Rose Bowl Bound: Texas 13 Nebraska 12
by Peter Bean on Dec 6, 2009 12:14 AM CST
in Texas Longhorns Football
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PrintMassive amounts of work await me, so this will brief, but I can't just say nothing after what we just witnessed.
Let's do bullets? Bullets.
First things first: 13-0 is 13-0. Against A&M, the offense carried the day; tonight, the defense returned the favor. Congratulations to Mack Brown and the 2009 Longhorns: Undefeated Big 12 champions, headed to the Rose Bowl for a shot at the national title.
And second: A playoff would be nice, wouldn't it? Texas and Alabama will be the only two teams with a title chance, in a year when quite a few others do, as well. After the bitter end to 2008, this may feel like it was supposed to be Our Year, but tell that to fans of teams who are shut out from having Their Year. I'd love nothing more than for TCU and Texas to have the chance to battle it out on the field; they undoubtedly deserve that much.
After the jump, a few quick thoughts on the game.
Obviously, both defenses were magnificent tonight. But the final numbers are utterly staggering:
Nebraska offense: Across 15 possessions throughout the game, the Huskers ran just 55 plays, picked up 5 first downs, and amassed 106 total yards of offense (67 rushing, 39 passing), at an average of 1.9 yards per play. Zac Lee was sacked once and intercepted 3 times.
Texas offense: Across 16 game possessions, the Horns ran 74 plays, picked up 17 first downs, and amassed 202 total yards of offense (18 rushing, 184 passing), at an average of 2.7 yards per play. Colt McCoy was sacked 9 times and intercepted 3 times.
Gobs of credit to Nebraska's defense, but they got gobs of help from Greg Davis and the Texas offensive line. A week ago, Colorado managed 403 yards of total offense on the Huskers, averaging 5.6 yards per play. I'm happy to tip my cap to Nebraska's defense for playing terrific football tonight, but the ineptitude in blocking, in block scheming, and in play calling was frightening. I don't have the time (or stomach) to sink my teeth into it right now, so let's just say how thankful we are to have won, and end on an optimistic note: If tonight's performance was vintage Greg Davis against OU, maybe we can likewise expect the usual game-after-OU improvement. We'll need it against Bama.
Though the line was terrible, the fact is that McCoy did not have a good night himself. The early interception combined with Nebraska's pressure clearly rattled him, and he was for much of the game inaccurate and (perhaps understandably) on at least a dozen plays too quick to bail out of what few good throwing pockets that he had. If there was any doubt he had been mentally thrown off kilter, McCoy very nearly lobbed the game away, fortunate the ball bounced with a single tick remaining on the clock.
Maybe things don't look so bad if Kirkendoll catches that beautiful bomb that would have gone for a touchdown, but as it stands, McCoy's best completion was his last, to Shipley, getting Texas into winning field goal range.
Speaking of which... After a 2008 season filled with rotten luck and near-misses, and 59 minutes of football tonight in which little seemed to bounce Texas' way, the Longhorns could not have been more lucky to have won this football game. Considering what Nebraska was doing to the offense, and how much McCoy was struggling to sustain a drive, the odds were against Texas picking up 50-55 yards in under two minutes for the win. But Nebraska kicked it out of bounds, Jordan Shipley's 19-yard reception became a 34-yard gain with a horse collar, McCoy's brain freeze hit the ground with one second remaining, and Hunter Lawrence's kick slid inside the upright. It's almost never enough to be good... You gotta have some luck, too. Last year, we didn't get it; tonight we did.
And finally, though throughout the year we have praised Hunter Lawrence's outstanding work, it almost always felt like an afterthought, in part so greater attention could be paid to strengths and weaknesses in the spotlight, but mainly because Texas wasn't involved in many games where field goals would much matter.
Tonight they did. And like he has been all year, Hunter Lawrence was nails. Game ball to tonight's hero.
Hey, Pasadena: We're baaaaaaaaaaaack!
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Glad I was at The KISS concert tonight
I was recording the game. Glad I Didn’t see it live. I would have no fingernails or clean shorts left…You’re going to hear a whole lot of lobbying by the other undefeated teams now.
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NEVERBEEN SOSIMULTANEUOUSLY HAPPYAND ANGRY at the same time.
On playoffs
IF Texas had lost:
If it’s a 4 team playoff, an undefeated Boise State gets left out. If it’s an 8 team playoff, Florida and Texas are still in (albeit as lower seeds).
Just sayin’.
Depends How You Construct the Playoffs
If you tie the BCS conferences into the playoffs – 6 slots go to the winner of these BCS conferences – and therefore all BCS teams had a legitamate shot to gain the national championship on the field.
Then you leave 2 remaining slots to independents in the Top 10 or runner up in title games. Therefore, this year both TCU and Boise go to the playoff – and Florida is out – but they had their chance on the field.
Bad idea
No way in hell does 9-4 VT deserve a spot over Boise or Utah last year. If you’re going to do auto-bids for conferences, it has to be either 1) all conferences, or 2) top N conference champions, without specifying which conferences they come from (if the ACC champion is the 8th best, that’s just too bad).
Conference Championships
There’s no equitable way to have a playoff system until all teams play the same number of games every year. Texas and ‘Bama both had to play conference championship games and if those teams are punished for losing that game then they should also be rewarded for winning it. While I sympathize with TCU and Cincy, Boise State is the only other team in my opinion who really has a legitimate gripe this year because they won 13 games while TCU and Cincy only played 12 – it’s nothing more than pure speculation as to what may have happened had TCU and Cincy played a 13th game.
by OU Always Sucks on Dec 6, 2009 8:05 AM CST up reply actions
Sometimes it's better lucky than good.
Don’t disagree with your comments except when you compare how other teams play against our opponents. CU was a home game and Nebraska thought they could just roll out their helmets. Not sure if the altitude was a factor either. I know this, this team never quits. There is something to be said for that. We beat Nebraska and all the bad breaks that did not go our way. Oh, and not to mention the key drops by Kirkendoll. We beat those, too.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
why
are we talking about playoff? TX won against utterly mediocre competition, yay. playing for the NC yay yay yay.
I'm a horn fan
And the game we just played stank to high heaven.
You don't have to se a homer ...
Based on what we saw last night, I agree 100%. Bama is a MUCH better team right now. Hopefully, the next month can change that.
Yes, if you look at one week, then Bama looks better
but you take than and jump to the assumption that Bama will “fucking plaster” Texas means that you are just being reactionary. Both teams have had times where they are playing lights out and times where they had to overcome some bad play, but looking at both teams’ season results there is no huge difference.
Instant analysis
- Alabama’s O played as best as they possibly could. Texas O (and Nebraska D) played as worst as they possible could. There should be some regression to the mean.
- Argument could be made that Nebraska’s D is better than Alabama’s. Certainly Nebraska has the best defensive player in the nation (sorry, Eric Berry).
- Will Muschamp has over a month to scheme for Mark Ingram.
- Greg Davis? Uhh…pass.
Also, Colt has five weeks to regrow the kick ass 'stache.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Dec 6, 2009 12:31 AM CST up reply actions
Er,
I don’t think “should be a regression to the mean” is going to win us a NC against Saban. Nebraska’s D is very good, but it doesn’t hold a candle to Bama’s, and that’s coming from a SEC-Hype-hater. Saban is smart as hell on a football field and all y’all Horns who think you have nothing have nothing to be worried about are fools. Muschamp, meanwhile, is kind of our ray of hope, at least to me, about this game. He knows how to shut high powered offenses down. However. McElroy was the real killer for Bama against Florida. You watched the game right? Greg Davis? uh… don’t let colt think he can run the clock out anymore. good god, gasp, thank heaven, and what the hell were you thinking colt???
"Nebraska’s D is very good, but it doesn’t hold a candle to Bama’s"
Um, how? Certainly McClain is better, but he’ll be primarily as a pass rusher against UT because he’s not a good matchup in space with anyone on our offense. Suh and Crick are more capable pass rushers than Cody could be on NCAA 2010, and frankly, Bama’s corners don’t look any better – or even as good as Nebrakska’s – and nothing I saw today changed that. Arenas may kill UT on a return though.
All that said, Saban obsessively coaches his teams toward tendencies, so if Davis stays true to his habits UT will walk into a rolling ball of butcher knives.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Dec 6, 2009 12:52 AM CST up reply actions
I saw most or part of alot of Bama's games thanks to ABCESPN Sec contract.
Tennessee ripped Alabama for 341 yards and Bama won only because they blocked the last second field goal. Tennessee is a lot worse than Nebraska, not as good a defense and the held Alabama to 256 yards and 12 points.
It’s not Alabama shot itself in the foot, 1 fumble, 1INT, 1 penalty and 0 sacks.
Alabama gave up 332 yards to Auburn making only 291 them selves. As much as the national press will swoon over Alabama ( they beat Tim Tebow wah wah wah) they still aren’t a truly dominate team, some mediocre teams put a scare into them just like A&M and Nebraska did for us.
A request to add Tim Tebow Crying to Pyscho Woman and OU BOY Crying as Offical BON Symbols.
I wouldn't
Late scores are a function of how much your DC wants to let their OC run on his guys for the sake of clock management, and how much his own OC is telling him to play the coverage close, etc.
Single instances of scores are apples and oranges, is all I’m saying.
Yet you are upset that Texas almost lost
To a team that lost to Iowa st……
Apples and Oranges if you ask me
"I don't ever miss free throws. I'm like 100-percent from the free throw line. I just don't think about missing and if you think about missing you're going to miss. I just take my time and know I'm going to make it and I do," McClellan said.
Ugh
Guys, all I’m saying is I expected a lot better. You didn’t?
I did too
But, what a lot of people are saying is this…
It is not often you win a big 12 Championship and have the chance to win a national Title. People are happy about that, and the performance.
"I don't ever miss free throws. I'm like 100-percent from the free throw line. I just don't think about missing and if you think about missing you're going to miss. I just take my time and know I'm going to make it and I do," McClellan said.
Fine,
Sorry to be a killjoy, but the team I we were excited about looked a lot like a team that’s gonna get clobbered come January. I really doubt any Horn players read these boards so please don’t accuse me of hurting the team, and please do all your Christmas shopping at Walmart if you think the Horns turned in a performance worthy of their talents (as the Ok State and Utep games clearly were, since I guess I have to prove my fidelity or something).
Right ...
Bama blew VA Tech out, so VT had some late scores to make it respectable against softer D. The point totals aren’t an exact measurement. I don’t really know enough about Bama’s D to speculate, but it seems possible that Alabama could be better than Nebraska at every defensive position other than Defensive Tackle. Somebody who has watched a little bit more Alabama football could obviously dispute this though and I wouldn’t argue.
B**Sh**
Last week Alabama did NOT deserve the W over Auburn. Bama got lucky as hell and Auburn dominated them all game. So, let’s not get our panties all out of wack!!
We are more than capable of beating Alabama. We are 6-0-1 against them and we will notch up number 7 in the W column.
Obviously, we will have to play better than last night. They played their best last night, we did not. How the teams perform next month is anyone’s guess.
Lawrence is now an official member of UT kicker Rushmore
alongside Erxleben, Dawson, and (I guess) Mangum.
Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis.
Wouldn't Erxleben have been chisled off off of a UT kicker Rushmore by now?
by Hopkins Horn on Dec 6, 2009 12:53 AM CST up reply actions
Not sure if you guys where aware of this but we have his son Ryan at Tech. Must run in the family....
" Answers -- Become Resources."
Without Questions; There are limited Resources...
And hopefully . . .
. . . he’ll be a much more productive member of society in his post-college days than his father was.
well, Ty Cobb and OJ are still in the HOF
RE remains the greatest kicker in UT history, his trainwreck of a life doesn’t enter into it.
Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis.
Good point about Hunter Lawrence as an afterthought
This kick is exactly why Mack trotted him out on the field all season long in garbage time, on 4th and a makeable short, or at the end of the first half, even when it didn’t seem to make sense. I think Mack knew that, at some point, he’d have to hit one of these, and he wanted him to get as many practice shots in as possible.
That's exactly what I was thinking . .
. . . in the Kansas game, wasn’t it, when Lawrence kicked in an otherwise odd situation to kick in.
by Hopkins Horn on Dec 6, 2009 12:52 AM CST up reply actions
brown
If the clock had expired on Colt’s last throw — with a timeout remaining — could Brown have been fired for costing his team a shot at the championship?
An ESPN analyst suggested the above scenario in comments after the game.
Regardless of the answer, the clock management was terrible — and almost fatal.
When you are call Les Miles-esque you know you fucked up
but no, there is no way Mack would have been fired. He would have been dealing with a shit storm for a couple of months, and deservedly so.
I think it would have been wrong to fire him
but regardless of that, it wouldn’t make sense with regard to the athletic department’s bottom line, so no.
I was sitting right behind Mack Brown
He was calling a timeout before the play. It wasn’t given to him for mysterious reasons.
"I live in the tower with Coach Brown." -Bevo
People calling this game lucky, here are my thoughts on luck...
Its lucky that the Kicker made the kick, is it lucky that The Texas returner let the ball roll out of bounds, is that luck? Is it luck that Colt made a nice play to Shipley, and Shipley was fast enough to get outside and get Horse collar.
Is it lucky that Nebraska had a 106 yards of Total offense? Is it lucky that Nebraska has 2 picks early, and got one first down after that, forcing two FGs. Is it lucky that the Kirkendoll dropped a sure touchdown with 8 minutes left in the game?
In the end Texas won the game, it does not matter if there is luck involved, there is luck involved in every single game. Sometimes you have to find a way to win and they did.
"I don't ever miss free throws. I'm like 100-percent from the free throw line. I just don't think about missing and if you think about missing you're going to miss. I just take my time and know I'm going to make it and I do," McClellan said.
Is it lucky
That the Huskers were clearly in control of the game in the final 5 minutes, and that we miraculously got the ball back with 1:45 left to play, only to watch Colt squander nearly 50 seconds of it in the huddle, and to get a last-second field goal shot, the only thing that could win it at that point, on the whim of an official who decided that it coulda gone either way but ok, they were gonna go Texas’ way, and ok, Hunter kicks the thing through?
For a one-point victory?
Against a team that lost to Iowa State?
Everyone is okay with this?
We're going to Pasadena. I'm quite OK with it.
by Hopkins Horn on Dec 6, 2009 12:56 AM CST up reply actions
I'm not okay with complacency
And in a way, barely winning that game by the skin of their teeth might be a boon to Muschamp.
Complacency
If you ask Vince Young I think he’d be 100% ok with your idea of complacency. Hell I think any coach or player on any team and in any sport would kill to come away with wins in big games, even by slim margins, because it’s the difference in celebrating a big win with your team and walking with your head down back to your locker room. Sure you could have a huge game and blow your opponent out but there’s not separate trophies that get handed out on how you played the game. Our complacency, as you brought up, has given Mack Brown and company a national title, a 3-0 record in BCS games and a pretty damn good record in regular bowl games overall.
Also, if you’re actually going to question Muschamp after this defense single-handedly kept Texas in the game all four quarters then you need to get your head examined.
Your right, we did not play Nebraska
We played the team that “lost to Iowa st.”
"I don't ever miss free throws. I'm like 100-percent from the free throw line. I just don't think about missing and if you think about missing you're going to miss. I just take my time and know I'm going to make it and I do," McClellan said.
And,
got blown out by 3 touchdowns to Tech, and much more nearly lost to CU than we did.
Do those things really matter?
Nebraska is good, its obvious by the way the played last night.
"I don't ever miss free throws. I'm like 100-percent from the free throw line. I just don't think about missing and if you think about missing you're going to miss. I just take my time and know I'm going to make it and I do," McClellan said.
Different team different game......
Your theory is flawed. Nebraska showed up and played their ass off. Don’t discredit them for doing that.
" Answers -- Become Resources."
Without Questions; There are limited Resources...
Same as the Agros did 10 days earlier.
I remember it being said before that game, we would take 3 1-point wins in the next three games. Well if we win by one in Pasadena Loomby, is it any less of a MNC? NEB and ATM showed up and gave us their best shot, one part of our game lacked in each but the other part picked up. Who knows which Texas team will show up in 30 some odd days, but my guess is we will be hearing how much Bama will beat our arses. Bring it on.
Hook’em
We're Texas...and you're NOT
got this far...
…on the whim of an official who decided that it coulda gone either way but ok, they were gonna go Texas’ way…
and decided you were not a serious person.
by Pflash on Dec 6, 2009 1:10 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Uh, no,
I saw the replay, and that ball clearly went out of bounds somewhere very near the :01 mark, and thus was a judgement call. a second is a second. If the official had called it the other way there’s not really any case UT fans could be making right now to call it bloody murder stolen from them. No, it would just be, "ok, that coulda gone either way. No sense in placing the hypotheticals on Hunter making his career-long on the next play is there’?
Not sure what you were watching
It hit the ground WELL before the clock read :00. Any ref who didn’t put :01 on the clock after watching that replay would probably have been fired on the spot.
Its unfortunate the clock operator allowed the time to run off
it clearly was a mistake, but because it happened, there will always be a perceived taintedness to the game. Had the clock stopped when it should have, nobody would be discussing it.
absolutely no "taintedness"
and anyone who “perceives” some is blinded by either hate or heartbreak…
It was a clear and easy call, and no controversy whatsoever.
That wasn't luck ...
but it was luck that Colt threw it away when he did. He holds on to that ball for half a second longer, we lose. Since he clearly wasn’t aware of the actual time left, it has to be considered luck.
That's my point, blazzinkenny
Luck is involved in every game and every season. You need some of it to go your way to get to 13-0. It’s just too hard to be perfect without some of it.
Tonight, at the end, we got some. For much of the game, it didn’t seem like we were going to get any.
We got just enough, and Lawrence booked our Rose Bowl bid.
You ain't hurt.
Yea, that is 100% corect
We all know you need a little luck to win a championship.
Looking back in 2005, we had a “lucky” game against Ohio St. Early Turnovers, we could not score on 4th and goal from the 2. Also, some crazy things went on in that championship game too.
Luck was not on our side last season, but we are luck it was tonight. Things fell just how they needed too, sometimes it does not.
"I don't ever miss free throws. I'm like 100-percent from the free throw line. I just don't think about missing and if you think about missing you're going to miss. I just take my time and know I'm going to make it and I do," McClellan said.
Correct*
I hate when I am such a rush to type something, I misspell words
"I don't ever miss free throws. I'm like 100-percent from the free throw line. I just don't think about missing and if you think about missing you're going to miss. I just take my time and know I'm going to make it and I do," McClellan said.
To further my point
How lucky is it that Aaron Williams worked hard in the off-season so he could pick that ball off in the endzone. How lucky is it that Colt was able to buy time with his feet on that last play to ship.
There was a lot of luck involved, but you have to look at this teams dedication, not only in the last 2 minutes of the game, but in the off-season, and even throughout this season. It would have been so easy to say, we have been good enough this whole season, why can’t we coast against this Nebraska team. There is only so much luck you can have.
"I don't ever miss free throws. I'm like 100-percent from the free throw line. I just don't think about missing and if you think about missing you're going to miss. I just take my time and know I'm going to make it and I do," McClellan said.
Just ask Nebraska about luck . . .
. . . and how they won their last championship after the kicked ball in Columbia.
Or how Colorado won a championship after the fifth down in Columbia.
Hell of a lot luckier than anything we received.
I don't know about you guys,
but I pulled a Ron Artest and busted out the hard liquor at half-time. It was a decision I do not regret.
drinking straight Tito's now
Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis.
Oh crap...
Speaking of NBA, I gotta drop Greg Oden from my fantasy team. He got all sorts of effed up.
by ElMariachiLoco on Dec 6, 2009 12:42 AM CST up reply actions
Just got back from the game
Couldn’t care less about criticizing the team right now. I’ve never had such a roller coaster of emotion (I don’t care about the cliche: that’s what it was). I don’t care what anybody says, that Nebraska defense is freakish. We had a bizarre number of bounces just go the other way, but when we needed something good to happen, karma ensued. Glad to be 13-0, let’s see McCoy go out a National Champion quarterback.
If you're so sure of what it ain't, how about telling us what it am!
I continue to have anxiety
seeing the plethora of replays. Celebrations are had, but damn… I’m freaking exhausted.
by Infield Elephant on Dec 6, 2009 12:51 AM CST reply actions
Imagine how you're feeling right now
and imagine how you could be feeling if Colt had taken an extra step or two before throwing the ball. Ok actually now that I say that it didn’t help me much either. All I care about right now is seeing the bowl selection show and putting everyone’s bs to rest of “what if this or that happens, are we in, blah blah blah.”
Field
What was with the field tonight? It looked like the A&M game last year with people slipping all over the place. Malcolm Williams alone slipped on the one yard line and almost fell again on the kick that went out of bounds.
COLT:
THROW THE EFFING BALL TO MALCOLM FROM NOW ON.
Kirkendoll's drop
Did anyone else think that he might have lost it in the scoreboard? On the replay, he was reacting as if he was looking for a ball he had lost in the sun. But of course there was no sun, just a 60-yard-long HD in the way . . .
Texas
Lets just say at work tonight i had to put many customers on hold
I wouldn't have answered anyways
I was at the game. My Lord. I died inside when Nebraska rushed the field as I was screaming that we have :01 left. The 5 cigarettes I smoked on the way back to my truck was the most relaxing thing ever!
Get off your knees Greg, you're blowin' the game.
@Loomby ,
Seriously, relax, and cut the incessant hand-wringing. We won. Ask Florida Gator fans about to slit their wrist if they’d like to have our “luck” right now. It wasn’t just stupid luck that the team went 12-0 before this game, buddy. We’re going to the champ game. RELAX. CHILL. Etc.
In-VINCE-able.
Florida
got beat, bad, by a very good team that is our next on the schedule. We very, very nearly (and even that’s an understatement) lost to a team that Bama coulda beaten with their eyes closed. Care to argue that?
This means nothing
The game is played on the field, as we found out tonight, its not just about who you beat, or who you lost too.
"I don't ever miss free throws. I'm like 100-percent from the free throw line. I just don't think about missing and if you think about missing you're going to miss. I just take my time and know I'm going to make it and I do," McClellan said.
Sure
I’ll argue nebraska is on par with LSU, tennesee and auburn- three teams bama was very lucky to beat. You have no argument.
by Eskimohorn on Dec 6, 2009 1:48 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Auburn
Okay, but Alabama barely pulled it out against Auburn just two weeks ago, a team that had just lost to Georgia, a team that got plastered by Florida. I know this is a one- or two-off comparison, but it’s all how the teams match up on any particular day. These are college kids, remember.
by holywhackamoley on Dec 6, 2009 8:55 AM CST up reply actions
As for the hand-wringing
I live in Brooklyn and am eating a pastrami sandwich to quench the pain.
I don't think this win has sunk in yet.
I’m just mentally drained at this point. It was ugly, but I’ll take it, the only thing that matters is the final scoreboard. Alabama needed a last second blocked FG to get to this point. Championship teams just find ways to win games.
Hate to go with the old sports adage.........
But Luck is a culmination of hard work and opportunity. The Texas D played their ass off. And to be honest so did Colt. He got sacked 9TIMES! If he wasn’t getting sacked he was running for his life or throwing to a receiver that fell down or one who was dropping wide open TD bombs to seal victories. We can exploit Bama’s D if Greg Davis takes in the right game plan. But until then I will enjoy this victory. Hook em horns. And somebody get the disguised TCU fan off of our site.
You can't spell COCKSUCKER without OU.
Oh hell
His name is Vincent Paul Young, Ricky Williams is from San Diego, and I grew up in Rosedale (which is near Hyde Park, in Austin, which you might not know), and the Longhorns blew chunks tonight.
Bama beat Tennessee 12-10.
Just needed a couple of vols missed FG to actually do it. Then Texas would be playing TCU on January 7th. But nobody talks about bama’s close call. That was gritty SEC football. Uh huh. That was lucky sob football.
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
"Somebody will always break your records. It is how you live that counts." - Earl Campbell
by Mulliganville on Dec 6, 2009 3:35 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
1 second
Michael Crabtree owed us that one second.
Damn. Wonder if Bama is aware of this?
As I sit here and tell myslef “don’t take that picture and post it on Bama’s blog” I’m having a hard time listening to myself……
" Answers -- Become Resources."
Without Questions; There are limited Resources...
This is clearly shopped
Notice the lighting difference between Saban and Mack Brown. Also notice the artifacting around the TEXAS on Saban’s sweatshirt and the fact that it’s not wrinkled or warped and it’s so very white and there’s no hint of a shadow being cast on it or around it.
Even if this was real what would it mean? that Nick Saban is secretly a Texas fan and will throw the game? Get real, wow.
"A man's character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation." - Mark Twain
by Stu from Tuscaloosa on Dec 6, 2009 12:21 PM CST up reply actions
Welcome to BON and . . .
. . . dude, lighten up.
The photo seems real. Here’s a link to a post using the photo in March 2007, just after Saban had been named Bama’s coach. Why would there have been any need to photoshop Saban into a texas sweatshirt back then? I would imagine that Saban, while the Dolphins’s head coach, had some occasion to visit Austin and was wearing a Texas sweatshirt, just because.
But this?
Even if this was real what would it mean? that Nick Saban is secretly a Texas fan and will throw the game? Get real, wow.
That is EXACTLY what was meant by posting the pick. We all think Saban’s going to throw the game because he’s a Texas fan!
by Hopkins Horn on Dec 6, 2009 12:29 PM CST up reply actions
hmmm
Well when you’re wrong you’re wrong.
"A man's character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation." - Mark Twain
by Stu from Tuscaloosa on Dec 6, 2009 12:31 PM CST up reply actions
OMG BARRY SWITZER HATES OU AND SECRETLY ROOTS FOR TEXAS!!!!!
by Hopkins Horn on Dec 6, 2009 12:36 PM CST up reply actions
Hope you guys beat ‘bama to shut up the SEC chest thumping for at least a year, but until TCU drops a game, I’ll say they should be national champions. Same as any other fanbase, I imagine.
Since Texas won, we don’t have a prayer, but I’ll always wonder about what could have been settled on the field. Fuck the BCS.
I hope y'all get Florida
And if you do then I want to see Tebow cry some more.
OK Rosedale
Never heard of Rosedale. Not saying it doesn’t exist but I’ve never heard of it. I’ve lived here my whole life. I’m sure you might be confusing it with the neighborhood where Andy Dalton grew up. Maybe somewhere in Dallas.
You can't spell COCKSUCKER without OU.
Get off his case ...
He’s frustrated with a team that clearly underachieved in the last two football games. Me too. I’d like to believe Texas will beat Bama, but I’m still sick to my stomach … teams just aren’t supposed to win when they play like we did last night. I don’t think TCU is a better team, but I’d also like to see it settled on the field. Why do you assume that anyway critical of the team’s performance is somehow an imposter? Who would even do that? Who says, ’I’m going to pretend to be a Texas fan to …" what? Sow seeds of doubt? Make some sort of karmic retribution? I don’t get it.
Yes it is time for a playoff.
Thanks for the good luck and with all due respect I would like nothing more than to have the chance to put these TCU vs. TX arguments to rest once and for all.
You can't spell COCKSUCKER without OU.
Let's see how a Husker fan can do with this Mad Lib...
“Gobs of credit to {Texas}’s defense, but they got gobs of help from {Shawn Watson} and the {Nebraska} offensive line. A week ago, {Texas A&M} managed {532} yards of total offense on the {Longhorns}, averaging {7.3} yards per play. I’m happy to tip my cap to {Texas}’s defense for playing terrific football tonight, but the ineptitude in blocking, in block scheming, and in play calling was frightening. I don’t have the time (or stomach) to sink my teeth into it right now, so let’s just say how thankful we are to have {almost?!} won, and end on an optimistic note: If tonight’s performance was vintage {Shawn Watson} against OU, maybe we can likewise expect the usual game-after-OU improvement. We’ll need it against {Arizona?}.”
“Though the line was terrible, the fact is that {Lee} did not have a good night himself. The early interception combined with {Texas}’s pressure clearly rattled him, and he was for much of the game inaccurate and (perhaps understandably) on at least a dozen plays too quick to bail out of what few good throwing pockets that he had…”
“Maybe things don’t look so bad if {Kinnie} catches that beautiful {fade} that would have gone for a touchdown, but as it stands, {Lee}’s best completion was his last, to {Kinnie}, getting {Nebraska} into {almost?!} winning field goal range….”
“And finally, though throughout the year we have praised {Alex Henery}’s outstanding work, it almost always felt like an afterthought, in part so greater attention could be paid to strengths and weaknesses in the spotlight, but mainly because {Nebraska} {was} involved in many games where field goals would much matter.
Tonight they did. And like he has been all year, {Alex Henery} was nails. {However} Game ball to tonight’s hero {Ndamukong Suh}."
But in all seriousness:
My guess would be that a good deal of this kind of stuff (that a lot of you are pointing out here) is in the eye of the beholder and can probably go either way. You wanna play it like Texas played down to NU…well, as you can plainly see, that can go both ways so take your pick. It just so happened that more of that sort of thing did indeed go the way of the Horns tonight. That’s not anything to be either proud or ashamed of…that’s just the way it is. I’m sure it makes everyone feel better to play down a near loss to a 14-point underdog and lay it at the feet of the Offensive coordinator. I’m sure of this because NU fans do it all the time (at least lately).
And whoever the hell had the nerve to spin the late-game “karma payback” factor in there (for all of the supposed bad breaks the horns were getting) really needs to school themselves in the history of these two universities during the Big 12 era! I mean, seriously…you really need to give it a fucking break with that sort of bullshit! If there’s really any such thing as “karmic justice”, it will be due to come crashing down on the Longhorns in annual installments for about a dozen years straight (for all of the unjust heartbreak they have caused Husker fans since 1996). I’ll plan to be in Lincoln next year (where I watched Ricky Williams tear our hearts out and stomp on them in 1998…Jammal Lord throw the pick into the end zone in 2002…and, not to mention, Terrence Nunn inexplicably snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in 2006.) Maybe I’ll be able to catch the first installment of the real karmic payback tour then.
But until then “…if I should lose, let me stand by the road, And cheer as the winners go by.” So cheers to the Longhorns, Big 12 Champions 2009! And cheers to my Texas alum brother-in-law, who just returned safely from a year in Iraq, in time to spend the holidays with my sister and their daughter…and to whom I now owe five dollars. (Points are for pussies.) Good luck against Bama…Any Husker fan worth their salt will be pulling for you guys!
To come here with this
is all class. You, sir, exemplify Husker Fandom. My hat tip to your school and tradition. It is always a brutal 60-minute game when these teams face off. Osborne is starting to put the pieces together anchored by a return of dominant defensive play. I think the biggest coaching search this offseason is not in South Bend but in Lincoln for the right OC. Just a little bit more and Corn Nation has a front runner. Thank you for your sentiments as we will need all the luck we can muster.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
Husker fans...
I’d never met any before last night. Class acts in my book. Hand shakes, “good games” & “good luck against bama” as they left the building. I was in sec 405. Cheers to them and their husker power. Hook ’em!
by RICHUT96 on Dec 6, 2009 1:17 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
From a Husker to the Horns
It was true backyard brawl. We gave you all we had. It is a sad day for the Huskers but here hoping you kick Bama’s butt.
You sound reasonable... Time to up the medication.
Thanks SK... that's very gracious of you
Best wishes to the Huskers in theri Bowl game and we’ll see you all in Lincoln next year.
Play like you mean it...
Same here..
I took my son and nephew to the game, Section 453 (btw, is there a bad seat in that place?). After the game we waited just inside one of the entrances, and almost every NU fan that came by had kind words about our play and wished us luck against Bama. The boys were surprised by the sportmanship that was displayed by Husker Nation because they were getting high fives & handshakes as they passed us on the way out. It was great for them. At one point my son mentioned that he didnt think he would be so nice if we had lost….For that, I say Go Big Red….Good luck in your bowl game….Suh is a man amongst boys….
Argue this:
10/24/09 vs. Tennessee * TV Tuscaloosa, Ala. W, 12-10
Yes, 7-5 Tennessee, in Tuscaloosa, ALABAMA.
NU’s D is outstanding. #1 in nationally in pass efficiency defense last year, and better this year, stats be damned. #1 in the conference in scoring D. They run for a living, and could not tonight. Think McElroy’s going to fare much better than Lee in the passing game? 39 yards passing by NU, their worst performance in 20 years, I think? We’ve got the athletes to match up with anyone. No one goes undefeated without close wins. We won, and it won’t be our last win this season.
We’ll be fine. Put the knife down, Mary.
I think I'm going to avoid BON for 24 hours after games
to let all these reactionary “fans” get their 2-cents out there (not worth that much if you ask me) and then come back when I can have a rational discussion with the rest of the normal people. If you didn’t come away from this game with a new sense of respect for how good that Nebraska D was, then more power to you, but you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.
Last week Texas faced a near-perfect offensive performance, and overcame it by out-scoring our opponent. This week Texas faced a near-perfect defensive performance, and overcame it by playing defense just a little bit better (granted, in this case a few breaks helped). We just took two of the best shots possible from two teams whose talent is better than their record. Remember, Nebraska is a freak VT drive, including a last-second TD pass, and an absolute abortion (sorry if that offends: I feel it is most appropriate) of an offensive performance that lead to a two point loss away from being 11-1. I don’t care to look it up, but I’m not sure Texas has been behind by more than one possession all season (I think during the CU game, but that’s it). Simply put, our team has done a stellar job of making sure that we are always in a position to win, and until they show me otherwise, I have no reason to worry that they are suddenly prone to getting blown out.
If you're so sure of what it ain't, how about telling us what it am!
by circa1015 on Dec 6, 2009 4:10 AM CST reply actions 2 recs
Why is it that ...
Before Texas games the last two weeks, most at BON predicted blowouts based on inferior competition. Then the day after each closer than expected matchup, these two teams all of sudden became unstoppable juggernauts. Does that make sense? Let me be clear, because apparently anyone not ecstatic right now is under question, but, I am happy Texas won, I just expected better, and its unrealistic to claim that Texas played up to its standards tonight.
Texas did not play up to its potential in the last two weeks but that is no reason to go chicken little on us
The defense should be criticized for last week and praised for this week, and the offense should be praised for last week and criticized for this week.
Both opponents also played 1/2 great games(one on offense and one on defense), and this should also be taken into account when considering the results.
There will be plenty of hand wringing to discuss what went wrong, but try to take a step back from the edge and enjoy the fact that your team is an undefeated conference champion with a chance to win its second national championship in 5 years.
"I think I'm going to avoid BON for 24 hours after games"
That’s generally a good idea for any sports blog
This is an awesome post Circa1015...
Very insightful and right on the mark. Thank you for the sane and pointedly correct analysis.
Play like you mean it...
We need two game threads separate game threads
One for thhttp://www.burntorangenation.com/2009/12/6/1187582/rose-bowl-bound-texas-13-nebraska#ose who want to discuss the game intelligently and rationally.
And one for the morons in the community who post wonderful thoughts like this:
Someone kill Greg Fucking Davis and anybody that tries to defend the moron.
and this:
greg davis you fucking cunt
...but, my TV said we won...
Just read every post…did we lose, or something?
"There are three kinds of people in this world: those who are good at math, and those who aren't..."
--GA Horn--
by GAHorn on Dec 6, 2009 6:56 AM CST via mobile reply actions
All daggers, baby. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
It’s like Christmas morning. Kid in a candy store. We are going back to the BCS championship game in a house where we are undefeated. Could it be even better? Oh yeah, and a better tailgate venue can not be had. Right on a damn golf course! Plush. There is not a bad seat in the house, either. Can’t wait for the runup to the game. Time to score some tix.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
Ahem ...
“And let’s be honest: nobody, not even those with burnt orange Bevo tats, can say the Longhorns are better than the WAC champ Broncos, the Big East champ Bearcats or the Mountain West champ Horned Frogs. Not after Texas needed a Thanksgiving Day escape hatch against Texas A&M and not after the Longhorns bumbled around against Nebraska — The Team That Offense Forgot.”
-Gene Wojciechowski
After last year's screw job...
all the media can suck it. I don’t care how we looked getting to the MNC, WE ARE GOING!
They’ll just have to deal with it………..and now so does Bama.
Greg Davis has been hot or cold………but his best game plans usually have come with a month to prepare. I have faith. We get to play the underdog role against Bama………..we thrive under that scenario.
Hook em!
I will say ...
as a Longhorn fan and a Packer fan, he can fucking suck it. I hate that motherfucker with a passion.
Any given Saturday
First big props to Husker fans at the Death Star last night, they werent nearly our equals in numbers, but man they could put out some noise. And the two on our row told us good game and good luck and high fived us on the way out, as we stayed for the trophy presentation. Husker fan is still #1 in my book.
The other point I just want to drive home is that its past time to worry about pretty wins, you cant infer what will happen against Bama from anything we have seen on the field up to this point. Before last night there were just two football games left, now theres just one. Ill take ugly, lucky, sloppy, and mismanaged wins all the way to the crystal ball. At this point its not a beauty contest, its survival, and our Horns made it out alive. Just win baby.
Any given Saturday we can have a poor performance, we can run out 5 wide against Suh and Crick, we can get called down on the 1 yard line, and any given Saturday we can overcome and pull a W out of our ass. 13 down, 1 more, and when that game happens, anything could happen. Just win baby.
by BoddickerIsClutch on Dec 6, 2009 8:24 AM CST reply actions
Dry
Anyone know why they were not selling beer last night at the Death Star? I have been to a couple of Big 12 Championship games and this has never been an issue, why did Jerry keep the taps under wraps?
by EdwinSimmonsPartysNaked on Dec 6, 2009 10:15 AM CST reply actions
The deal is
its about the home team. Nebraska was the home team, and they were asked if they wanted to sell beer during the game. They declined. Last week, Baylor declined it as well.
Get off your knees Greg, you're blowin' the game.
But that wouldn't explain the drunks from Boulder for the 2005 game! :)
by Hopkins Horn on Dec 6, 2009 12:31 PM CST up reply actions
I was one of those drunks...underage too
Colorado accepted alcohol.
Get off your knees Greg, you're blowin' the game.
Hmmm
Must have just been a stand I saw closed in our section in 2005. I was underage anyway, and with my dad who’s a stickler about those kinds of things.
One point..
Quit with all the bs analysis that says Nebraska is no good. What? Really? They were good last night.
We won, let there be No doubt that 13 is greater than 12… No difference between this win and a 12-10 win by Bama over Tennessee. Cinci over Pitt. Bama over Auburn…
A win is a win. A BigXII title is not easy to come by. Ask OU from a few years back that got crushed by K State and still played for the title!
by longhorn35 on Dec 6, 2009 10:35 AM CST via mobile reply actions
We don't stand a chance in Pasadena
I mean, they are the best college football team in history!! TWO…that’s right TWO…Heisman winners in the same backfield! Unbelievable linebackers who will swallow up our running game, including our running quarterback. Maybe we should just stay home.
41-38!!
Oh what the heck, let’s go ahead and play the game!! Hook ’em!!!!!!
41-38 !!
Why Bama scares me: Greg Davis cannot learn...
After watching Bama’s front four yesterday and then watching our OLine I’m definitely nervous. More so because the line has yet to really have an outstanding performance this year…
However, they certainly don’t get help from Greg Davis when he decides (for the third time that I can recall) to run the ball in the I formation on his own one yard line. Did you learn NOTHING from Texas Tech last year?? That play resulted in a safety then and once again this season. And if I recall correctly Mack Brown addressed it in his weekly press conference and said it was a bone headed play to run… Why, Greg Davis, why?? You’re lucky Tre Newton saved your ass.
by 4th generation fan on Dec 6, 2009 10:52 AM CST reply actions
Yep
After Mizzou, OkSt, and A&M I thought we were past this with the offense. Nope. That’s why I am frustrated – Nebraska’s D was great, no doubt. But GD showed no ability to adapt or find a rhythm. Colt started to get happy feet even on plays where he actually did have enough time to throw.
i had forgotten about this
but mack DEFINITELY said they weren’t going to do that again. and there it was.
The first play call was a QB sneak, which is much much less of a risk
but IIRC there was actually a false start, and then we ran the power with Tre, at which point I started repeating the above sentiments. It was a safety last year, and this year the RB’s barely got out of the end zone (gaining us no yards for sure). Just spread it out; I trust Colt to not make the sack more than I trust our O-line to actually create a hole in that situation.
If you're so sure of what it ain't, how about telling us what it am!
Interesting thought over at Football Outsiders ...
In their game recap, they mentioned that Texas might have considered quick kicking early in the game in 3rd and long situations – like that 3rd and 30 from their own 20. We know Colt can do it – and the roll would have pinned Nebraska back and basically guaranteed that the Huskers would not have gotten points. Interesting take, though given how good the offense has the capability to be, I wouldn’t want to give up downs.
I know I may get killed for this
but sometimes winning close ones before the final game is better than blowing everyone out. I know the situations are totally different but take last year’s NBA playoffs where Lakers struggled early where the Magic blew everyone out. I think those struggles helped the Lakers in the end when they just clearly overplayed the Magic.
I’m just happy we won and obviously we have a ton of flaws exposed these last two games, but I also see that as a good thing too.
Not at all, I agree
The last two weeks put Bama in the driver’s seat with all the hype, storyline, point spread, etc favoring them. Don’t get me wrong, both teams will work hard the next month but now we are the ones in the position of having something to prove.
And last night’s showing could be good for OL and WR recruiting.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Dec 6, 2009 12:45 PM CST up reply actions
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