#4: Can Texas Avoid the Upset Game?
I guess it happens to ever team that doesn't win the national championship, but nothing is more frustrating than watching your team drop a game to an inferior opponent. Texas has seemingly been prone to at least one let down game a year. Only Vince Young was the cure to the in season upset. Last year Texas was seemingly on its way to, at worst, a Big 12 Championship and a BCS berth. Then a trip to lowly Kansas State derailed the Horns' national aspirations. Two weeks later, A&M ended any hope at a top-tier season.
Over the past years, there are always a few games that Texas just loses its focus and never shows up. Sometimes they recover as in the the last few Oklahoma State games. Other times like Arkansas 2003 and Stanford in 2000, Texas is dealt a baffling loss. These losses can be maddening at time as Texas preforms way below their ability.
There are quite a few land mines that Texas must traverse this season. TCU will be a tough game, but I think that everyone is quite aware of how difficult this game will be. However, if Texas should come out flat at all, this game could get real frustrating, real fast. But this is not what I would call a "trap game" for Texas. A trap game is one opponent that may be over looked, but could easily provide a tough test.
The trap game this year for Texas is going to be Oklahoma State. This is a Cowboy team that has played Texas better than any other team over the past few years. The only problem is that it is only the 1st half that OSU has over Texas. In 2004, OSU lead Texas 35-7 going into the last 2:00 of the first half. The game ended with a 56-35 Texas stomping, in one of the most exciting comebacks of all time. In 2005, again OSU looked to derail Texas' national championship run by jumping out to a 21-0 lead. Once again, the game ended in a 47-28 Texas victory.
OK State and their quarterback Bobby Reid look to be one of the most explosive offenses in the nation. Reid wanted to go to Texas out of North Shore HS in Houston, but he was Texas' second choice and took the scholarship to OSU. Reid will definitely be looking to show Texas what they are missing. While the Horns are more than happy with Colt, Reid could turn into a Vince Young-type QB in the near future. Wide receiver Adarius Bowman leads the way, the UT DBs will have all they can handle. And Reid's legs will give the Texas front seven fits all day.
But this is a game Texas should win. It will be a shootout, no question. But the Longhorn defense is a bit stronger than OSU's and Colt and Jamaal will have another big game. Look for Texas to be able to put out a nail biter in Stillwater. The crowd will be rocking and Texas will have to overcome a lot of emotion for the Cowboys. This is a game Texas could easily lose, but heres to hoping Texas doesn't get tripped up.
My Prediction: Texas 42 OSU 34
No comments:
Post a Comment