Game Day

The 103rd Red River Rivalry turned into an old-fashioned Red River Shootout in front of a record crowd of 92,182 at the Cotton Bowl during the Texas State Fair in Dallas.

After four lead changes and even more unpredictable big plays, the dust finally settled with No. 5 ranked Texas knocking off No. 1 ranked Oklahoma, 45–35, in the highest scoring game in a series that dates back to 1900.

“It’s a shame either one of these teams had to lose. It was hard fought. The guys on both teams just left it out on the field,” said Texas coach Mack Brown.

“It was a heavyweight fight that continued throughout the day. Every time one would get up, the other one would come back, and vice-versa. Neither team gave up and neither team quit. … I though it was one of the greatest football games I’ve ever seen.”

The Longhorns have now won three of their last four games against the Sooners, taking a 58–40–5 all-time lead in the historic rivalry. The win over No. 1 OU was UT’s first victory over a top-ranked team since defeating No. 1 USC, 41–38, in the Rose Bowl to capture the 2005 BCS national title, and Texas’ first win over a No. 1 Oklahoma team since a 28–7 win in 1963.

After falling behind 14–3 early in the second quarter, Texas receiver Jordan Shipley energized the Horns with a 96-yard kickoff return touchdown. But the Sooners quick-strike offense took advantage of a Longhorns defensive lapse, scoring on a 52-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jermaine Gresham to take a 21–10 lead.

Texas closed out the first half with the first of three Cody Johnson goal line touchdown runs and a 33-yard Hunter Lawrence field goal which was set up by a diving interception by freshman safety Earl Thomas, going to the locker room trailing 21–20 at halftime.

Both the third and fourth quarters began with scoring strikes to speedy OU receiver Manuel Johnson, only to see UT answer with scores — closing out the third quarter with a 30–28 lead and ending the game with a 45–35 edge.

“Congratulations to Texas. Their staff and team played an outstanding game and really executed well throughout the game. I give credit to them. We weren’t good enough and they were and they made plays that made a difference in the second half. It was a hard, well-fought game. But they got the better of us,” said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops.

“When you play a game that’s four quarters, you’re going to have times when it’s going well and times when it isn’t. They did a better job down the stretch when they had to.”

In a high-profile quarterback duel, both signal-callers delivered. Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford completed 28-of-39 passes for 387 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. Meanwhile, Texas field general Colt McCoy completed 28-of-35 passes for 277 yards, one touchdown, zero interceptions and the all-important victory.

The two teams combined to score 80 points — the most in the series history — while also combining to gain 873 total yards — the third-most in Red River Rivalry history.

Now, Texas must prepare to face Missour next week, in a game that has the potential to be a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown with potential BCS national title implications.

“The fact that we won this game makes next week’s game with Missouri that much bigger,” said Coach Brown, who earned his 195th career victory with a win over OU.

“That puts us at a different place and now we’re at a bigger goal.”

Holy Toledo

Michigan lost to a Mid-American Conference school for the first time in the program’s history, following a 13–10 loss to Toledo. Wolverines kicker K.C. Lopata missed a potential game-tying 26-yard field goal with four seconds remaining in regulation.

UM now has a 24–1 all-time record against MAC teams. The Wolverines are off to their worst start in 41 years, when the 1967 squad started with a 2–4 record. At this rate, Michigan’s streak of 33 consecutive bowl berths is in doubt.

“I’m just extremely disappointed and embarrassed,” said first-year Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez. “In all three phases we’re working hard to try and correct things and then something else creeps up on us. We just got to get back to work and get better.”

On the other side, the “Glass City” of Toledo — which borders Michigan on the western side of Lake Erie — has reason to celebrate a Big House upset. In a strange game, Toledo scored on a 100-yard interception returned for a touchdown by Tyrrell Herbert and two field goals by kicker Alex Steigerwald — a routine 29-yarder in the third quarter and a 48-yard game-winner that took a fortuitous bounce off the crossbar to seal one of the biggest wins in Rockets history.

OSU, Man

Billionaire oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens donated $165 million to Oklahoma State, his alma mater, in 2006. And following a tough few weeks on Wall Street, at least one investment has paid off, as the Cowboys upset Missouri, 28–23, on the road in Columbia.

“Oklahoma State is a great football team. They fought hard and they came ready to play. We didn’t play the part. We made too many turnovers. And I put it all on me,” said Mizzou quarterback Chase Daniel, following an uncharacteristically poor performance.

“We seemed like we were a little bit off all night. The reason, I don’t know.”

Daniel completed 39-of-52 passes for 390 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions in a game that could have vaulted the Tigers to No. 1 in the country following a loss by Oklahoma against Texas in the Red River Rivalry earlier in the day.

Instead, Missouri’s Heisman Trophy candidate had the prime time spotlight stolen by OSU quarterback Zac Robinson, who completed 19-of-28 passes for 215 yards, two scoring strikes and one interception, while tucking the ball to run 12 times for 34 yards and the first touchdown of the game.

Cowboys running back Kendall Hunter and receiver Damian Davis also made big plays under the lights at Faurot Field in Columbia. Hunter had 24 carries for 154 yards and one end zone celebration, while Davis made the most of his three catches, going 76 yards and hauling in both touchdown receptions.

Coach Mike Gundy — who by now is well known for being 40 years old, a man and a YouTube sensation — has the Pokes riding high with an undefeated 6–0 record, the team’s best start since 1945.

“This is a really big win for our program. If they win tonight, they may go to No. 1,” said Gundy. “To beat a team like that on the road is a really great victory for our program.”

JoPa Impressed

In his 43rd season as the head coach at Penn State, 81-year-old legend Joe Paterno has seen it all. But even a man who has seen it all can still be surprised, like JoePa was following a 48–7 blowout at Wisconsin.

“I thought we’d win, but anybody who thought we’d win by 41 hasn’t been in the game very long,” said Paterno, who coached from the press box again this week.

Penn State is off to a 7–0 start for the 11th time under Coach Paterno, who thinks the Nittany Lions “certainly deserve to be considered” in the BCS national title debate. Meanwhile, the Badgers must regroup following their worst loss since 1989.