Big Play Day for Longhorns

It didn’t take long for Texas to crank it up on the Sooners on Saturday. After OU had pulled within 7-6 Texas freshman running back Jamaal Charles ran 80 yards for a touchdown, the longest scoring run in the 100 year history of the series, to put OU to bed early.

It was the first of several big plays for Texas as they ended their five year losing streak to Oklahoma and took control of not only the South, but the entire Big 12. OU just simply didn’t have an answer to the Longhorns attack.

Just before halftime Vince Young hit Billy Pittman for a 64 yard touchdown. Then in the third quarter Young would hook up with Pittman again for a 27 yard touchdown, in which Pittman made a one handed catch.

The final nail in the coffin came when Rodrique Wright recovered a Rhett Bomar fumble and then rumbled 67 yards to the house to make the final score 45-12.

Big plays are what Texas had been missing the last five years in this series but they came in abundance on Saturday. The Sooners had been the team to come out aggressive in the previous five meetings but lacked the firepower to do anything on Saturday. OU didn’t have a play go over nine yards until the fourth quarter when Bomar hit tight end Joe Jon Finley for a 15 yard touchdown.

Now the teams will head in two totally different directions. For the Sooners, it’s just becoming bowl eligible that’s the goal now. OU has to go at least 4-2 over their last six games for that to be a possibility. It’s amazing how far a team can fall when they turn so young so quick. Don’t give up on this team though! They may be young but they are learning on the job and as these freshmen become sophomores and then juniors they will be a dangerous unit who has played together for a long time. Then experience will be an advantage not an enemy.

For the Longhorns it’s off for the national title hunt. Texas remains number 2 in the nation and should be in the driver’s seat on the road to Pasadena. Beware Texas fans, your beloved Longhorns are taking the road less traveled. This is the first time since 1983 that Texas has come out of this game with a perfect record. The pressure is on now and each week it will build as this team tries to accomplish something that hasn’t been done since 1969.

The next six weeks will tell the true story of the Longhorns season. So far it’s been a big season packed with big plays, but the real ride has just begun. Enjoy it Longhorn fans, your team has earned it. It should be fun!