Longhorns will try to stampede Cowboys
Sports Network | October 22, 2008
Austin, TX (Sports Network) - The top-ranked Texas Longhorns will continue a stretch of murderous games this week, as they welcome the seventh-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys to Austin for a Big 12 showdown.
Mack Brown's team took over the top spot in the national polls with a thrilling 45-35 win over previously number-one ranked Oklahoma two weeks ago and followed that up with an impressive 56-31 thumping of Missouri last weekend. With the win, Texas moved to 7-0 on the season and 3-0 in Big 12 play.
The Cowboys are also a perfect 7-0 on the season (3-0 in-conference), thanks to last week's 34-6 win over Baylor. Mike Gundy's squad is currently tied with Texas and Texas Tech atop the Big 12 South. However, with Texas playing Texas Tech next week and OSU getting the Red Raiders the week after, a crowded division is certainly up for grabs.
Texas has dominated this series, winning 20 of the 22 all-time meetings. In addition, the Longhorns have won the last 10 meetings and are 13-1 against the Cowboys in Austin.
Oklahoma State comes to Austin with one of the nation's premier offenses. The team certainly has the ability to move the chains, with the most productive mode of travel being the ground game. OSU ranks fifth in the nation in rushing at 283.1 yards per game. The passing game isn't far behind at 218.3 yards per game, leading to a hefty scoring average of 46.4 ppg.
Tailback Kendall Hunter has quietly gone about his business and is one of the nation's top rushers, averaging 136.4 ypg, on 6.3 ypc. He is also responsible for nine of the team's whopping 24 rushing TDs.
Quarterback Zac Robinson is a perfect fit under center. The talented signal- caller has completed a solid 70.1 percent of his passes thus far, for 1,488 yards, with 14 TDs.
Robinson knows what he faces in the Longhorns this week.
"Texas looks pretty good. They have a good offense. Colt McCoy is playing really well. Their defense is really fast. They fly around and they are doing some different things. After seeing what they did to Missouri, we definitely know it is going to be a big challenge, and hopefully we will be ready."
It will certainly help OSU to seek out All-American candidate Dez Bryant downfield. The 6-2 sophomore is coming off a 212-yard performance against Baylor and ranks second nationally with 115.6 yards per game. Bryant has hauled in a hefty 45 passes in the first seven games, for 809 yards, with 11 TDs. Robinson also has tight end Brandon Pettigrew back. A First-Team All-Big 12 selection in 2007, Pettigrew missed time due to injury this year, but can do a lot on the field to help the Cowboys when healthy.
With the type of offensive numbers that OSU has put up, the defense has not had to carry the team. That may change this week, as the Cowboys certainly face their toughest challenge to date. Oklahoma State is allowing 20.6 ppg this season, on 335.9 yards of total offense. Where the team has struggled a bit is in generating a pass rush, with only eight sacks in the first seven games.
The strength of the defense is in the linebacking corps, highlighted by juniors Andre Sexton (team-high 57 tackles) and Orie Lemon (45 tackles).
The Longhorns are sitting atop the national polls thanks in large part to the remarkable play of now Heisman favorite Colt McCoy. The 6-3 junior continues to excel in just about every facet of the game, including his decision-making. On the year, McCoy has completed an outstanding 81.2 percent of his passes, for 1,894 yards, with 19 TDs. He has also rushed for a team-high 371 yards and six more scores.
The hype currently surrounding McCoy doesn't seem to faze him in the least.
"It's just like I tell my coaches and my teammates. I just want to win. That's the most important thing. If we win all our games, then maybe some awards will come. But it's a reflection of the team. It feels good that I'm playing well. I'm playing well because of my teammates. They're doing the little things right, we're working hard, we're practicing hard, we want to win and we're focused. We're focused on being the best that we can be and that makes you feel good."
McCoy has enjoyed having a pair of talented targets on the outside in Quan Cosby (48 receptions, for 612 yards, three TDs) and Jordan Shipley (43 receptions, for 569 yards, nine TDs).
The Texas defense has played lights out as well, especially against the run this year. Opponents are netting a mere 48.1 yards per game on the ground, on just 1.9 yards per carry. The pass defense has been much more generous (275.0 ypg), but the Longhorns have faced two of the nation's top signal-callers the last two weeks (Oklahoma's Sam Bradford and Missouri's Chase Daniel) and that has skewed the numbers a bit.
The Longhorns have playmakers throughout the defense, starting up front with All-American candidate Brian Orakpo. The 6-4, 260-pound senior has certain NFL talent and has been relentless in his desire to get upfield, leading the team in TFLs (12.0) and sacks (8.0). The play in the middle is headlined by junior LB Roddrick Muckelroy, who paces the team with 67 tackles.
