Texas Shocks Oklahoma: Instant Reaction

What a fantastic game between the Horns and the Sooners. Texas wins 45-35 in the highest scoring game in the history of the Texas-OU series. Here’s a quick breakdown of what I saw:

• Sam Bradford is the best QB I’ve seen in a college game since Matt Leinart. There weren’t many throws he couldn’t make, and he has a ridiculously quick release and is very accurate. He fought to the end, and shredded a (still I think underrated) D for 387 yards and five TDs. Chase Daniel is going to be incredibly tough next week as well, as he might be even better, though that’s hard to say after Bradford’s effort.
• Colt McCoy has all the heart, toughness, and savvy you’d ever want in a player, and his effort (277 yards passing, 34 rushing) and resiliency in playing from behind for nearly 40 minutes against the No. 1 team in the country is worthy of praise of legend. I don’t know if UT fans can boo him ever again, unless he gets another concussion, of course. Also, he momentarily makes a three-man race a two-man race, to be decided next week against Chase Daniel. Bradford still could win.
• Greg Davis gave his best performance since the Rose Bowl, but also potentially even better, and the best of his Texas career. The four-wide first half usage with Shipley playing in the slot and eating up the middle was not only great, it got OU to back off the line in the second half, opening up huge holes for Ogbannaya. And, he took some early shots down field with solid success. No qualms for him.
• Flopping is now officially a part of football, as both Colt McCoy (twice) and OU’s punter sold late-hit penalties that probably shouldn’t have been called. Not thrilled about this.
• Texas is now a four-pronged attack, as McCoy (308 total yards), Ogbannaya (127 rush yards), Quan Cosby (122 rec yards) and Jordan Shipley (112 rec yards, KR TD) all were dominant. I started brainstorming for a nickname for the four, and the best one I heard was the Four Hornsmen. I like it, even if it rips off both Notre Dame and the book of Revelation.
  
• Outside of one terrible miscue by Muckelroy and Thomas on the Jermaine Gresham 52-yd TD in the second quarter, the freshman safeties were pretty solid. Earl Thomas made a fantastic interception in the second quarter, and also got a cheap second INT on the last play of the game. He also forced a potential game-changing fumble on a big offensive play that rolled out of bounds. Blake Gideon also was all over the field, making eight tackles. Future is great there.
• Penalties KILLED OU. Lots of holding calls to kill plays. The two late hit calls were big on UT drives. There were three or four offsides penalties that may otherwise have hindered drives. Texas only really had one BAD penalty in the running into the kicker for a first down.
• Both O-lines were both good and bad. Good in creating chances for big plays on both sides, but both gave up sacks (Texas four, OU three), and neither ran the ball well, save for the two big Ogbannaya runs. Kind of a push both ways.
• Red Zone offense was scary good. With the slight aid of the interception that wasn’t by Oklahoma, both teams were perfect in the Red Zone. Texas had four TD and three FG in 7 red-zone visits, while Oklahoma scored four TD on their four visits inside the 20.
• Not many games have had as many momentum/game-changing plays. From the hyperspeed offense of OU getting on early, to the KR TD by Shipley, to the Gresham 52-yd TD, to the Thomas INT, to the fake punt stop, to the running into the kicker penalty, to Ogbannaya finally breaking a big gain. Incredible.
• Cody Johnson looked like a modern day Refrigerator Perry despite being a running back himself, running three times for three TD. Roy Miller’s TD drop was both heartbreaking and humorous, as having a 300-pounder with a TD in and out of his hands was tough. But, no harm, no foul, as on second down Johnson had his third TD.
• The two battles I watched the most was Brian Orakpo against Phil Loadholt, which Orakpo dominated, with six tackles, four for a loss, and two sacks, even hurrying Bradford into an easy sack by Sergio Kindle, and Roddrick Muckelroy against Jermaine Gresham, which Gresham won with a dominant five reception, 90 yard, 1 TD performance in a losing effort. Muckelroy did finish with a team-high 14 tackles.

Overall, a great week for the University of Texas, with a huge win over a No. 1 team and rival, and with the basketball commitment of top-15 recruit Jordan Hamilton, a sweet-shooting 6-foot-7 forward from Compton on Thursday.

UT-Mizzou should be nearly as big (barring OK State shocking Mizzou), and it will be Heisman front-runner duel part two with Daniel and McCoy. Great game.