Late Night Notes

by Peter Bean on Nov 4, 2006 10:37 PM CST in Texas Longhorns Football

What a delightful Saturday. Your game day notes, briefly:

Colt McCoy Sets TD Record

Colt McCoy threw three more touchdown passes, setting a Texas single season record with 27 on the year. For those just joining the party, Colt McCoy is a freshman. Just so we're clear on that.

Bob Stoops: Big 12 Coach Of The Year?

Oklahoma goes on the road and takes out Texas A&M. With the win, Oklahoma improves to 7-2. The Sooners have won four in a row, three straight after losing Peterson, and if not for the Oregon disaster, would be 8-1 with only a loss to Texas. Mack's running the better program, but Stoops deserves credit for pulling this team together. Lesser coaches could have, and would have, folded under these circumstances.

Anyone Wanna Play Texas?

Right now? No way. This was Texas' best game of the season. The Horns played a complete game: great on offense, great on defense. The only blemish was a special teams kick return touchdown. Other than that, it was total dominance. The offense was A-grade, and the defense put together their best game of the season. Very, very little to complain about.

With the win, Texas wins its 8th in a row, and 22nd straight in the Big 12 conference. Based on what we saw today, I'd say Texas is playing as well, or better, than any and every team in the country. We may not get to play in the BCS Title Game, but when it's all said and done, we may well be most deserving of a spot in the big game.

Leftovers

That's all for tonight's analysis; we'll have full reports starting tomorrow. Leave your thoughts on the above topics here. We'll pick up the positional reviews tomorrow.

--PB--

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Comments

"GD sucks and cant develop quarterbacks"

by the other Andrew on Nov 4, 2006 10:39 PM CST reply actions

whoever said that is...

wrong!

by Peter Bean on Nov 4, 2006 10:43 PM CST up reply actions

Jimmer

Sign out of my account! :)

by Peter Bean on Nov 4, 2006 10:45 PM CST up reply actions

No way, PB.

That's what you get for leaving it logged in.

by Peter Bean on Nov 4, 2006 10:52 PM CST up reply actions

Setting the Record in Manhattan

Colt only needs two more passing TD's to tie the NCAA freshman record, three more to break it. Should happen in Manhattan.

by patienthornsfan on Nov 4, 2006 10:40 PM CST reply actions

PB, very little to complain about?

You gonna save calling out Henry for his fumble at the goal-line until tomorrow morning?

by patienthornsfan on Nov 4, 2006 10:48 PM CST reply actions

Very little

On that short list: Henry Melton

by Peter Bean on Nov 4, 2006 10:49 PM CST up reply actions

The great thing about tonight

... was that after both turnovers, Texas D turned right around and go us the ball back. Can't complain too much about that. But I think Henry's time at RB is done, hope he makes a great DE.

by patienthornsfan on Nov 4, 2006 10:53 PM CST up reply actions

Why are we apperently out of the race for the NC?

According to the human polls we are the first contender with one loss but when it comes to the computers we are way back. At this point I'm not saying we deserve a shot, but I don't think we deserve total disregard. I watched an entire day of college football and we weren't once mentioned in consideration for the title game. I'm just wondering what gives? Can anyone explain this to me?

by Horange on Nov 4, 2006 10:50 PM CST reply actions

any chance

we jump auburn this week?

by Vice President Coco (40118) on Nov 4, 2006 11:00 PM CST up reply actions

BCS, Polls

I'm pretty sure we'll remain fourth in the polls, with UL jumping to 3rd. However, there are voters that will move Texas up on their ballots, hence giving us a little more help to the BCS average. We'll jump Auburn for sure, because of who they played (CPU ranking takes a hit) and possibly Florida as well, since they almost found a way to lose to Vanderbilt.

Considering how close the 3-10 positions were in the BCS last week, it won't take many more additional votes and maybe a 1-2 position jump in the CPU rankings to get to 3rd or 4th.

I think we'll be fourth in next week's BCS standings, but that's just an offhand guess.

by AMB on Nov 4, 2006 11:08 PM CST up reply actions

Margin of Victory

does not matter in the computer polls. Hence, Florida's unimpressive win is simply seen as a victory, just as our impressive win is simply seen as a victory.

by Allaha on Nov 5, 2006 12:02 AM CST up reply actions

Noted

But unimpressive wins count in the human polls, which is 2/3rds of the BCS. There are voters that will move them down. With the number of one-loss teams still in it, the number of points in the Coaches and Harris polls is important.

In addition, 2 teams above us in the CPU rankings lost this week. (Tennessee and WVU)

by AMB on Nov 5, 2006 12:31 AM CST up reply actions

You're right

However, with regard to your point about the possibility of moving down teams such as Florida in the human polls -- and therefore by extension in the BCS polls -- the problem is who will take their place? Texas was perhaps alone among the top teams in playing well this weekend.

Think of tOSU and UM. Both had extremely unimpressive wins over terrible teams, yet it is essentially certain they will retain their spots because no one else has a better claim. (Any claim that Louisville deserves to be ranked higher than 3 -- indeed, in my view even in the Top Five -- should be dismissed with an equal mix of pity, disdain, and laughter.)

by Allaha on Nov 5, 2006 7:16 AM CST up reply actions

Florida

Why would anyone think fllorida is any better than ut? They almost lost to Vandy, they don't have any REAL quality wins except agains Tenn. Not to mention the beatdown Auburn put on them...
The sad thing is, SEC overhype and a weak ooc schedule will rob us of that spot for now. We'll be 5th in bcs:

tOSU
Mich
Lousiville
UF
Horns

Is there any doubt UT would beat UL and florida if the teams met next week? Probably Michigan too.

by boomhauer25 on Nov 4, 2006 11:43 PM CST up reply actions

Vandy

I don't see how having a close game against Vandy is any less shameful than having a close game with a team who lost to Colorado and TCU.

by whoopspat on Nov 4, 2006 11:53 PM CST up reply actions

I See your point

But, TT is bowl eligible and has a good chance to get a 7th win, with a game left at home against the pokes. But vandy has only 4 wins and won't be going to a bowl unless they beat Kentucky and Tennessee. TT's problem is that they are inconsistent and play to the level of their opponents. Vandy's problem is that they aren't very good.

by boomhauer25 on Nov 5, 2006 12:13 AM CST up reply actions

Well put it this way,

who would win? Texas Tech or Vandy?

by bamfor on Nov 5, 2006 12:45 AM CST up reply actions

OU / A&M

Why are so many coaches SO illogical? Under the new clock rules, it is a near-mathematical certainty that if you forfeit the ball to the opposition with 3 minutes or so, you CANNOT win. So why does Franny go for a field goal with just over 3 minutes left? If you go for the first down and don't make it, you're pretty much in the same boat, as you have to get the ball back before the clock expires, BUT at least you control your own destiny. Fran's an idiot for giving the game away, and he was subsequently schooled by Stoops (a much better coach) who neatly taught him how you control your own destiny, by going for it on 4th and inches.

by BrooklynHorn on Nov 4, 2006 10:50 PM CST reply actions

OU/A&M

It's good to see I wasn't the only person to notice how much of a dumbass Fran is for not going fot it on 4th and 3. Everybody watching should realize that they lost the game right there.

Granted, I would trust McGee to throw the ball, but they had a decent shot to pick that one up on the ground.

I don't think TAMU had all of their time outs either (I wasn't watching the game), which should have factored into the decision. Even if he did, 1 first down by OU still ends the game.

by AMB on Nov 4, 2006 11:01 PM CST up reply actions

It was completely fitting

that aTm screwed up the final meaningful play of the game (about the only thing I got to see as the East Coast was treated to a pathetic little slapping match between Va. Tech and Thug U), by having 12 men on the field?

Leave it to Aggies to not be able to count when the game is on the line... (and yes, I know OU would have gotten the first down anyway and that's probably even more pathetic, that they couldn't stop them with an extra man)

by Kahuna on Nov 5, 2006 9:02 AM CST up reply actions

Give the Ags a break

With all that "12th man" stuff at Kyle Field, sometimes they forget they don't REALLY get 12 men.

by boomhauer25 on Nov 5, 2006 9:23 AM CST up reply actions

C'mon

You know we can't do that. They had every chance to win that game in the fourth quarter and screwed the pooch. Their loss is our gain, since it pretty much locks up the Big 12 South.

by AMB on Nov 5, 2006 9:29 AM CST up reply actions

Ha, Ha

"Screwed the pooch."

Hook 'em. 'Nuff said.

by GoHorns on Nov 6, 2006 7:57 AM CST up reply actions

BCS Question

When the BCS factors in the human polls, does it only consider a team's ranking or instead does it look at the number of points in that poll?

Unfortunately -- and I think unfairly -- there is a good chance that Louisville will jump us into the 3 spot, but I would expect/hope that the difference in points in the polls will be small as (reasonable) voters have qualms about voting a team at 3 on the basis of ONLY ONE WIN OVER A CURRENTLY RANKED TEAM. Thus, would the narrower point differential between a UT at 4 vs. the number 3 team help us in the BCS polls?

by Allaha on Nov 5, 2006 12:10 AM CST reply actions

good point

it's based on the percentage of points in the poll. so yeah, i think that while UL passes us to be #3, I think the point differential advantage they have over us will be less than WVU had last week. but their computer ranking will be higher while ours probably won't change much.

by billyzane on Nov 5, 2006 12:33 AM CST up reply actions

clarification please

At the risk of being dense -- which is perhaps a risk I often run -- are you saying that the BCS factoring in of the human polls is based on the respective number of points a team has in a given poll, as opposed to simply its rank? In other words, all things being equal, our BCS standing will improve if the gap in the human polls between us and the team ahead of us shrinks?

If so, this is good news. I agree with you that while we will likely be jumped by UL, the gap between them and us should be narrower than the gap last week between WVa and us. . . . I still find it incredible that we are even having a discussion about UL being in the MNC game in place of a one loss team from an established conference. I cannot believe UL would be undefeated in the PAC 10, Big Ten, Big Twelve, or SEC. Does any serious person who does not live in Louisville or have a substance abuse problem truly believe otherwise?

by Allaha on Nov 5, 2006 7:26 AM CST up reply actions

correct

by billyzane on Nov 5, 2006 11:16 AM CST up reply actions

Not so fast

I'm not quite ready to concede that UL will jump over us into the #3 spot. Texas totally dominated OSU and shut down what was supposed to be a high-powered offense. The only OSU touchdown was on a kick-off return which included what appeared to me to be a missed block in the back call on around the 10 that helped open up the play. I would not be surprised at all if Texas moves up to 3rd in the human polls. One other thing to consider....does the BCS really want to see Louisville playing for a national championship? Doubtful - it will be a ratings disaster and in the end the whole BCS set-up is all about the cash. Clearly I am biased towards the burnt orange, but an OSU - UT rematch for the title would be a sweet game and would definitely have a higher viewership than any game including Louisville.

by Screw O.U. on Nov 5, 2006 8:13 AM CST reply actions

Records

The truth is that most voters are not going to realize this and place Texas ahead of UL on their ballots. Some voters might, which is why I think we pick up some points in the polls (which do matter because of how the BCS formula works), but remain 4th. The way they see it, UL just beat the #3 team in the nation and feel that they are entitled to that spot.

I'm with you and think we have a much better chance at beating tOSU than Louisville does, but the bottom line is that we've lost a game already.

We're getting screwed by the computers. Some of those things think Rutgers should be rated above Texas, which is such a damn joke. The good news is that our computer rating should improve slightly this week with the losses by Tennessee and WVU. It's really too early to mess with this stuff, we've still got 3 games left and we need to win them all.

by AMB on Nov 5, 2006 8:31 AM CST reply actions

You're right

If the current BCS standings and projections hold up, this year's set of BCS bowl matchups will truly suck.

BCS Championship Game
Ohio State vs. Lousiville
Sugar
Florida vs. Notre Dame
Orange
Georgia Tech vs. Auburn or USC
Fiesta
Texas vs. Boise State
Rose
Cal vs. Michigan

Of course I'll watch Texas play, but how many people other than Texas and Boise State fans will be interested? Cal vs. Michigan will be a great game (great offense vs. great defense), so I'll definetly watch that. Otherwise - yawn.

by patienthornsfan on Nov 5, 2006 8:40 AM CST up reply actions

Boise State

I hope they lose to Nevada at the end of the year so we get somebody else in the Fiesta Bowl. I'm thinking it could be ND (I'd enjoy that), should that play out. That may even garner consideration for a WVU at-large, should enough one-loss teams lose.

It's pretty hard to get a beat on the at-large BCS teams at this point since there are still 2-3 games left to play.

by AMB on Nov 5, 2006 9:06 AM CST reply actions

Mistake

The Fiesta would likely get the last at-large selection out of the major bowls, there's no way we'd get a UT-UND matchup. It seems like a forgone conclusion that we'll play Boise State.

by AMB on Nov 5, 2006 9:26 AM CST up reply actions

And I though our fanbase was delusional...

"Based on what we saw today, I'd say Texas is playing as well, or better, than any and every team in the country."

Really? Squeeking by a mediocre Nebraska team thanks in large part to a fluke fumble? Barely beating a 3-loss Texas Tech team that lost to colorado? I honestly don't mean this as a flame, I just don't see how you could include an tOSU team in the above statement, considering that they dominated you at home and (with the exception of yesterday's stinker) have dominated everyone else they've played.

by WeisWatcher on Nov 5, 2006 10:25 AM CST reply actions

"Based on what we saw today"

NOT "based on what we saw over the last few weeks." Personally I don't think we're better than tOSU but I don't see any team in the country who is, at the moment, playing significantly better football than we are.

by boomhauer25 on Nov 5, 2006 10:39 AM CST up reply actions

Seriously

Reminds me of another team I know. Let's redefine domination, shall we:

domination, noun: http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/boxscore?gameId=200609160104

Peter's statement may be a little out there, but a case can be for UT against any other team out there. No one else in the Top 10 has really been consistant.

Considering that the handcuffs are pretty much off McCoy, I'd feel much better about a rematch with tOSU than I did about the game in Austin in September. Even then, we still had a chance to make it a one score game in the 4th quarter.

by AMB on Nov 5, 2006 10:41 AM CST reply actions

No one is dominant this year

I respect tOSU and UM for being undefeated, but I would not say either team is dominant.

tOSU has defeated only one currently ranked team: us on the road. Although it is the best win by any team this season, it is only one win. . . . They were the better team then, they may be the better team now, but (like AMB) I think a rematch would be competitive.

UM has also defeated only one currently ranked team: ND (AP number 11) on the road. Again, they may be the better team, but it is uncertain they would beat us.

The point is that no team is categorically superior this year in a way that USC and UT were last year. (Coincidentally, there is also no categorically superior individual this year, meaning the Heisman winner will never be considered among the all time greats, even relative to the history of his own school.) Similarly, there are at least 5 teams that on any given Saturday could beat (or lose to) any other team in that group. . . . Against this backdrop, there is nothing wrong with saying that UT is currently playing as well as any team in the country.

by Allaha on Nov 5, 2006 11:09 AM CST reply actions

you're kidding

Saying tOSU and Michigan have not been dominant is a joke. Other than the Illinois game, the Buckeyes have obliterated every oppenant this year. yes, even you, a 17 point loss is not somthing to be proud of. And saying they may be the better team now if both played, the Buckeye defense has made huge strides since the Texas game, so i dont think anything would really change. It is not uncertain that Michigan would beat you, a healthy Manningham would shred your secondary worse than Gonzalez and Ginn did, at that defense. wow. Please UT fans, you are a smart bunch, but you drink your own kool-aid more than anyone i know.

by 303Dub on Nov 5, 2006 2:24 PM CST reply actions

No, I'm serious

Re-read my post. My point is that neither team has accumulated more than one signature win -- although tOSU's defeat of us and UM's defeat of ND were both impressive.

While it is true that tOSU beat UT by 17 on the road -- as I said, the most impressive win this year -- tOSU has not defeated any other team that is currently ranked. Moreover, dominant teams do not struggle late in the season against opponents such as Illinois. . . . I readily admit that tOSU may be the better team (and they would certainly be favored against anyone), and while their defense is excellent, in my mind it is not certain that tOSU would beat UT. Certainly they would not if they played at the level they exhibited against UI.

From your writing, it appears kool-aid is not sold only in Texas.

by Allaha on Nov 5, 2006 2:38 PM CST up reply actions