Texas Longhorns: Parallel Seasons, Parallel Championships?

History is said by some to be cyclical.  Hopefully, for the 2009 edition of the Texas Longhorns, it is.

If you look back on the events around not just college football, but all of college sports, you will see that the events that occurred before the 2005 college football season are very similar to those that have occurred before the 2009 season.

Let's start with Texas's win at the Fiesta Bowl.

In 2005, Texas won it's first ever BCS game against a Big Ten team in heart-pounding, come-from-behind fashion.

In 2009, Texas won it's first BCS game since their national championship victory, and it came in heart-pounding, come-from-behind fashion against a Big Ten team.

In 2005, Texas began the year ranked second behind defending national champion USC.

In 2009, Texas is beginning the year ranked second behind defending national champion Florida.

In 2005, USC was seeking to become the first-ever back-to-back BCS champion after defeating Big 12 champion Oklahoma for the title the year before.

In 2009, Florida is seeking to become the first-ever back-to-back BCS champion after defeating Big 12 champion Oklahoma for the title the year before.

In 2005, Texas had a defensive coordinator from Auburn, Gene Chizik.

In 2009, Texas has a defensive coordinator from Auburn, Wil Muschamp.

In 2009, Texas will play the exact same Big 12 schedule that they played in 2005.

In 2005, Texas had no running back emerge as a go-to guy, and thus the Longhorns used a running back-by-committee.

In 2009, Texas has no featured back, and thus they will use a running back-by-committee style.

Going into 2005, Texas had lost only one game the season before.

Going into 2009, Texas lost only one game the season before.

Going into 2005, Texas was looking to end a streak of three OU Big 12 championships since Texas last won the Big 12 title.

Going into 2009, Texas is looking to end a streak of three OU Big 12 championships since Texas last won the Big 12 title.

In 2005, the Big 12 championship was played at a Texas NFL stadium in Houston.

In 2009, the Big 12 championship will be played at a Texas NFL stadium in Dallas.

In 2005, the National Championship game was played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

In 2009, the National Championship game will be played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

In 2005, the Texas Longhorns baseball team faced an SEC opponent (Florida) in the College World Series Finals.

In 2009, the Texas Longhorns baseball team faced an SEC opponent (LSU) in the College World Series Finals.

In 2005, North Carolina won the National Championship in basketball against Big Ten opponent Illinois.

In 2009, North Carolina won the National Championship in basketball against Big Ten opponent Michigan State.

Hopefully, all of these similarities are all pointing to another dramatic victory for Texas in the Rose Bowl come January.  Hopefully, that Rose Bowl game won't be the first bowl game played in Pasadena this January, but rather the BCS Championship game.

If history truly is cyclical then we should hopefully once again see a Texas quarterback with a five letter last name (Young, five letters; McCoy, five letters) hoisting the crystal ball in Pasadena. 

Let's keep our fingers crossed, Texas fans.