Sooners Stumble in Dallas, 28-10

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Colt McCoy probably doesn’t realize how quickly things have changed in the Texas-Oklahoma rivalry.
 
Not long ago, the No. 7 Longhorns were the ones getting outhustled, outcoached and flat-out beat.
 
Now, it’s the No. 14 Sooners who are finding ways to lose — like having their best player give up on a loose ball near his end zone with the game still on the line in the fourth quarter.
  
Adrian Peterson thought the ball bouncing off his hands meant an incomplete pass, not a fumbled lateral. Texas cornerback Aaron Ross wasn’t sure, but scooped it up and scored just in case, and wound up with the touchdown that sealed a 28-10 victory Saturday in the 101st edition of the Red River rivalry.
 
“I’m just sitting there like, ‘What the, you know, is going on?”‘ Peterson said after the game, still puzzled by what happened.
 
Such confusion was typical for the Longhorns (5-1, 2-0 Big 12) from 2000-04 in their annual meeting with the Sooners. Between blowout losses and tight finishes, Oklahoma (3-2, 0-1) always made all the right moves.
 
Vince Young turned things around for Texas last year. McCoy kept it going this year.
 
A redshirt freshman who watched Young from the sideline last year, McCoy overcame a slow start by throwing two perfect touchdown passes in the third quarter to turn a 10-7 halftime deficit into a 21-10 lead. Ross did the rest, following his head’s up play with a pair of interceptions that ended the Sooners’ final two drives.
 
McCoy’s numbers were mediocre — 11-of-18 for 108 yards, plus 11 more rushing — but his poise was off the charts. He overcame an awful second quarter and never turned the ball over.
 
“When we’ve come out of this game with a huge deficit, it’s usually been because of turnovers,” Texas coach Mack Brown said. “Today, they lost five and we lost none. And that’s why the game got to where it is.”
 
During the five-game losing streak to Oklahoma, Brown was labeled as being outsmarted by Sooners coach Bob Stoops. He didn’t even get all the credit last year’s victory because Young soaked it all up.
 
This time, Brown made his mark by making sure the Longhorns didn’t let one rough patch overwhelm them.
 
Texas let an early 7-0 lead slip away by giving up a touchdown and a field goal on Oklahoma’s final two drives of the first half. The worst part was that the offense gained only 1 yard the entire second quarter, wasting great field position.
 
Brown thought offensive coordinator Greg Davis was being too conservative with McCoy, so he told him at halftime to let the kid loose. McCoy responded with his longest play yet on his first snap of the third quarter and built from there.
 
He lobbed a blitz-beating 33-yard touchdown to Limas Sweed two plays later, putting Texas ahead. He took the Longhorns 79 yards on the next series, running three times for 23 yards and capping it with a 7-yard pass to Jordan Shipley near the back of the end zone.
 
“He managed the game for them in a really good way,” Stoops said.
 
This could prove to be a landmark victory for McCoy, who had the unenviable task of facing No. 1 Ohio State in his second career start. With a few games more experience, he proved he could handle the pressure of a big game, even one that got off to a rocky start.
 
“Colt has grown so much since Ohio State,” said teammate Selvin Young, who ran for 60 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
 
Texas has now won 17 straight conference games. This one puts the Longhorns in the lead for the Big 12 South and a spot in the conference title game, which could then yield a BCS berth. If things break their way elsewhere in the country, they could wind up with a chance to defend their national title.
 
Oklahoma was hoping this game would get them back in the race. While the Sooners were able to overcome some early mistakes, their biggest weakness — defense — ultimately was exploited.
 
Peterson ran 25 times for 109 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown, but Texas was able to focus on him because none of Oklahoma’s other play-makers made the Longhorns pay for it.
 
The Sooners hurt themselves early: An unnecessary roughness penalty that took 15 yards off what would’ve been a 73-yard kickoff return by Peterson, Peterson’s fumble on the final play of the first quarter and an offensive pass interference penalty that wiped out a 29-yard gain.
 
Still within reach at 21-10, Oklahoma reached the Texas 15 on a pass to Juaquin Iglesias, but he fumbled. Then came the lateral, which left Stoops as angry as he’d been since the referee fiasco at Oregon three weeks earlier, when a series of close calls led to a 34-33 loss.
 
He remained angry even after getting the ruling: The ball was “thrown at the 12 and landed at the 12. By rule, that’s a backwards pass.”
 
“They didn’t say anything about where it hit his hands,” Stoops said. “That’s the part I don’t understand.”
 
Ross’ first interception with more than seven minutes began an exodus of Oklahoma fans. The rest began heading out when Paul Thompson — who was 15-of-27 for 209 yards — was picked off by Ross again, drawing chants of “Poor Sooners” from the Longhorns fans.
 
At the final gun, McCoy turned to the crowd and pumped his arm in victory. Last year, Young ran to the seats and gave high-fives and hugs on his way around the seats; McCoy was content blending in with his teammates singing “The Eyes of Texas” in a group in the end zone.
 
“It’s great for our fans, it’s great for this team, but it’s not me,” he said. “I didn’t come out here and win this game. This is because of my teammates.”

www.soonersports.com

Red River Rivalry

Prediction:

OU Wins – 24 Texas 17

If it’s possible, the Red River Rivalry has more significance now than it did in the 1980s, when it was viewed as life-or-death by fans of the Longhorns and Sooners. Of course, the fans’ attitude hasn’t changed — but the country’s has. Since Texas and OU are both nationally ranked and are in the same conference and same division, Saturday’s matchup has Big 12 and national title implications. It’s about as big a conference matchup as you can have.

Each team enters Saturday’s matchup with one loss. No. 14 Oklahoma is still festering over its controversial loss to Oregon and has had an extra week to prepare for this game. Having a week off near the beginning of the season is both good and bad — it gives teams time to heal and time to prepare, but coaches hate to get out of a routine. Coaches spend the time worrying about players traveling home, doing too much, etc.

To beat No. 7 Texas, Oklahoma will have to establish a passing game. As good as running back Adrian Peterson is, he can’t carry the Sooners by himself against a big, athletic, veteran Longhorns defensive line. Ohio State was able to defeat Texas by using a balanced attack; the progress of Sooners quarterback Paul Thompson will be measured by his performance Saturday. Peterson will get his yards, and it will be up to Texas’ D to limit his yards after the initial hit, to keep him from getting 40 yards on what should be a 10-yard run. They have to gang-tackle him, which is easier said than done. When you commit your defense to one person, you run the risk that you’ll give up big plays in the passing game. Oklahoma has shown it has the ability to do that.

Neither quarterback has started a game in the rivalry, and it will be interesting to see how they handle not only the pressure of the other team but also the hundreds of thousands of people in Dallas for the state fair and the general buildup — it’s as close to the days of gladiators fighting in the Coliseum as I’ve seen. This is the type of game you live to play in as a coach and a player — the kind you remember long after your playing days are over.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?id=2611396

Adrian Peterson’s Quest for the Heisman!

Week 5 – AD gonna send the Longhorns to the butcher! 

RB Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma
 
AD descends upon Big D with his best chance of 2006 to close the gap on Smith, while maintaining his cushion on the line of contenders forming in the rear view mirror. Unlike last year, when he had an injured ankle and Vince Young was still an amateur, Peterson is completely healthy and the main attraction of the annual Red River Rivalry.
Last Week: Idle
This Week: vs. Texas
2006 Season: 117 carries for 643 yards and 7 TDs – 4 catch for 72 yards and 1 TD
Barometer: Steady

Reference

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/5746512

Replay official gets death threats, considers resigning

By: William McCall • The Associated Press
Posted: Sep 18, 2006

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Instant replay official gets death threats, considers resigning

PORTLAND, Ore. — The instant replay official whose failure to overturn a bad call led to a narrow Oregon victory over Oklahoma said Monday he feels like he is under siege after threatening phone calls, including a death threat.

Gordon Riese said he would make a decision soon about whether to finish the season, or even whether to return next year.

“I’m struggling with it,” Riese said in an interview at his home. “I feel so bad I missed that call, it’s driving me crazy.”

A former college baseball pitcher in the 1960s who was inducted into the Portland State Hall of Fame in 1997, Riese said he never played football but always enjoyed the game during 28 years as a Pacific-10 Conference official.

“I loved it, I absolutely loved it,” Riese said.

But that was before he became an instant replay official.

“I’ve felt much, much more pressure as an instant replay official than I ever did on the field,” Riese said.

He said the equipment is not as sophisticated as NFL replay equipment, and does not allow the official to freeze the frame. But Riese lays the blame on himself after replays showed that an onside kick was touched by an Oregon player before it had traveled the required 10 yards. The Ducks went on to score the go-ahead touchdown.

“I can’t sleep, I can’t eat, my blood pressure is skyrocketing,” Riese said, looking haggard and worn as he sat on the front porch of his house.

His wife is a registered nurse, and has been checking his blood pressure every four hours, he said.

Riese said he has stopped answering the phone, and police are investigating the threatening calls while keeping an eye on his neighborhood.

“They not only threatened me, they threatened my wife and kids,” Riese said.

Riese has endured plenty of physical pain in his career. He said a torn rotator cuff ended his pitching days, all the ligaments in his right knee were torn when he was hit by an Oregon defensive back at Autzen Stadium in a 1984 game against Washington State, and he suffered a separated collarbone when he was run over by opposing linemen trying to block each other in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl.

The knee and the collarbone still bother him, occasionally, he said.

But not as much as his ruling from the booth last Saturday, Riese said.

“I don’t know how to deal with it,” he said. “I guess it’s just one of those things.”

My comments: Someone went way to far! I feel sorry for the man and his family and my thoughts are with them. Debating, criticising, griping and being upset is one thing, but threatening the man and his family? That is very disturbing and unnecessary . Come on people keep it together!  

Matt Zemek breaks it down.

http://cfn.scout.com/2/557921.html

What more can be said?

Footbal Farce!

I’m not sure how to describe what I saw Saturday. A travesty? A farce? A sick joke?
The three calls made late in the OU-Oregon game by Pac-10 officials were both wrong and inexcusable. There’s no other way to say it, and some severe explaining needs to be done.The Oklahoma – Texas Tech instant replay controversy last year was like a misdemeanor compared to this felony of a bungling by the officials. The plays were no-brainers. After watching a tape of the game over and over again, the truth still remains the same. OU was screwed.

On the onside kick, the Oregon player clearly touched the ball first before it went 10 yards. The illegal contact was then proven on what seemed like eight different camera angles.

But in a surreal moment right out of George Orwell’s 1984 — or any other futuristic novel where the people in charge dictate the “truth” to the masses — the referee came out and said, and I’m quoting here, “There is conclusive video evidence that the ball was touched by a receiving team (OU) player.”

Conclusive? Did the official in the booth somehow flip his channel to the LSU-Auburn game? Because he sure as heck wasn’t watching what I was watching.

Here was the referee, telling millions of people watching on television that they didn’t see what they just saw.

And lost in all of the confusion was that OU’s Allen Patrick actually recovered the football. Once again, the tape clearly shows the ball squirt out of the bottom of the pile — well away from any Oregon player — and Patrick simply picks it up and shows it to the officials, who proceed to ignore him.

Seconds later, seemingly to rub it in, a pass clearly deflected by an OU lineman was not acknowledged because the video was “inconclusive.”

The whole sequence was mind-boggling.

So what should be done?

First, there needs to be an investigation, because the game was handed to Oregon on a silver platter. Whether this was intentional or not, I don’t know. Basically, there needs to be open explanation to OU as to how this situation was permitted to occur under a system that was brought in to keep situations like this from occurring.

Second, instant replay has officially been proven a sham and needs to be discarded or drastically changed. If referees won’t overturn calls that are obviously incorrect, then why have the system at all? In reality, the plays weren’t even that close, yet somehow they befuddled the officials.

Third, college football’s timing changes have also taken a hit. With 45 seconds left – under the old rules – the Sooners would have had plenty of time to get into better field goal range. Under the new rules, where the clock starts at the kick and as soon as the ball is spotted, the Sooners managed one measly run and nearly let the clock run out before spiking the football.

And finally, the national media’s anti-OU bias was clearly displayed by an unwillingness to defend the Sooners.

“Well, if the Sooners would have played better defense, or made the field goal, they still could have won,” one national talking head said.

Bull.

They shouldn’t have had to keep playing defense, and Hartley shouldn’t have had to hit a field goal.

And trust me, I’m not one to make excuses. I hate excuses. Can’t stand ‘em. I usually I just tell people to get over it and move on.

But in this case, I have to make an exception. The Sooners, who many predicted would lose to Oregon (including myself), came out and played extremely well for a young team on the road in a stadium as formidable as Autzen. Yes, they made plenty of mistakes. Too many to count, really. But they played well enough to win, and that’s all that matters. It’s a shame that a hard-earned victory from a young team had to be so obviously taken away.

So, in the words of Ricky Ricardo, “Somebody’s got some ‘splaining to do.”

Zach West is the sports editor and a journalism senior. His column appears every Monday.Photo: The football seems to be recovered by an OU player after an onside kick from Oregon during Saturday’s game. Photo provided

Sound Off!!!!!

“The instant replay was brought up to eliminate issues like this. And here, there are a number of issues that are clearly — looking at video — wrong,” Stoops said Sunday.

Let your comments be heard Football Nation!!!

Matthew Zemek “Oklahoma: don’t riot or do anything destructive tonight … “

“Memo to the people of the fine state of Oklahoma: don’t riot or do anything destructive tonight … even though you’d be justified to feel like doing something violent. After all, this game was violently taken away from a deserving bunch of Sooners by inept officiating and even more inept replay evaluators.”

 Trust me Matthew, my neighbors probably thought we were having an earthquacke after hearing me stomping around and roaring like a rogue elephant……

Pac-10 commissioner reviewing the plays!

“Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen said Saturday night that both the onside kick and pass interference call will be reviewed by the league.”

Well that is reassuring! If it’s anything like the review the Pac – 10 officiating crew saw, we can count on them swearing that it was Elvis who touched the ball first!

Cold Pizza on ESPN

“The Sooners got robbed! The officials won that game for Oregon!”

 The whole world knows the Sooners got robbed. It is fowl play to steal a win! A win is fought on that football field with blood and guts. Then to have a win plucked from a deserving team when instant replay is available and obvious is outrageously wrong. Not just for the Sooners, but for all college teams and their loyal fans.