The second week of October only means one thing in the world of college football and that is “Oklahoma –Texas Week” at the Texas State Fair. The Sooners meet the Longhorns in the 101st edition of the Red River rivalry in the Cotton Bowl Stadium at the Texas State Fairgrounds in Dallas on Saturday October 7. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ABC. Texas has been installed by most sportsbooks (Las Vegas and Offshore) as a –4.5 point favorite with a total of 49 points.
Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops is 5-2 all-time against Texas including a five-game win streak from 2000-2004. The 2000 game launched OU on the path to the school’s seventh national title. Texas won the game last season en route to the program’s fourth national championship.
This game is fun because it gets so much national attention. It’s not just about the two states or the Big 12. It is a game that people talk about each year across the country. It means so much to college football as an institution.
Over the years both teams are usually top ten programs coming into the Oklahoma-Texas game. The game changes the scope of not only the Big 12 but also the entire college football scene in regards to the drive for the national BCS championship. This year however that might not be the case as Texas fell to top ranked Ohio State Sept. 9 and OU losing at Oregon September 23. Currently the Longhorns are in the top ten (AP) at seventh while OU has dropped to 14th.
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Under Stoops, OU has produced its career leader in passing and receiving, while producing the fourth-ranked rusher in school history and the record-holder for single season rushing. In 2006 the big gun in the OU offense is junior tailback Adrian Peterson, the No.2 rusher in NCAA Division 1A, is pursuing OU’s career rushing mark. That honor now resides with Billy Sims, who ran for 4,118 yards from 1975-79. Peterson entered 2006 with 3,033 yards, the best two-year total in school history. He is 442 yards shy of Sims’ mark. On the season, Peterson has 90 carries for 515 yards and four touchdowns.
Paul Thompson is having a great season at quarterback after moving over from wide receiver the position he played in 2005. Thompson has completed 62 per cent of his passes with eight touchdowns against only three interceptions. Thompson ranks 13th nationally in pass efficiency.
Two sophomores are leading a solid receiving corps for OU. Malcolm Kelly went over 500 career receiving yards with six grabs for a career-high 121 yards against Washington. He has three touchdowns grabs over the last two games. Ranks No.10 nationally with 94.8 yards per game, No.3 in yards per reception. Juaquin Iglesias has 12 catches for 132 yards this year after hauling in five for 78 at Oregon.
For Texas, Colt McCoy has taken the reins of the Longhorn offense in 2006. McCoy’s role as the starter was expedited when Vince Young left school early. After five games, he has shown a command of the offense, which has resulted in a 174.3 passer rating making himone of only three freshmen quarterbacks listed in the top 40. McCoy has completed 69-of-97 passes for 846 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Leading the rushing charge for Texas is a duo of backs, Jamaal Charles and Selvin Young. Both players are nursing injuries last week in the Longhorns game with Sam Houston State.
Writers comment: Since his arrival as the OU head coach in 1999, Bob Stoops has had Mack Browns number when it comes to winning this game. Finally in 2005 everything came together for the Longhorns as they won the Red River Classic en route to their BCS title. I think OU will cover the +4.5 point line and win straight up.
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