Texas’ Volleyball Fight Comes Up Short

Coming off a straight-set defeat (25-19, 25-20, 25-15) of the #11-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers in their semifinal match on Thursday night, the #2-ranked Texas Longhorns (29-1) volleyball team prepared to take on the #1-ranked and back-to-back national champion Penn State Nittany Lions (37-0) on Saturday night. The championship match appearance was the first for the ‘Horns since 1995, winning once in 1988, although the squad made the semifinals last year before a heart-breaking three games to two loss against Stanford. The ‘Horns faced their toughest test of the year, by far, in the Nittany Lions – with teams that have won a NCAA record 101 consecutive matches – but the match pitted the teams who held the top two spots in the national rankings all season.

Off to a hot start, the ‘Horns surprised the Nittany Lions in the first two games, winning both (25-22, 25-20), on strong play from senior All-American outside hitter Destinee Hooker and the defensive presence of senior libero Heather Kisner. From there, the ‘Horns struggled while staying in contention, but Penn State won the next two games (25-23, 25-21) behind strong play from AVCA National Player of the Year Megan Hodge to even the score going in to the final game. Texas led early in the game to 15 (win by two), but as any national championship team does, the Nittany Lions rallied and won the final game (15-13), the match and their third straight national championship. The Nittany Lions finish their season 38-0, and have now won 102 consecutive matches.

Hooker, who led the ‘Horns with 34 kills in the match, was named the NCAA Championship’s most outstanding player, and joined senior Ashley Engle and junior Juliann Fauscette on the all-tournament team. A full recap of the game can be found here.

It was a great season for the ‘Horns, and although they lose some of their key seniors heading in to the 2010 season, they have built the foundation for a superb team for years to come.

Hook ‘em!

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Game Preview: Texas Longhorns v. North Carolina Tar Heels

Saturday, December 19
2:00 p.m. ET
ESPN

In what is building up to be one of the biggest games in recent Texas basketball history, the unbeaten and #2-ranked Texas Longhorns will face off on Saturday afternoon with the storied #10-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels in the new Texas Stadium in Arlington.

#2 Texas Longhorns (9-0)
The ‘Horns have yet to face an elite opponent in the 2009 season, yet after starting off the year ranked #3, they’ve quietly crept their way up to #2 right behind Big 12 Conference foe Kansas. As you may know, the 2009 squad is loaded with talent, including returning seniors center Dexter Pittman (13.7 points and 6.2 rebounds/game) and forward Damion James (15.4 points and 10.1 rebounds/game), not to mention a swath of talented freshman from across the country that allow Texas to go deep in to games with fresh players. All told, the ‘Horns have five players averaging double-digit points per game, but they will need to rely upon the experience and leadership of the seniors on the big stage, and lay off the 3-point shot, which has been their go-to shot selection early in the season.

Texas center Dexter Pittman

To be successful in this game, and down the stretch, head coach Rick Barnes has to get more production out of his players at the free throw line, where they have been miserable to-date with only two players shooting better than 70 percent from the line. Those “free” points will help Texas extend and hold a lead late in games, and it will be critical not only to Saturday’s match-up, but to their long-term success in 2009.

Coming in Saturday’s game, the ‘Horns have a few key injuries including guard J’Covan Brown (who has been cleared to play) and forward Shawn Williams (who will not play) – both sustained left ankle injuries in the game against Texas State last week.

#10 North Carolina Tar Heels (8-2)
The Tar Heels are young and talented as well, and despite two early season losses to #24 Syracuse and #4 Kentucky, they have knocked off #15 Ohio State and #9 Michigan State. In addition, the Tar Heels have experience on the bench against the ‘Horns by way of former Kansas coach Roy Williams, who led his Jayhawk teams against Barnes in year’s past. Williams’ current squad is led by two strong forwards in Deon Thompson (averaging 17.1 points and 8.1 rebounds/game) and Ed Davis (14.0 points and 9.5 rebounds/game), but also get strong play from their point guards Marcus Ginyard and Larry Drew II. All told, those four players average about 28 minutes a game, and the Tar Heels are capable of playing deep in to their bench just like the ‘Horns. Without a true center, however, it will be interesting to see how they match-up against Texas’ Pittman in the paint, not to mention guard/forward James who can play inside or out for the Longhorns.

For a full preview, including strengths and weaknesses of both teams heading in to Saturday’s match-up, check out this article on ESPN.

Hook ‘em!

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2009 College Football Award Results

2009 Heisman Trophy
In the closest balloting ever in the history of the Heisman Trophy, yet another sophomore was named to the lifelong fraternity of football elites earlier this month in New York City.

Following in the footsteps of Florida QB Tim Tebow and oklahoma QB Sam Bradford when they were sophomores, the 2009 award was presented to Alabama RB Mark Ingram, but he won only by the slimmest margins (28 votes), over surprise second place vote-getter Stanford RB Toby Gerhart. Texas Longhorn QB Colt McCoy finished third in the balloting, ahead of Tebow – who made his third trip to NYC as a finalist for the award – and Nebraska DT Ndamkong Suh. While McCoy finished third overall, he didn’t take the Heisman voter’s Southwest region, which went to Suh, and even failed to win over his hometown sports reporters (the Austin American-Statesman, whom has four Heisman voters, had only one pick McCoy as their 2009 winner – there reasoning here). Here’s hoping Ingram will one day help quiet annoying former oklahoma sooners RB Billy Sims, who continues to embarrass the trophy’s name with his awards show antics of yelling or promoting “Boomer! Sooner!” during the live broadcast.

In the end, Texas fans fear not. Recent memory proves that Texas football – including players who have been runners-up for the Heisman Trophy – have extremely good luck in the bowl games against Heisman winners. Especially when the national championship is on the line. Webster defines that: “See also: 2005.”

Other notable Big 12 Conference Award Recognition
Texas Longhorns QB Colt McCoy
Maxwell Award – Honors the nation’s best all-around player.
Walter Camp Football Foundation’s Player of the Year Award – Honors the nation’s player of the year; this is the second consecutive year McCoy has won the award.
Davey O’Brien Award – Honors the nation’s best quarterback.

Nebraska Cornhuskers DT Ndamkong Suh
Chuck Bednarik Award – Honors the nation’s best defensive player.
Outland Trophy – Honors the nation’s best interior lineman.
Lombardi Award – Honors the nation’s top lineman.
Bronko Nagurski Trophy – Honors the nation’s top defensive player.

While several other Texas-state (TCU DE Jerry Hughes) and Texas Longhorn players (WR Jordan Shipley and DB Earl Thomas) were finalists for the aforementioned and other national awards, including the Jim Thorpe Award honoring the nation’s best defensive back and the Biletnikoff Award honoring the nation’s best wide receiver, Tennessee DB Eric Berry and Notre Dame’s Golden Tate won those awards respectively.

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It’s Official: Heisman Trophy Finalists

Just days after the conference championships were decided, the Heisman Trophy committee has announced the finalists for this year’s award. This is the first time since 2004, when USC’s Matt Leinart won the award, that five players have been invited to New York City for the ceremony. The award will be given in a ceremony in NYC on Saturday, December 12, and will be broadcast live at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Right now, based on media coverage of the conference championship games and ensuing BCS bowl game announcements, it would appear as though Alabama RB Mark Ingram would be the leading candidate for the award following his stellar performance against Florida on Saturday. He is followed closely by Stanford RB Toby Gerhart, as well as Texas QB Colt McCoy, who all but blew his chances in front of a national television audience as he attempted to lock up the award Saturday night. To round out the five finalists, Florida QB Tim Tebow and Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh will give chase and should be long-shots to win this year’s award.

Let’s review some highlights from each of these finalists’ seasons:

Alabama’s Mark Ingram
249 carries for 1,542 yards rushing (6.2 yards per carry) and 15 TDs; 30 catches for 322 yards and 3 TDs

Stanford’s Toby Gerhert
311 carries for 1,736 yards and 26 TDs; 10 catches for 149 yards and 0 TDs

Texas’ Colt McCoy
3,512 yards passing and 27 TDs (12 INTs), good for a 70.5% completion rate; 128 carries for 348 yards rushing and 3 TDs; winningest college QB of all time

This one game says enough about McCoy to summarize the season…

Florida’s Tim Tebow
2,413 yards passing for 18 TDs (5 INTs), good for 65.2% completion rate; 203 carries for 859 yards rushing and 13 TDs

Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh
82 tackles (47 solo), 12 sacks, 1 INT, 10 passes deflected

By far, the Big 12 Championship game against #3 Texas was Suh’s highlight reel for 2009 – 12 total tackles (10 solo) and 4 sacks.

Honestly, so long as former ou RB Billy Sims isn’t on stage yelling “boomer! sooner!” as he did in 2008 when ou QB Sam Bradford won the award, the college football nation should be content with the voter’s decision. As for Eyes Of TX, let’s take a look at the predictions:

Eyes Of TX’s 2009 Heisman Trophy Prediction:
1. Alabama RB Mark Ingram
2. Texas QB Colt McCoy
3. Stanford RB Toby Gerhart
4. Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh
5. Florida QB Tim Tebow

Saturday in Arlington: What went right, wrong?

With a national title berth on the line, Saturday night’s contest for the Big 12 Championship between the Texas Longhorns and Nebraska Cornhuskers was a game for the ages. While Texas QB Colt McCoy probably lost the Heisman Trophy with his performance, McCoy got his team’s wish of delivering on the chance to play for the national championship in Pasadena leading the ‘Horns to a 13-12 victory. Let’s take a look at what went right and what went wrong for both squads on Saturday night in Arlington.

Texas Longhorns
What went right?
Well, not much, really. While the Nebraska defense was superb, Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and his squad’s effort should not be overshadowed. In a game where the Texas offense couldn’t stay on the field, the defense was asked to step up and keep the game within reach and they did. The defense gave up only 106 yards offensively to Nebraska – 39 passing and 67 rushing – and yielded only five first downs the entire game while tallying three turnovers.

The kicking game – and we’re talking the field goal unit only – was the star of the night. Senior kicker Hunter Lawrence was the epitomy of calm on Saturday night, as he was 2-for-2, including his game-winning 46-yard field goal as time expired.

What went wrong?
The Texas offense was absolutely pathetic. In large part, Nebraska’s defense is to blame – they played fantastic across the front four and in to the secondary – as they pressured McCoy all night, and locked down every receiver Texas threw at them. If Texas was going to play Alabama for the national title, the Nebraska defense gave them the best preparation they could ask for, and Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban will bring a similar defensive attack in Pasadena. As mentioned, with only 184 yards passing on 20-of-36 attempts and three INTs, McCoy did everything he could to potentially lose the Heisman Trophy race. As expected, the running game was also dominated by the Nebraska front four, gaining only 18 total yards (keeping in mind McCoy’s sacks contribute to that total). All told, the Texas offense gained only 202 yards of offense and 17 first downs on the night. Pure and simple, the offensive line played like a pee-wee team against one of the best defensive tackles in college football. Period.

Special teams continues to be a concern for the Longhorns as well. While there were no game-changing plays in the kicking game, they were far from perfect, as they gave up a big return late in the game that if not for Nebraska’s anemic offense, could have spelled trouble. Combine that with the partially blocked punt, and this group needs to get their edge back. Saturday’s game marks three games in a row where the specials have looked anything but, and it will need to get fixed before the national championship.

Nebraska Cornhuskers
What went right?
Obviously, the defense was phenomenal. The unit racked up nine sacks on the night, with 4.5 from defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh alone, and they held Texas to well under their season average in points and yards. More impressive, perhaps, was the effort from their secondary, which covered everything underneath and gave McCoy no where to throw when he was under pressure. They also kept Texas off the field with three key INTs, two of which were more on the receivers than McCoy, but eliminated Texas from getting any rhythm on offense. Despite the loss, the defense earned back the “Blackshirts” mantra of Cornhusker lore on Saturday night.

What went wrong?
The offense. If Texas’ offense was pathetic, the only word to describe the Nebraska offense is inept. Here again, the Texas defense played a large role in inhibiting the Cornhuskers to put up any points, but when your offense is geared to the run, and that is the Texas defense’s strength, you’ve got to try some different things offensively. The Cornhuskers’ offense managed only 1.93 yards per snap, and their stout running game had no back carry the ball more than seven yards on a single carry. Yikes. Early on, the Huskers tried to use play-action to tee up the long pass, but the Texas defensive backs came up with two big INTs when QB Zac Lee looked downfield. Lee can play better, but his Saturday night should leave all Big Red fans wondering his future at the position.

Moving Forward
In the end, a highly-desired BCS controversy was averted, and TCU and Cincinnati can sit back and think back to just how close they came to making their run for a national championship. Early BCS projections (although the final announcements will come 5:00p PT on Sunday) have Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl facing Florida, while TCU and Boise State would match-up in the Fiesta Bowl, the first time a BCS bowl outside of the national championship game would host two undefeated teams. To round it out, Iowa (most likely) or Penn State would play Georgia Tech (ACC champ) in the Orange Bowl, and Oregon (Pac-10 champ) and Ohio State (Big 10 champ) will play for the Roses in Pasadena.

In the coming weeks, post-season awards will be won and lost, and bowl games will decide the fate of many schools 2009-2010 seasons. Come late Saturday night, however, McCoy and his team won the best post-season award of all – the Big 12 Championship and a chance to play for the national title.

Hook ‘em!

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KU’s Football Coach “Resigns”

After a three week investigation in to whether or not Kansas’ football head coach Mark Mangino verbally and/or physically abused his players, sources are telling ESPN that he officially resigned and/or was fired this evening, and a team meeting is expected late Thursday night.

While the investigation may prove Mangino a guilty party in the accusations, it is unfortunate to see Mangino leaving Lawrence. With a 50-48 record during his tenure, including a 12-1 season and Orange Bowl victory in 2007, this is disappointing news not only to the KU faithful, but to the Big 12 as a whole. Mangino brought the KU football program back to prominence, especially in the lackluster Big 12 North division, and while his attitude and conduct may have been to his detriment in Lawrence, he brought the fight back to a fledging KU football program that was consistently overshadowed by Bill Self’s basketball squad.

Surely, Mangino will re-surface in the NCAA ranks in the coming weeks (hello, Notre Dame). In the meantime, he surely has a chance to join the next season of the Biggest Loser.

Kansas football coach Mark Mangino

If not the “Fighting Manginos” than what?

Game Preview: Big 12 Championship – Texas Longhorns v. Nebraska Cornhuskers

December 5, 2009
7:00 p.m. Central
ABC

Texas’ 2009 “fourth season” is about to come to close exactly where the team wanted to be – in the Big 12 Championship game in Arlington on Saturday night. Head coach Mack Brown’s mantra this season has been “one game at a time” and focusing on splitting up the season in to four, three-game chunks to keep the team moving forward and delivering on their goal of reaching the conference and national championships. Check.

Last week, Texas showed some weaknesses – in particular, on the defensive side of the ball – and luckily, the offense and Mr. Heisman-hopeful carried the ‘Horns to a hard-fought victory in College Station. Things need to improve this week in order for the ‘Horns to tackle what might be their second-toughest opponent on paper in the Big 12. Don’t think the team isn’t locked on this game, though – if you saw or heard defensive coordinator Will Muschamp after the A&M game, you know the ‘Horns will have their act together defensively come Saturday night. Offensively, QB Colt McCoy has one last game to make his case for the Heisman Trophy in the two-horse race against Florida QB and the media-generated God-like figure Tim Tebow.

This Week
Eyes Of TX’s Prediction
Texas 38, Nebraska 17

Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-3)
At the beginning of the season, Eyes Of TX predicted Nebraska would win the Big 12’s North Division. In hindsight, it was surprising who they were competing with for that title, and how close it really was down the home stretch. At 9-3 on the season, the Cornhuskers started the season inconsistently, but in the last five games, they’ve shown that they deserve their spot in Arlington on Saturday to play for the conference championship.

Don’t let Bo Pelini’s squad fool you – they worked hard and earned this game with Texas. Their three losses – to Virginia Tech, Iowa State, and Texas Tech – were all different in their own right. Visiting the Hokies, they had a chance to win in the closing minutes and fell just short. Playing Iowa State at home, they had one of the most disastrous games a college football fan has ever seen (with eight turnovers), and they still only lost 9-7. Against Tech, well, anything is possible with this Red Raiders team this year, and the Cornhuskers caught them on a good week of football. Net-net, Pelini will not let his defensive-minded team roll over for this game. They will be amped up, ready to play against the odds, and potentially upset the ‘Horns the same way the James Brown-led Texas team did in the inaugural Big 12 Championship game in 1996 (when they were also three TD underdogs).

The mediocre Nebraska offense is based on and led by the running game, and we’ll start there. The Huskers bring two stud running backs to attack the stout Texas run defense in Roy Helu, Jr. and Rex Burkhead. Helu, at a solid 6’2” 215-pounds, is the lead back who is an inside threat with the speed to occasionally break runs to and up the sidelines. He’s tallied more than 1,100 yards rushing on the year, and many of those yards have come after contact, while his 5.4/yards per carry average has led him to 10 TDs on the season. He can also be an outlet for the Nebraska QBs, as he’s also caught passes for more than 149 yards on the season. Generally, however, you can expect to see his touches coming primarily in the I-formation with his feet attacking the Texas defense north-south. The Huskers second running threat is 5’11” 200-pound freshman Burkhead. Burkhead is the speed back, and he’s been successful in the offensive scheme running and catching the ball as a supplement to Helu’s grunt work in the inside. The Cornhusker’s success – both running and throwing the ball – lies directly on these two backs.

If Nebraska is smart, they keep the ball in the hands of the backs, and allow their QBs Zac Lee and Cody Green to supplement their efforts while eliminating mistakes from the playcallers. There has been some back-and-forth at the QB position this season, but Lee’s managed to maintain the starting job, and he is the more adept passing threat. Lee has completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,931 yards and 13 TDs, although he’s thrown seven INTs, and has been under the microscope all season. Let’s be honest, his role on Saturday will be to help control the clock, hand the ball of to his stable of backs, make timely throws, and keep the Texas offense off the field. After the A&M game, the positive for the Texas defense is that they can count on Lee always being in the pocket to throw the ball as his running ability is limited – especially after an injury to his ankle/knee last week against Colorado. He’s accounted for less than 100 yards rushing this year, and has no rushing TDs to his credit – in other words, Nebraska let those position players do the work, and they do it well. If the Huskers do decide to run the option, they will use Green, who is more of a dual-threat QB using his feet to move the chains. As alluded to above, Lee is the better passer, as Green has only completed 56 percent of his passes on the season, so Texas can expect to see Green primarily coming in to the game for rushing plays. On Saturday, Nebraska’s passing threat will completely be dependent on the rushing attack, as they are most efficient when they get opposing defenses to bite on play-action.

The wide receivers for Nebraska are solid, but not spectacular – and, they don’t have to be in Pelini’s offensive scheme. Their leading receiver is Niles Paul, who at 6’1” 215-pounds is a sizable target for Lee or Green downfield. He leads the team with 649 yards receiving, while scoring three TDs. The bigger threat, especially in a play-action offense, is the tight end and the Huskers have a good one in 6’4” 240-pound Mike McNeill. While he’s the third leading receiver on the team with 237 yards receiving on the year, he is their red zone threat, with a team-leading four TD catches. There are other playmakers, but those two will be the keys for the Texas secondary. It will be important for the ‘Horns to chip block McNeill at the line of scrimmage on play-action, and the safeties to key on him downfield, to throw off the timing of the legitimate QB-TE tandem.

The Nebraska offensive line doesn’t have any big names to shout about, but they do their job by creating a huge push off the line of scrimmage and creating running lanes for the backs to work their way downfield. Led by center Jacob Hickman, the line will need to create holes for the running game, and give Lee time to throw in the pocket on passing downs, and play-action plays could help slow the Texas pressure. While solid, they do give up 1.5 sacks/game, and expect Muschamp to dial up pressure when Nebraska is forced to throw.

Overall, the Huskers’ offense ranks mid-pack in the NCAA, and is 92nd in total offense with 334 yards per game, good for only 11th-best in the Big 12. They take a further step backward in pass offense, ranking 93rd nationally. But, in scoring offense (72nd) and rushing offense (64th), they show off some of their strengths. While not mind-blowing offense statistics, when their defense is holding opposing offenses to well under their season-averages, the offense just has to be good enough, and they’ve proved they are capable by winning nine games on the year.

The defense is the strength of this 2009 Nebraska team, hands-down, and they are led by Eyes Of TX’s Heisman candidate in defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. The future NFL first-rounder (and potential top pick) is the kind of all-around tackle that controls the line of scrimmage, scares the daylights out of QBs and RBs, and is legitimately a one-man show on the defensive side of the ball. Check out this stat line (and remember he’s doing all of this at nearly 300 pounds): 70 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 10 passes deflected, 17 quarterback pressures, a fumble recovery and an interception. Whoa. The Texas offensive line should be worried about just Suh, but because of his abilities, the rest of the defensive line benefits as well. Suh’s sidekick on the line is Jared Crick, who has contributed 65 tackles and leads the team with nine sacks. Between Suh and Crick, this will be the toughest inside match-up for the ‘Horns offense this season outside of oklahoma. The defensive ends aren’t anything to shake a stick at either, although they provide more run support than pass rush, tallying six sacks and 16 tackles for a loss this season. It will take a legitimate group effort from the ‘Horns offensive line to keep the Nebraska front four at bay.

The linebackers, like the secondary, are dependent on the front four being productive and disrupting opposing offenses. When the offensive line isn’t getting to the second level, the linebackers are great at cleaning up and taking advantage of the gaps to get in to the backfield to create momentum-killing tackles for a loss. They also have the ability to cover sideline-to-sideline, although Texas’ speed should prove overwhelming over four quarters. The secondary is more than capable of making McCoy make more than one read in the pocket. In particular, safety Matt O’Hanlon has the ability to watch the QBs eyes and make big plays down the field to get the Nebraska offense off the sidelines. Overall, the Huskers secondary has snagged 16 INTs on the year, and O’Hanlon has five. Pelini also likes to use his corners and safeties to bring additional pressure, and it’s fair to say, McCoy and the Texas running back corps will see some looks they haven’t seen all season long. Picking up the blitz and blocking downfield will be paramount to helping the Texas offense break some plays open.

The Nebraska specials have the benefit of Alex Henery, a kicker with a leg developed by some branch of the military for all intents and purposes. He is 16-of-20 on field goals this season while not missing any extra points, and as a punter, he averages 42.3 yards per kick. The way Texas has played on special teams, Henery’s leg could pose field position problems all day long. The Huskers kick coverage is mediocre on both punts and kick-offs, so there is some potential for Texas to take advantage, especially if Jordan Shipley and Marquise Goodwin can hit some holes.

#3 Texas Longhorns (12-0)
For the ‘Horns, it’s time to go out and take what is rightfully theirs. They’ve fought through adversity all year long – sickness, injuries, lapses in the offense and defense – and they are still in a position to go undefeated and play in the national championship game in January. The focus needs to be Nebraska this week – no looking ahead – because Pelini’s team will be ready to spring the upset and earn a BCS trip they feel they deserve.

On offense, the key is the offensive line. Nebraska’s defensive line will give the ‘Horns trouble all game long, and the smallest lapse or hesitation will give the Huskers the opportunity to capitalize. If the offensive line can drive off the ball, and Greg Davis can keep the defense guessing (in other words, throwing downfield and giving up on the bubble screen already), then Texas has a shot both running and throwing the ball. While all Texas fans want McCoy to stay healthy and avoid big hits, his production in the running game was critical in last week’s win and could prove valuable again this week if the Nebraska defense over-pursues in pass rush or the defensive ends crash down on the zone read. With the emergence of WR Malcolm Williams in addition to Shipley, the Huskers will have to commit to eyeing them. That opens the door for James Kirkendoll and TE Dan Buckner to get their opportunities. Nebraska will look to control the clock and keep McCoy and the offense on the sidelines, so when they get their chance, they’ll have to make the most of it.

The defense needs to come in with a chip on their shoulder, and they will if Muschamp has anything to say about it. They were absolutely embarrassed in College Station, although the Aggies top-10 offense is nothing to ignore when looking at the stats. Missed tackles and coverage assignments were prevalent last week, and in order for the ‘Horns to stifle the Nebraska offense, things need to get fixed…fast. The good thing is, those starters know it – and they’re a proud bunch who wants to go back out and prove that they just as stout as Pelini’s squad. The play of the defensive line will be key in stopping the run, and the secondary will need to play up in run support, while not being fooled with play-action passes. If the line can keep the linebackers clean, expect Rod Muckelroy and Keenan Robinson to have big stat days. Keep your heads, and make sure tackles. Gang tackle, as they say, especially against Helu, who is a big back that keeps his legs churning through the interior of the line.

This is Texas’ game to lose. If they game plan correctly, the offense can have a hey-day in Arlington on Saturday. If the offensive line doesn’t play up to snuff – and Suh and Crick will make plays – it will be a long day for McCoy and the pass-happy Texas offense. The special teams has had three horrible weeks in a row, and they need to figure out how to tackle all over again to be effective. Get it fixed. This is the shot the ‘Horns have wanted for 365 days. No asterisks. Make it happen, and Texas fans will be enjoying the sun in Pasadena in January.

Pre-game Resources
2009 Texas Longhorns Roster
2009 Nebraska Cornhuskers Roster
University Co-op Gameday Newsletter / Pod casts

Hook ‘em!

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College Football: Week 14 Viewing Guide

This is it, essentially the last week of the college football regular season. With it, there are conference championship games and “de facto” championship games, all coming to a television screen near you. This week is for all the marbles as college football fans will see the national title picture and the rest of the BCS mess cleared up.

Nothing is on regional coverage this week, so to hell with the coverage maps! All rankings are the current BCS standings. Grab some cold ones and crash your couch like you’re a Salahi at the White House with Eyes Of TX’s week 14 viewing guide as your ticket to this week’s college football match-ups. No Secret Service approval necessary.

Thursday
9:00 PM ET
#16 Oregon State at #7 Oregon, ESPN
The winner of the Civil War will take the Pac-10 title and with it, a trip to meet Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. You’ve got to love an in-state rivalry game with so much riding on it. Neither team has been to the Rose Bowl in at least 15 years (or, 45 years for the Beavers). USC head coach Pete Carroll is rolling over in his L.A. grave, er, mansion. OSU bonus: Sara Jean Underwood!

Friday
8:00 PM ET
Central Michigan v. Ohio, ESPN2
The MAC Championship. Central Michigan carries an unbeaten conference record that includes victories over Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, and Michigan State. Who knew Michigan was so big? They also dominated Northern Illinois (hey, they’ve got to start somewhere), so they are the favorite in any game featuring a region, thus giving Ohio a fighting chance, right? Oh, we lost you at MAC?

Saturday
12:00 PM ET
#5 Cincinnati at #15 Pittsburgh, ABC
Another conference championship is on the line, this time featuring an undefeated team without a prayer of playing for the national title. Football fans would sooner see a rematch of the SEC title game than the Bearcats sneaking into the BCS’ top two. Given the shine of the Irish gold, could this be Brian Kelly’s last game for Cincinnati? Bonus: Pittsburgh head coach Dave Wannstedt’s uneven mustache!

3:30 PM ET
Arizona at #18 USC, ABC
To fill in the gap before the SEC Championship check in on this one. Plenty is riding on this game for USC with regard to bowl placement. The Trojans could finish second in the conference with a win (if Oregon State loses), or as low as sixth if Arizona pulls off the victory. Is Arizona football suddenly better than Arizona basketball? In December, it sure seems to be the case – go Desert Swarm!

On a Big 12 note, the #2-ranked ‘Horns take on USC on the hard court in the Erwin Center in Austin on Thursday night (9:00p ET on ESPN2).

4:00 PM ET
#1 Florida v. #2 Alabama, CBS
Blah, blah, blah, Tebow, blah, blah, Saban, blah, blah, blah, scripture, blah, eye poking, blah, blah, Ingram, blah, defense, blah, blah, DUI, blah, blah, blah, rematch, blah, Heisman, blah, blah, blah. This game will be great, too bad it’s sullied by all of the hyperbole and exhausted storylines. Plus, if you choose to watch this game and not the Big 12 Championship, you probably shouldn’t be reading this blog.

#22 Nebraska v. #3 Texas, ABC
The Big 12 title game is finally here. One final test for the Longhorns and after a neck-and-neck game last week at A&M, there’s plenty of speculation that this will be a greater test than anyone anticipated midway through the season. As expected, a victory on Saturday all but guarantees Texas a slot in the BCS title game in Pasadena. Expect loads of negative energy to be focused on the ‘Horns as most of the country would love nothing more than for the Cornhuskers to pull off the upset and throw the BCS world into a tizzy with TCU waiting in the wings to move into one of the top two national rankings. Bonus: Truth! Hook ‘Em!

Now, a viewing guide bonus!

Sunday, December 12th
2:30 PM ET
Army v. Navy, CBS
This game is always a treat despite the fact that neither team has been really competitive on a national level for about a hundred years. In the wake of the President’s recent announcement that the U.S. will be committing 30,000 more troops to the war effort in Afghanistan, it is nice to pause and watch kids being kids because after all, this violent game is what these guys do for fun, and when they go to work, their jobs are far worse. It’s also a source of morale for our men and women already serving overseas, and as fans and patriots of a great country, we can’t send them enough. So good luck and thank you to both sides for all that you do to protect our freedoms.

Thanks to LilPete for what has been an awesome series of viewing guides this season, keeping college football fans around the world on track. Perhaps a bowl season viewing guide is next?

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2009 College Football Bowling Updates

It’s hard to believe the college football season is winding down, but with it, the NFL heats up as teams make the chase for the wild card and playoffs, and college basketball arrives granting us two Big 12 Conference teams atop the early-season national rankings (#1 Kansas and #2 Texas).

With only conference championship football games left to play, several college bowl games have already started to make team selections or extend invites, based on their conference affiliations.

Cotton Bowl (Big 12 v. SEC)
Oklahoma State (9-3) v. Ole Miss (8-4)
This match-up represents the “could-have-beens” from the 2009 season. Both the ‘Pokes and Cowboys disappointed their legions in season full of high expectations. It remains to be seen who will step up in the bowl game’s first showing outside of the actual Cotton Bowl (this year’s game will be played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington). More background here.

Hawaii Bowl (USA v. WAC)
Southern Methodist (7-5) v. To be determined opponent (potentially Nevada OR Hawaii, if they beat Wisconsin this weekend)
It was a momentus occasion in Dallas’ Highland Park neighborhood on Tuesday. And, it should be. After an absence of more than 20 years from post-season play, the Mustangs will make their first bowl appearance since 1984. As their AD said, “There is life after death,” referring to SMU’s harsh death penalty ruling from the NCAA in 1997, which closed the football program for two years. With former Hawaii coach June Jones running the show in Dallas these days, a match-up with his former team would be intriguing. More background here.

Other Relevant Bowl Game Possibilities
Other Texas-state and Big 12 Conference teams in the college bowl game hunt, with their likely destinations or invites, include: Texas (BCS national championship, with a win Saturday; potential BCS at-large with loss), TCU (Orange Bowl [BCS]), Texas Tech (Alamo Bowl), Texas A&M (Independence Bowl), Houston (Liberty Bowl), Nebraska (Holiday Bowl; potential BCS, with an upset Saturday), Iowa State (Texas Bowl), Missouri (Insight Bowl), and oklahoma (Sun Bowl). A more comprehensive list of bowl projections can be found on ESPN, for example, here.

College Football: Week 13 Viewing Guide

It’s Thanksgiving week, which is also Rivalry Week. We’ll be light on commentary this week, because most of these games speak for themselves. Many of these rivalries are sullied this year with dominant teams facing off against their historic opponents in rebuilding years. However, for those teams with nothing else to play for, these match-ups will be their “championship” because it would bring a team – like Auburn or Texas A&M – no greater pleasure than to spoil the BCS title hopes of their nemeses. So, don’t be surprised to emotional play lead to some surprising upsets this weekend.

Remember to check the TV coverage maps, and note that all rankings are the current BCS standings. Enjoy your leftovers and save room to indulge in your week 13 viewing guide.

Thursday
8:00 PM ET
#3 Texas 49 v. Texas A&M 39
This was…unusually close. Despite the loss, the Aggies might have played their best game of the year – at least offensively. QB Jerrod Johnson looked fantastic, and will continue to be a threat to Texas in the next couple of years. Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will be irate after the way the defense played Thursday night, but my guess is that emotion and momentum kept the Aggies in the game much longer than expected because the ‘Horns offense clicked most of the game. If you’re running behind on Eyes Of TX content, the in-depth game preview can be found here. There is no asterisk as division champs this year, as Texas has plowed their way to the Big 12 Championship game against Nebraska on December 5th.

Friday
11:00 AM ET
Rutgers at Louisville, ESPN2
Exciting! Not. But, football season’s almost over….let’s feast while we still can.

12:00 PM ET
Illinois at #5 Cincinnati, ABC
One final test for the Bearcats. Rumor has it former starting QB Pike will make the start this week. Eyes Of TX says, “why mess with a good thing?” Hope that doesn’t backfire for Cincinnati, but an upset sure would make the BCS happy.

2:30 PM ET
#2 Alabama at Auburn, CBS
Can ‘Bama overcome their biggest rival to give themselves a shot at #1 Florida, the SEC championship and the national championship? We’ll see how Auburn gets up for this game after a killer start, but a late season let-down. If head coach Gene Chizik pulls off the upset, sadly, he will be enshrined as the best coach ever at Auburn.

3:30 PM ET
Nebraska at Colorado, ABC
Nebraska has clinched the Big 12’s North division and will face #3 Texas on December 5th for the Big 12 conference title. This will be the last opportunity to see what Bo Pelini’s squad has to offer, in particular his offense, and while most thought it will be Colorado’s last chance to help head coach Dan Hawkins keep is job, the university confirmed that he would be coaching in Boulder again next season. The NCAA might as well give CU the “death penalty” because they’ve definitely rolled over this year.

7:00 PM ET
#9 Pittsburgh at West Virginia, ESPN2
Does anyone else think Pittsburgh head coach Dave Wannstedt has a funny mustache?

10:00 PM ET
Nevada at #6 Boise State, ESPN2
Close out the night with this late game. Boise State could be shut out of the BCS this year despite being #6 and undefeated. It’s too bad their weak schedule didn’t allow us to see just how good they can be, and perhaps Oregon helped them look better than they actually are… With #5 Cincinnati and #4 TCU as mid-major schools ahead of them in the BCS, it will be a disappointment for the home of the blue turf.

Saturday
12:00 PM ET
Both of these games are intriguing for the in-state bragging rights implications. Neither matchup is particularly compelling but in the context of Rivalry Week, they’re definitely worth watching.

#18 Clemson at South Carolina, ESPN
The ‘ol Ball Coach tries to make a stand in Columbia against a ranked opponent. Win or lose, they could keep Clemson RB C.J. Spiller from winning some post-season awards if they can hold him to a sub-par performance.

North Carolina at North Carolina State, ESPN2
If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around, does it make a sound? In the shadows of the Appalachian mountains, its basketball season folks.

12:21 PM ET
#25 Mississippi at Mississippi State, check local listings
If you can find this, see the same reasons as above. If anything, Texas fans can relish in the fact that when the pressure was on to deliver a big year for Ole Miss, former Longhorn back-up quarterback Jevan Snead fell flat in 2009.

12:30 PM ET
#12 Oklahoma State at oklahoma, Comcast Sports Net
Another one that will be hard to find, unfortunately, because it’s always nice to watch ou struggle. With this year’s ‘Pokes team rolling to a potential BCS at-large bid, it’s hard to imagine them dropping this one, even though they’re away from home.

3:30 PM ET
Florida State at #1 Florida, CBS
Florida’s won the last 21 games of this series, if memory serves. For Seminoles head coach Bobby Bowden, the good thing is he’s old enough to forget each game. Florida wins big, and sets up the ultimate SEC Championship match-up of #1 v. #2 Alabama for the right to play in the national championship.

#14 Virginia Tech at Virginia, ESPN
Virginia is an absolute debacle this year. Expect the Hokies to roll the ‘Roos at home.

#17 Miami at South Florida, ABC
This might actually be interesting, as South Florida started out the year strong, as did Miami. We’ll see what the ACC has to offer up the bowl committees besides a surprising Georgia Tech. Can Miami step up?

(Also in this slot on ABC is Arizona at Arizona State, and Missouri at Kansas.)

5:00 PM ET
#21 Utah at #19 BYU, CBS College Sports
A great in-state matchup between two of the best non-BCS conference teams.

7:00 PM ET
Arkansas at #15 LSU, ESPN
LSU has found out they weren’t quite as good as they thought, in part due to horrible coaching by Les Miles last week. Arkansas has been inconsistent, but could pull off the upset. Unfortunately, Death Valley isn’t an easy place to play, especially the week after an LSU loss.

8:00 PM ET
Georgia at #7 Georgia Tech, ABC
Who would have thought the best team in Georgia would be out of Atlanta? Georgia Tech’s triple-option has proven surprisingly successful this year. Go Yellowjackets!

Notre Dame at Stanford, ABC
What could be head coach Charlie Weis’ last game at Notre Dame will be shown in most of the country. Meanwhile, Stanford will try to stamp their ticket with another win against a big-time program.

Thanks again to LilPete for his 2009 season viewing guides.

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