Oregon Ducks News

Sporting News' Matt Hayes analyzes what Wednesday's buzz means to college football. Tim Tebow says the Bulldogs gave as good as they got Saturday. Tebow's coach isn't pleased about that. Clean up the mess Welcome, everyone, to the World's Largest Steel Cage Match. You want dirty? We've got dirty. Earlier this week, when Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes was getting gouged by the court of public opinion for his dirty play in the Georgia game, Florida QB Tim Tebow defended Spikes—an odd moment... for Mr. Clean in such an obvious situation of guilt. But when Tebow said earlier this week that Florida didn't do "anything in that game that (Georgia) didn't do," he wasn't kidding. Florida coach Urban Meyer said on Wednesday's SEC teleconference that he sent tape into the SEC office showing a late hit Tebow sustained against Georgia. The video is just as brutal, perhaps more, as Spikes' fingers in the facemask of Georgia tailback Washaun Ealey.   Meyer said "that should've been a penalty, in my opinion." This, of course, brings us to another sticky situation. It was last week when SEC commissioner Mike Slive told league coaches to stop publicly criticizing officiating—or feel the consequences of a fine or suspension. What does Slive now do with these comments from Meyer: "Obviously it should have been (a penalty). You have to protect the quarterbacks. That's the whole purpose. It's right in front of the referee." All about Bobby Poor Jimbo Fisher. At some point, you start feeling for the Pinata in Waiting. Bobby Bowden took it upon himself during the ACC's weekly teleconference to announce that, yes, he will make the decision on who replaces Mickey Andrews as defensive coordinator. "It's one of those things I'll make the final decision on," Bowden said. "But I'll definitely get (Fisher's) input—and very strongly." That and a quarter will get a ducat to a game at Doak Campbell Stadium, where there were more than 15,000 empty seats for last week's victory over N.C. State. Bottom line: Bowden again is asserting himself—and digging in—to coach the 2010 season. What defensive coordinator would want to step into this mess? Ladies and gentlemen, your new FSU defensive coordinator: Tommy Bowden! Fed to the lions The way Oregon has been canonized this week for rolling an—can we finally say it?—overrated USC defense, you would think Stanford is preparing to play the Indianapolis Colts this weekend at The Farm. And Cardinal coach Jim Harbaugh is feeding the masses. Pun intended. Harbaugh said he has been watching a YouTube video of a baby water buffalo that gets attacked by lions and then bitten at by an alligator.  Related Links Spikes asks to sit out full game; Florida obliges News: Meyer says Tebow received cheap shot Cook: The All-Mickey Andrews Team "I don't think we got it as bad as this baby water buffalo, and he was in maybe even a little more of a predicament," Harbaugh said. "He was able to survive, though. So we draw some inspiration from that." Stanford has lost seven straight to Oregon and eight of the last nine. Yet this has the potential to be a classic letdown game for the Ducks after their big win over USC. This story appears in Nov. 5's edition of Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only daily digital sports newspaper, sign up today for free. Matt Hayes covers college football for Sporting News. E-mail him at mhayes@sportingnews.com.more>>

Each week, Sporting News' Matt Hayes ranks the Division I-A conferences and the teams within each league. Conf. rankings No. 1 SEC No. 2 Pac-10 No. 3 Big Ten No. 4 ACC No. 5 Big 12 No. 6 Big East Nos. 7-11 2. Pac-10 1. Oregon 2. USC 3. Arizona... 4. Oregon State 5. Stanford 6. California 7. Arizona State 8. Washington 9. UCLA 10. Washington State Rising Oregon: Ducks have outscored their last five Pac-10 opponents 208-58 and are primed for first Rose Bowl in 15 years. Falling USC: All that talk about USC's dominating defense has come to this: In the last three games, the Trojans have given up 110 points and 1,462 yards. Yikes. Matt Hayes covers college football for Sporting News. E-mail him at mhayes@sportingnews.com.more>>

Sporting News college football expert Matt Hayes projects the BCS bowl games: BCS national championship game: Florida vs. Texas Rose Bowl: Oregon vs. Iowa Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Penn State Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. TCU Orange Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Georgia Tech Matt Hayes covers college football for Sporting News. E-mail him at mhayes@sportingnews.com.  

Sporting News' Dave Curtis analyzes what Sunday's buzz means to college football. Head duck: Tim Tebow has proven the perfect quarterback for Florida's offense, and a year ago, Michael Crabtree looked born to play in Mike Leach's Texas Tech scheme. Now a perfect running back-offensive concept combination has emerged at Oregon, where redshirt freshman LaMichael James runs until he's too tired to run any farther every Saturday. James, who went all Quizz Rodgers on USC on Saturday night with 183... yards and a score on 24 carries, gets better every week, his Oregon coaches insist. He has five 100-yard performances in his first seven college starts. "His vision has improved," coach Chip Kelly said of his redshirt freshman back. "When you call a run to the right, he's not just burying his head and jamming it up the right side." James danced his way through the Trojans' back seven on several carries, but he also held up between the tackles, especially in the first half. Kelly described the 5-9, 190-pound James as "short, not small," and able to take a hit inside. If the burlier LeGarrette Blount returns, he and James could form the best 1-2 back tandem out West since Reggie Bush and LenDale White. Where are the victors? Sorry, state of Michigan. It's time to pile on a little more. The Great Lake State fell far short of gridiron greatness Saturday, with all five Division I-A teams losing. Central Michigan got pummeled at Boston College, Eastern Michigan gave up 63 in a blowout loss at Arkansas, Western Michigan added a stinker against Kent State, and Michigan State allowed Eric Decker-less Minnesota run wild in a shootout. The big blow came midday, when Michigan got shut out in the second half and made 2009 Juice Williams look like 2007 Juice Williams in a 38-13 loss at Illinois. "We just have a lot of things to fix and get right," Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez told reporters after the game. That's not good news for UM, which has lost four of five games and still needs a victory to become bowl eligible. Related Links SN's top 24 AP top 25 Hayes: Title picture comes into focus Curtis: Ducks are Pac 10's new studs Big Bernard: Duke and SMU might trump Temple down the road. But for now, the Owls rank as the most unlikely member of the bowl-eligible club. They gained membership after Saturday's 27-24 win at Navy, a game highlighted by true freshman running back Bernard Pierce's 267 yards. Pierce first attracted coach Al Golden with a 4.41 40-yard dash at an Owl camp and has become the fulcrum of a Temple offense that has won six straight games and eight of 10 dating to last year. "He is driven to be the very best," Golden told Sporting News in an e-mail. "He works hard every day on his game, but especially blocking, catching and finishing runs." Already Pierce owns most of the Owls' freshman rushing records. And as the MAC's leading rusher (and the nation's third-best), he should earn his third East Division offensive player of the week honor. Dave Curtis is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at dcurtis@sportingnews.com.more>>

LaMichael James wings his way to to 184 yards rushing. EUGENE, Ore. -- The sign, in black ink on yellow cardboard, bobbed in Autzen Stadium's Section 41 as the Oregon band belted out another refrain of "Thriller." Its message, for sure, doesn't reflect the reality of college football on this particular date: Oct. 31, 2009.   But by the end of Oregon 47, Southern Cal 20 on Saturday night, it wasn't far from the truth.   "Welcome to the Fall of Troy" the sign read, and it's mistake was in the... details. The stunning beatdown Ducks fans witnessed didn't so much prove that the wounded Trojans are destined for the Holiday Bowl, and then a string of 5-7 records. It proved that Oregon ranks as the nation's new hot program. And soon, it might rank among the nation's elite.   "The polls are still probably going to be Florida and Alabama," Ducks safety T. J. Ward said. "We feel like we're right there with anybody."   In the here and now, the rout puts Oregon on track for an outright Pac-10 championship and establishes it as the one-loss team best set to sneak into the BCS national championship game. In other words, Ducks fans, a postseason in Pasadena looks mighty likely.   Oregon's victory is its most uplifting in ages. But the night, and really this whole weekend, stands out as a celebration of where Oregon football is. Its offense, which rang up 391 rushing yards and 613 overall on the Trojans, is the nation's best north of Austin, Texas. Its stadium, complete with students clad in special black "Fright Night" T-shirts, features half the capacity of some of its big-conference peers but brings as much volume as any venue.   And don't forget the charismatic coach. With the sun still in the sky Saturday morning, Kelly donned the Oregon mascot's duck head and rolled through ESPN's live pregame show.   "I had trouble seeing," Kelly said later. "And it smelled."   As the sun set Saturday night, his top pupils — quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and running back LaMichael James — were whipping a Pete Carroll-coached defense like it's never been whipped before.   Forty-seven points? Most allowed by Southern Cal under Carroll. The 27-point margin? Most lopsided loss in Carroll's nine years. The rushing yards? Best performance against the Trojans since Texas A&M in the 1977 Bluebonnet Bowl.   "It was a real mess for us," Carroll said. "Oregon did everything they wanted to do."   Related Links Hayes: National title picture gains definition Curtis: Who need LaGarrette Blount anyway? Recap: Oregon 47, Southern Cal 20 Hayes: Florida foes, fear the wrath of Tim Recap: Gators 41, Georgia 17 Recap: Texas 41, Oklahoma State 14 Samson: Top players, Heisman Watch Samson: Week 9's top teams, Poll Vault SN's full college football scoreboard As Carroll reflects, he'll realize he might be saying that more in coming years. Kelly said that just five of the Ducks' top 44 players are seniors. They always have recruited well coast-to-coast, and this sort of energy and result will only bolster those efforts.   Even if the sign forecasting Southern Cal's demise is wrong, and the Trojans continue on as a top 10-worthy program each year, they finally could have company within their own conference. And they'll have competition for the title of "Coolest football program in the West."   Saturday, the coaches and players said all the right things about focusing on Stanford next week, taking the necessary steps toward a conference title. Always, though, there's the thought of lapping Southern Cal and becoming the Pac-10 Conference benchmark.   "We're going to try to push them," Kelly said of his own players, "and take them to places they've never been before."   This story appears in Nov. 1's edition of Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only daily digital sports newspaper, sign up today for free.   Dave Curtis is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at dcurtis@sportingnews.com.more>>

The reign is over for USC and the redemption likely complete for Texas. And then there is Florida, in its familiar position of SEC East champions. The race for college football's national championship took a defining turn Saturday with three routs: No. 10 Oregon 47, No. 4 Southern Cal 20 No. 3 Texas 41, No. 13 Oklahoma State 14 No. 1 Florida 41, Georgia 17 "We're excited about where we're headed," Florida wideout Riley Cooper said. All three should be. The impact of those routs could be... felt all the way into the postseason. Related Links Curtis: Pac-10's new stud duck So who needs Blount anyway? Recap: Oregon 47, Southern Cal 20 Hayes: Florida foes, fear the wrath of Tim Recap: Gators 41, Georgia 17 Recap: Texas 41, Oklahoma State 14 Samson: Week 9's top players, Heisman Watch Samson: Week 9's top teams, Poll Vault SN's full college football scoreboard Oregon over Southern Cal What it means for the BCS: Non-BCS heavyweight Boise State, which beat Oregon in Week 1, gets a boost. But Oregon's win was so thorough, so convincing, don't be surprised to see the Ducks leapfrog a handful of teams. Texas over Oklahoma State What it means for the BCS: The Longhorns cleared their last hurdle in the watered-down Big 12. Texas just needs to avoid a major upset now and has better odds than Florida or Alabama of reaching the BCS championship game. Florida over Georgia What it means for the BCS: The stale Gators found a little of last year's dynamic offense, and the timing could not be better. Another second-half run like 2008, and Florida will play for its third national title in four years. This story appears in Nov. 1's edition of Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only daily digital sports newspaper, sign up today for free. Matt Hayes covers college football for Sporting News. E-mail him at mhayes@sportingnews.com.more>>

LaGarrette Blount is an awesome talent, but Oregon is flying without him. EUGENE, Ore. – No rush, LeGarrette Blount. Bully for you if Oregon and the Pac-10 choose to reboot your college football career this week. But there's no need to go into overdrive on coming back. It turns out the Ducks don't need Blount, this year's expected team cornerstone, to win a championship. LeGarrette is a luxury at this point, at UO showed with gusto Saturday night before a raucous (and record) crowd at Autzen... Stadium. Oregon 47, USC 20 rocked college football this Halloween night. Coach Chip Kelly's Ducks began the evening being known for Blount's punch of a Boise State player back around Labor Day. They ended it as the one-loss team best positioned to sneak into the BCS national championship game, and maybe the new kings of the Pac-10. The defeat was the most lopsided the Trojans have suffered since Pete Carroll took over as coach, and it's just their second double-digit loss in Carroll's nine seasons. The 47 points are the most USC has allowed in a game during that stretch. A changing of the guard in the conference? Maybe, but table that until December. There are more pressing concerns now. For starters, from where did these Ducks come? Has any team improved more from opening night? Fifty-eight days ago, Boise State bullied Oregon all over the blue turf in Idaho, keeping it without a first down for 2 1/2 quarters. Against USC, Kelly's Ducks showcased the best offense north of Austin, Texas. Redshirt freshman back LaMichael James, Blount's backup heading into the season, barreled through a USC defense for 178 yards and a score through three quarters. Oregon finished that period with 313 rushing yards, an average of nine per carry on the night and better than four times the Trojan defense's average coming into play. Related Links Hayes: National title picture gains definition Curtis: Oregon is Pac-10's new stud duck Recap: Oregon 47, Southern Cal 20 Hayes: Florida foes, fear the wrath of Tim Recap: Gators 41, Georgia 17 Recap: Texas 41, Oklahoma State 14 Samson: Top players, Heisman Watch Samson: Week 9's top teams, Poll Vault SN's full college football scoreboard But quarterback Jeremiah Masoli reigned as the star. He represented the key to the game all week – would his performance resemble his afternoon against Cal (21-of-25 passing, three touchdowns) or his day against Utah (4-of-16 passing, 47 yards rushing)? By the end Saturday he had posted the game of his life, with better than 200 yards passing and 100 on the ground. The visions of him dashing alone in the open field, the ball like a baton in a sprinter's hand, will haunt USC well past Halloween. The James-Masoli tandem (we're working on one of those catchy nicknames) has carried the Ducks to the precipice of a Pac-10 title. Road trips to Arizona and Stanford, plus a rivalry game versus Oregon State, loom. Blount's return, which will be discussed here Sunday in meetings between Oregon administrators and Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott, at one time figured to help determine whether the Ducks could keep winning. Not so much anymore. Take it easy, LeGarrette. Oregon keeps rolling without you. This story appears in Nov. 1's edition of Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only daily digital sports newspaper, sign up today for free. Dave Curtis is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at dcurtis@sportingnews.com.more>>

Dave Curtis, Sporting News EUGENE, Ore. – Pac-10 Conference commissioner Larry Scott will meet Sunday with suspended Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount to help determine whether he'd sign off on Blount's reinstatement. The meeting will be one of several regarding Blount. Scott said Saturday he will visit with Oregon coach Chip Kelly and other university administrators to learn more about Blount's suspension and the terms of an... agreement between Blount and the Oregon athletic department that could bring him back to the team. Kelly has said that Blount could return as soon as next weekend's game at Stanford. Any decision on reinstatement would be two-pronged, Scott said. First, Oregon would need to choose to bring him back to action. Once that decision is made, the conference would need to give its approval before he could play. "I want to have done my fact-finding and my analysis," Scott said in a press briefing in the Autzen Stadium press box. "I don't want to slow things down." Scott said he didn't anticipate an announcement on Blount's status on Sunday, but a decision could be made early in the week. Blount was suspended after punching Boise State defensive lineman Byron Hout after the Ducks' 19-8 loss to Boise State on Sept. 3. He hasn't played since. Scott said he did not know the details of the agreement between Blount and Oregon. In other news, Scott defended the conference's decision to suspend an official who missed a facemask penalty against USC safety Taylor Mays in an Oct. 24 game between the Trojans and Oregon State. The official was not named. Mays' hit knocked the helmet off OSU receiver James Rodgers. "What happened was so obvious and did involve dangerous play," Scott said. "There has to be accountability."more>>

Place: Eugene, Ore. Time: 8p.m. ET TV: ABC/ESPN2 Line: USC by 3 Three reasons USC will win

Attention folks in the Providence area: Don't be frightened later this afternoon if Bobby Bowden starts popping up and passing out candy to the area children. Yeah, he's supposed to be busy in Tallahassee trying to supervise his Florida State Seminoles against N.C. State. But the guy's been coaching since the Taft Administration, right? So maybe he can pull off two places at once. "You really think I look like him?" Grams B asked Thursday afternoon. Well, maybe it's the other way around.... Between his folksy personality and jowly looks, Bowden always seemed like the guy who could be bringing a pitcher of lemonade to the table. With sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat, Grams is a ringer. She hopes, however, that her Saturday luck continues to be better than Bowden's. Here are this week's selections, all straight up. No. 1 Florida vs. Georgia at Jacksonville, 3:30 p.m., CBS The skinny: Grams never liked neutral site games; kitchens and home cooking always trumped restaurants. But Tim Tebow loves playing in his backyard, and unless the Jags draft him, it might be his last game there for a while. Grams B: Florida, 33-10 Dave: Florida, 34-17 No. 12 Penn State at Northwestern, 4:30 p.m., ESPN The skinny: Why not JoePa as a costume? "I'm not that old," Grams said. "It's tougher for me to look like that." Painting herself purple, which figures to be popular at Ryan Field today, didn't score points with her, either. Grams B: Penn State, 37-21 Dave: Northwestern, 24-21 No. 21 South Carolina at Tennessee, 7:45 p.m., ESPN The skinny: The SEC used to be about great players and better football. Now, it's defined by field goals and whining about the officiating. "I don't like it when they complain about the refs," Grams said. So shut up, guys, and figure out this red zone stuff. Grams B: South Carolina, 24-17 Dave: Tennessee, 16-10 No. 3 Texas at No. 13 Oklahoma State, 8 p.m., ABC/ESPN2 The skinny: Time for the Cowboys to bust some ghosts. UT has won 11 straight in the series, including a fourth-quarter rally from 35-14 down two years ago in Stillwater. "It sounds like Oklahoma (State) can't beat those guys," Grams said. Related Links Key conference could get wrapped up Hayes' Week 9 story lines Hayes' Week 9 picks Sporting News expert picks Spotlight game: Texas vs. Oklahoma St. Spotlight game: USC vs. Oregon Grams B: Texas, 44-21 Dave: Texas, 30-20 No. 4 USC at No. 10 Oregon, 8 p.m., ABC/ESPN2 The skinny: Every Ducks game ends up a color war—how about tie-dye tonight against the Trojans? Seriously, it's crazy that with all the debate around the unbeatens, the day's biggest game (this one) features two one-loss teams. Grams B: Oregon, 38-24 Dave: USC, 28-23 Last week Grams B: 3-2 Dave: 3-2 Season Grams B: 26-14 Dave: 19-21 Dave Curtis is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at dcurtis@sportingnews.com.more>>

It's fitting that college football and Halloween intersect Saturday. After all, what provides more tricks than the BCS? As the day wears on, though, some of the nation's top programs could find themselves with sweet treats. Here's a look at what to watch between apple bobs: No. 1 Florida vs. Georgia, 3:30 p.m., CBS If Georgia manages to pull the upset of No. 1 Florida, it will be thanks to its defense. What it means: Florida clinches the SEC East with a victory in Jacksonville, Fla., and a... South Carolina loss at Tennessee. Halloween theme: Pranks. Two years ago, every Bulldog stormed the field to celebrate an early TD. Last year, Florida coach Urban Meyer called late timeouts to rub in a 49-10 win. How Georgia wins: The Dawgs regrouped during a bye week, and they boast the talent to keep the Gators' offense in a statistical slump. "That's as good as defensive personnel as there is in college football," Meyer said of Georgia on a teleconference. No. 3 Texas at No 13 Oklahoma State, 8 p.m., ABC/ESPN2 What it means: The winner takes sole possession first place in the Big 12 South; Texas should roll to the conference title game if it survives Stillwater. Halloween theme: Eeriness. A year ago this weekend, the undefeated Longhorns lost at upstart Texas Tech on a last-second touchdown. "Everything is similar," Texas coach Mack Brown said on a teleconference. "It's a very good team. … It's a game they've been looking forward to all year." How Oklahoma State wins: Even with star WR Dez Bryant suspended, Cowboys QB Zac Robinson and his strong offensive line can hang with Texas' top-ranked scoring offense. No. 4 USC at No. 10 Oregon, 8 p.m., ABC/ESPN2 Related Links Hayes' Week 9 story lines Hayes' Week 9 picks Picks: Dave Curtis vs. Grams Sporting News expert picks Spotlight game: Texas vs. Oklahoma St. Spotlight game: USC vs. Oregon What it means: The winner emerges as the Pac-10 favorite and the one-loss team best positioned to reach the BCS national championship game. Halloween theme: Haunted houses. Autzen Stadium hosts one of the nation's rowdiest crowds, and the Ducks beat the Trojans 24-17 there in 2007. How Oregon wins: QB Jeremiah Masoli. If his performance matches the Cal game (21 of 25, three TDs), Ducks win. If he puts up another Utah stinker (4-for-16, 1 INT), USC rolls. Dave Curtis is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at dcurtis@sportingnews.com.more>>

Sporting News Sporting News college football columnist Matt Hayes looks at five major story lines heading into Week 9. 1. The season-breaker Tim Tebow and the Gators haven't been the flawless offensive machine many expected. We've heard the excuses and seen the results. And frankly, it doesn't look good for the defending national champions. One is an anomaly; two is a trend. What we have here in Gainesville, everyone, is a full-blown... trend. The Florida offense, one of the most feared in the nation the last two seasons, is sputtering and hiccupping along like your crazy uncle's tired Torino. "It's kind of new and it's frustrating," Florida quarterback Tim Tebow told reporters this week. "But we're getting the wins." For how long? Everyone has theories about the offensive struggles, but two things stand out for me going into the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party this weekend in Jacksonville: • Florida's most successful offensive play in an ugly victory last week at Mississippi State was an I-formation, isolation handoff that produced a red-zone touchdown. It was the complete opposite of the spread option and the first snap Tebow has taken under center in his four years in Gainesville. • The Gators' struggles the last two weeks were against the No. 9 (Mississippi State) and No. 12 defenses (Arkansas) in the SEC. Up next: No. 10 defense Georgia. What makes anyone think Georgia can beat Florida? Here's what: The Bulldogs' problem on defense is defending the pass. When Jonathan Crompton throws for 310 yards and four touchdowns on you, you've got issues. The Plan to Win—using the Urban Meyer axiom—is simple for Georgia: Load up to stop the run and force Florida's receivers to beat you in man coverage. More often than not, that isn't going to happen. Riley Cooper doesn't have the deep speed to stretch defenses, and Deonte Thompson hasn't earned the trust of the Florida play-callers (a convoluted system with too many people to list). The Dawgs must be patient, protect the ball and wait for Florida to make mistakes within the 15-yard box the offense is forced to work within because of a lack of proven deep speed. Arkansas played that plan perfectly (zero turnovers) and lost on a last-second field goal. Mississippi State didn't (three turnovers) but still was within striking distance late in the game. Georgia, with two weeks of preparation and healing time, won't make the same mistakes. 2. A passing statement There's this perception that all is well again in Austin. Colt McCoy had a breakout game against Missouri, and the path to the national championship game is free of obstacles. "We've got the Colt of old back now," Texas coach Mack Brown said at a press conference this week. Only there's one little problem: The A.G. Bulldogs, my nephew's middle-school team in Charlotte, would go up and down the field on the Missouri defense. Now let's all take a long, deep breath and reassess. Reality: the Texas offense still isn't close to the efficient, dynamic unit of last fall. But don't blame McCoy. Much like Florida, Texas doesn't have the deep speed to stretch defenses. So Brown has moved speedy underclassmen wideouts Malcolm Williams and Marquise Goodwin in the starting lineup and moved senior Jordan Shipley into the slot to find better matchups for this week's key game at Oklahoma State. You're not making significant lineup changes midway through the season if there aren't issues. Texas has found a legitimate tailback in Fozzy Whitaker, provided he can stay healthy. The issue isn't the running game: McCoy led the team in rushing last year, and the Longhorns lost one game by six points. If the Texas receivers can't create separation and finish plays, then the Longhorns will be in another fourth-quarter game with Oklahoma State (see: 2008). 3. All about the defense more>>