You're always a little nervous about the game BEFORE a big game. This year, it was Missouri on the schedule before Oklahoma, but the Horns were prepared for the Tigers and blew them out.
Fifty rushes for 349 yards. Absolutely delicious. I hope you took my advice on sold your car to bet on the Horns.
You probably saw the game, so we won't go into a play by play breakdown of what happened. We'll just touch on some of the more important notes from the game.
*We were pleased to see a healthy dose of Jamaal Charles this week, but Mack was careful not to overwork him as we took over the game. Charles led the rushing attack with 15 carries, Selvin Young got 11 birthday carries, and Melton was called on 9 times, including two one-yard TD runs. That Vince Young guy wasn't bad either.
We're hopeful that Mack and Greg Davis were spelling Charles a bit in preparation for this week's big game with Oklahoma. I have no problem with spreading the wealth when we're running a team out of the stadium, but we still want to see Charles getting 75% of the touches in any game that's still competitive. I've said it before, and with each passing week, I grow more convinced. Jamaal Charles is our Emmitt Smith. He's already better than Cedric Benson. There, I said it. It's not hyperbole, either. He's that good.
*Vince was quietly efficient on Saturday, completing 15 of his 22 pass attempts for 236 yards, including two touchdowns. He ran for another and, as usual, was the best athlete on the field. Ridiculous attempts to compare Brad Smith and Vince Young should now subside. Smith has been the most overrated quarterback in the country for several years now. Besides whoever happens to be passing for Texas Tech.
*It was good to see Greg Davis call on Ramonce Taylor this week. Taylor had all but disappeared following a strong debut against Louisiana-Lafayette. His acrobatic dive to the end zone in the second half highlighted his athletic talents. He's the kind of player Greg Davis needs to get better at using.
*Billy Pittman continues to impress, as well. His four catches for 81 yards were both team highs and he is becoming a reliable target for Vince. Limas Sweed still looks soft to me. He has the body to be a good receiver, but not the head for it. He's still getting muscled around by smaller players.
*We're happy that Texas faced Missouri, and not Oklahoma, following the bye week. Texas was a little rusty in the first quarter before burying Missouri. They shouldn't have the same problem next week, and will likely be double-digit favorites for the Red River Shootout. We'll keep you updated on the injury status of Adrian Peterson, who left OU's 42-21 victory over Kansas State in the second quarter.
--PB--