Big Week for Big XII

By John Hillman  |   Sunday, September 28, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

College Football
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As top 10 giants fell right and left over the weekend in college football, Oklahoma and Texas saw their stock rise. The Sooners dispatched TCU, 35-10, and capitalized on USC’s 27-21 loss to Oregon State to claim the nation’s top spot.

With their 52-10 win, the Longhorns handed former Southwest Conference rival Arkansas its worst defeat in series history. Losses by No. 3 Georgia and No. 4 Florida catapulted Texas into the fifth spot in the polls.

Two Big XII members advanced with open dates. Missouri climbed to fourth and garnered one first-place vote during the weekend of upsets, while Texas Tech wound up in seventh place.

Facing the Horned Frogs and their nation’s best-ranked defense never fazed OU. Quarterback Sam Bradford aired it out against TCU and led the Sooners to a 21-3 first-quarter lead.

Bradford, who threw for 202 yards in the first 15 minutes, finished with a career-best 411 aerial yards and four touchdown passes. In four games this season, the sophomore signal-caller has totaled 16 scoring tosses with only two interceptions.

Manuel Johnson benefited the most from Bradford’s throws, snaring five passes for a school-record 206 yards. That number broke the old mark of 190 yards set against Texas in 2003 by Mark Clayton, a former first-round draft choice of the Baltimore Ravens. Johnson’s five catches included touchdown receptions of 76, 55 and 63 yards.

Colt McCoy’s passing numbers didn’t match Bradford’s. But the junior quarterback continued upping his figures in the Texas record book.

McCoy completed 17-of-19 attempts against the Razorbacks with three going for touchdowns. e also rushed for a game-high 84 yards and two touchdowns. McCoy, who broke former Longhorn Major Applewhite’s career touchdown passing record last weekend against Rice, has now totaled 65 in three seasons.

Both teams open Big XII action on the road this weekend. The Sooners travel to Waco and face a resurgent Baylor team led by true freshman quarterback Robert Griffin.

But the Bears struggled defensively in their losses to Wake Forest and Connecticut. With Bradford humming the ball at will, OU’s offense should produce big numbers against Baylor’s 36th-ranked defense.

Texas faces a bigger challenge in Colorado. The Buffaloes have thrived on upsetting top teams at Folsom Field and knocked the Sooners out of the national championship race last season.

If the Longhorns have any weaknesses, they’re found on defense. Quarterback Cody Hawkins will try to isolate his receivers on Longhorns freshmen safeties Earl Thomas and Blake Gideon. The Buffs also hope Boulder’s oxygen-thin atmosphere provides an edge against the high-octane Texas offense.

Both the Sooners and Longhorns should emerge with road victories this weekend. The undefeated powerhouses then tangle at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas for the annual Red River Shootout.

Although much rides on the outcome for both the schools, all college football fans come out winners with this matchup. The historic rivalry rarely fails to produce an exciting contest, and this year’s encounter should be no exception.




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About John Hillman

John Hillman graduated from Baylor University in 1974 with a BBA in accounting and earned an MBA from Baylor in 1987. He worked for accounting firms until 1982 when he became the chief financial officer for an independent insurance claims adjusting service, a position he still holds today. ...
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