Big XII South rises again

By John Hillman  |   Sunday, October 19, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

College Football
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Confederate money won’t buy anything. In college football, however, the Big XII South reigns supreme.

Top-ranked Texas proved deserving of its position by blasting Missouri 56-31. Colt McCoy could do no wrong as the junior quarterback passed for 337 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more in the dominating victory.

The Longhorns scored touchdowns on their first five possessions, and the hard-hitting Texas defense kept Missouri’s Chase Daniel completely off-balance. With the loss, Missouri, which was ranked No. 3 just two weeks ago, dropped to 16th in the polls.

Chris Ogbonnaya has emerged as the Horns’ leading rusher. The senior running back gained 65 yards on 13 carries and scored two touchdowns. Vondrell McGee also contributed to the ground game, carrying six times for 58 yards.

If Texas can run the table, a national championship berth awaits. Every opponent will give the Longhorns their best shot, and the next two contests -- matchups against Oklahoma State and Texas Tech -- will be pivotal. But if the Horns survive, only Baylor, Kansas and Texas A&M stand between them and the Big XII title game.

Despite the back-to-back losses, the Tigers remain in the chase for the Big XII championship. By sweeping their remaining five games, Missouri would capture the North crown and play in the title game on Dec. 6. After games with Colorado, Baylor, Kansas State, and Iowa State, the Tigers face their biggest challenge in Border Rivalry against Kansas.

No. 7 Oklahoma State becomes the latest challenger to knock off the Big XII’s kingpin when the Cowboys travel to Austin next Saturday. Last week, OSU warmed up for the nationally televised match by trouncing Baylor 34-6.

Dez Bryant ran roughshod over the Bears’ secondary, catching a career-high 11 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns. After spotting Baylor a first-quarter touchdown, Zac Robinson led the Cowboys to 34 unanswered points as Oklahoma State achieved its highest ranking since 1985. Robinson finished the day with 13 completions in 20 attempts for 238 yards and two touchdowns.

Fourth-ranked Oklahoma rebounded from its tough 45-35 loss to Texas and defeated No. 19 Kansas, 45-31. Sam Bradford passed for a school-record 468 yards and three TDs in a 36-of-53 performance.

Jayhawk quarterback Todd Reesing almost matched Bradford’s effort, throwing for 342 yards and touchdowns. But the Sooner defense picked off two of his attempts and sacked Reesing three times in the second half after Kansas pulled to within a touchdown.

Even with the impressive win, OU must depend on outside help to climb in the polls. The Sooners had their chance, but the loss to Texas dealt a crushing blow.

No. 8 Texas Tech continues to hang tough and rallied to defeat Texas A&M 43-25 last Saturday. The Red Raiders committed two turnovers and eight penalties in the first half against the Aggies and trailed A&M, 23-20, heading into the locker room.

But Tech’s defense limited A&M to a second-half safety on a blocked extra point, and Graham Harrell passed Texas Tech into its best start in 32 years.

Harrell completed 44 of 56 passes for 450 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two more. This week, the Red Raiders can prove their ranking when they travel to Lawrence and face No. 19 Kansas. A murderous November follows as Texas Tech plays three straight ranked opponents in Texas, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.
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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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