only team that had stopped Missouri had been Missouri with turnovers.
But you got a sinking feeling about the night when coach Gary Pinkel opted for a field goal on the first possession. Here was Missouri with one of the game’s great offenses, 18 inches from the goal line, trotting on the kicking unit.
And that would be the only kick the most reliable kicker in the game, Jeff Wolfert, would nail in three attempts.
Now, Missouri faces a monster task not to fall to 1-2 in Big 12 play. The Tigers challenge a Texas team coming off an amazing effort and a quarterback who will replace Daniel at the top of Heisman watch lists.
Colt McCoy passed for 277 yards and guided Texas to four scoring drives of at least 74 yards. He benefited from great hands receivers Jordan Shipley and Quan Cosby and by an officiating crew intent on protecting him with flags for out of bounds hits that seemed unavoidable.
The Longhorns have even become versatile on offense. Senior running back Chris Ogbonnaya, making only the second start of his career, rushed for 127 yards, including a back-breaking 62-yarder in the fourth quarter that set up Texas’ final touchdown.
“This was about everybody today,” McCoy said.
Everybody wearing burnt orange will be rewarded in the polls. Entering the game, Oklahoma was first and Texas fifth in the USA Today, Harris and Associated Press polls. But Nos. 2-3-4 were a jumble of Missouri, Alabama and LSU.
The Crimson Tide didn’t play and both Tigers lost — LSU to Florida. That puts Texas at least No. 2 and look for the Longhorns to grab some first-place votes.
Under Brown, the Longhorns haven’t been ranked first in a regular-season poll, spending the entire 2005 season in second until the magical night in the Rose Bowl and victory over Southern California.
“How awesome would it be to play the No. 1 ranked team two weeks in a row, if it works out that way?” McCoy said.
It would have been. But no matter the circumstance, Texas is always ready for this week.
Join the discussion
Share your observations and experiences about news. Lively, open debate is the goal, but please refrain from personal attacks or comments that are racist, vulgar or otherwise inappropriate. If you see an inappropriate comment, please click the "Report as violation" link to notify a KansasCity.com editor. Thanks for your feedback.