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Coming into the game the test would be Baylor's electric, quick-strike offense against the vaunted Texas defense. Robert Griffin III ran for two touchdowns and passed for another two. He managed the game effectively and efficiently and hit the young Longhorn defensive backs on crossing routes, boundary routes, and speed routes. The entire RGIII arsenal was on display for the entire Heisman voting nation. He lived up to the billing.
He proved he deserves the Heisman. With an exclamation mark.
While true, his counterpart, Case McCoy, had a topsy-turvey game looking good in spots but the mistakes (ie. 5 turnovers) were crippling as Baylor turned them into 27 points.
Texas actually got it going in the 2nd quarter and led 21-14 and only trailed by three 24-21 at halftime. The 3rd quarter started promising but back-to-back interceptions netted the Bears 10 points. Combine that with another 80 yardish drive and the game for the most part was over.
The Longhorns were not going to win a track meet today, in spite of their 557 yards of offense. When the game forced our passing hand, and the pressing started, the wheels came off and the mistakes started coming in droves.
As for that vaunted Texas defense? Well, they just could not get any push against that 1,500+ lb Baylor Line and RGIII had pretty much all day to do his bidness. They did finish with a sack and an interception.
Credit the Baylor coaching staff for drawing up a great game plan and executing it to perfection. And credit their defense. They had been maligned, maybe unfairly, for giving up too many big plays this year. But that defense made the big plays of the game today, especially when the opportunities presented themselves.
PB will have more later. This is your 2011 regular season finale commiseration thread.
Hook' em and probably see you out west somewhere.
Note: There is no Mack Brown press conference on Monday. We'll have to wait for bowl game week.