Week 6: Texas at Colorado

The Longhorns leave the state of Texas for the first time, although a trip to UTEP surely felt like a long road trip.

The Longhorns should also be tested for the first time, after Arkansas failed to resemble the Razorbacks of old.

For Colorado, this is a chance to rebound from its loss at Florida State and restore the momentum the Buffaloes were building before that first setback.

For both, it’s an initial measuring stick for what’s to come in the Big 12.

“Now is the real test,” said Texas cornerback Ryan Palmer. “This is when it starts to get serious.”

The Longhorns can’t afford to look ahead to next week’s Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl. And they know it, having lost at home to Kansas State the week before the showdown with the Sooners a year ago.

At the same time in Boulder, the Buffs were taking down Oklahoma.

The major difference between last year and this: quarterback Colt McCoy is thriving behind a matured offensive line, leading the league in passing efficiency with 14 touchdowns and just one interception. The Longhorns are averaging 49.5 points a game.

Colorado is searching for that kind of efficiency at quarterback. And something close to that kind of production, with an inconsistent offense averaging 26.8 points a game – 11th best in the league.

Buffs quarterback Cody Hawkins has his moments, good and bad. Colorado needs more of the good with three top 10 teams lined up the next four weeks.

“We have a great chance to redeem ourselves this week,” Hawkins said.

Notes:

Colorado has lost starting right tackle Ryan Miller for the season to fractured fibula suffered against Florida State. Texas is coming off back-to-back games with seven sacks.

The Buffs’ first score in each of their last three games has been touchdown passes from Hawkins to Josh Smith.

Wideout Quan Cosby became just the second Texas player to amass 1,500 receiving yards and 1,500 kickoff return yards for a career.

McCoy continues to rise up the Longhorn passing charts as a junior, with his 573 career pass completions moving him ahead of Peter Gardere into second place all-time at UT.

Player to Watch (Longhorns) – Brian Orakpo, DE

The Texas defense has taken aim on enemy quarterbacks. Orakpo leads the charge, with his 5 1/2 sacks in four games leading the Big 12. The Buffaloes need production in the passing game from Hawkins, or risk becoming one-dimensional. Orakpo will be hard charging against a young offensive line made younger with the loss of Miller.

Player to Watch (Buffaloes) – Rodney Stewart, RB

Much will be made about Buffs running back Darrell Scott, who spurned Texas to sign with Colorado last winter. But Stewart has taken hold of the position, producing two straight 100-yard rushing days. He’ll be called on to get the CU running game in gear and take some pressure off Hawkins.

Texas by 11