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October 16, 2009

Olin Buchanan
Rivals.com College Football Senior Writer

DALLAS - The "Red River Rivalry" between Texas and Oklahoma is a special game.

It can determine the Big 12 championship. It can influence the national championship matchup. It spurs controversy.

Apparently, it can even heal the sick.

Last week against Baylor, Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, the reigning Heisman winner, returned from a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder that had sidelined him for 3 1/2 games. He wasn't back in the lineup because Baylor was a threat to the Sooners; instead, he returned to prep for Texas.

"He was a little bit rusty as far as delivering the ball," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. "If you think about it, he played only one half since last January. He's getting back in rhythm and getting that feel. I'm sure he'll have more improvement this week as far as technique goes."

Sooners big-play wide receiver Ryan Broyles was expected to miss up to four weeks with a fractured shoulder blade suffered in a loss to Miami on Oct. 4. Yet earlier this week, it was announced he may play against Texas.

But that's not surprising.

The Oklahoma-Texas rivalry is among the most bitter in college football. It always has been - and always will be. But since the formation of the Big 12 Conference in 1996, it has become more intense because the stakes are much, much higher.

In the 13 years of the Big 12's existence, either Texas or Oklahoma has won the conference championship eight times. One of those teams has represented the South Division in the Big 12 championship game every season this decade. Both have won national championships this decade.

Last season, the resentment between the teams deepened. Texas defeated Oklahoma 45-35, but OU still emerged from a three-way tie in the South Division to play in the Big 12 championship game and ultimately advanced to the national title game.

"This game is so important to the fan base that when we beat Colorado [in the preceding game] last year, our fans starting yelling, 'Beat OU,' " Texas coach Mack Brown said. "They did it again Saturday after the game. They're not even taking in the victory over Colorado. They're already to Oklahoma."

This season, the game means more to Texas - and not just because of last season's controversy.

Undefeated and ranked third, Texas is a strong national championship contender. In addition, quarterback Colt McCoy is a Heisman Trophy candidate and wide receiver Jordan Shipley, who has 32 catches in the last three games, has emerged as one.

"This game is as big as any we play," McCoy said. "It determines a lot for your season. It impacts the conference race and potentially more. I think it's a big challenge for us.

"Our defense is playing great. Their defense is playing great. They've had some ups and down with injuries, and their record does not at all indicate how good they are. We understand that going in."

With two losses, Oklahoma's national championship hopes are all but gone. Yes, LSU won the national title with two losses in 2007, but that was an aberration. No other team has won a national title with more than one loss since two-loss Minnesota was voted a share in 1960.

But OU still can win a fourth consecutive Big 12 championship. And in Oklahoma, the next best thing to winning a national title is preventing the Longhorns from winning one.

Beating Texas won't be easy. The Sooners' offensive line has been inconsistent, their pass defense has been vulnerable and the receiving corps is inexperienced.

Bradford, though, will be under center, and Texas is well aware what he can do. He has thrown for 631 yards and eight touchdowns in two previous games against the Longhorns. Last week, he threw for 389 yards and a touchdown in a 33-7 victory over Baylor.

"I thought Sam looked like he did last year, when he threw five touchdown passes against us," Brown said. "Had I not been told Sam had been hurt, I would not have seen any difference [last week]."

Of course he didn't appear hurt. The Red River Rivalry was impending.

Who gets the edge?

Oklahoma rush offense vs. Texas rush defense:
Running backs DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown have combined for 744 rushing yards and six touchdowns. The Sooners average 187.8 rushing yards per game but have averaged just 135.5 yards in their two losses. The line is expected to be without starting G Brian Simmons, who would be replaced by sophomore Stephen Good. Texas leads the nation in run defense, allowing an average of 46.2 rushing yards per game. But the Longhorns have faced three opponents that rank 91st or worse in rushing offense. LB Roddrick Muckelroy leads Texas with 38 tackles.
Edge: Texas

Oklahoma pass offense vs. Texas pass defense:
No one doubts Bradford's ability. He has passed for 8,326 yards and 88 touchdowns in his career, and is coming off a 389-yard performance against Baylor last week. The issue with OU's passing game is receivers. All-America TE Jermaine Gresham is out for the season with a knee injury. Ryan Broyles is an explosive receiver with seven touchdown catches, but his status is uncertain because of a fractured scapula. Junior Brandon Caleb has 21 catches. OU's rebuilt line has allowed six sacks but has lacked consistency. Texas' secondary is viewed as the strength of the defense. Safeties Earl Thomas and Blake Gideon have combined for six interceptions. They're aided by a pass rush that has produced 14 sacks. End Sam Acho leads with five.
Edge: Texas

Texas rush offense vs. Oklahoma rush defense:
The Longhorns' top two rushers - Vondrell McGee with 258 yards and Tre' Newton with 203 yards - are injured, and their status is uncertain. Texas likely will start Foswhitt Whittaker, who has been slowed by injuries and has rushed for just 50 yards. QB Colt McCoy is an excellent runner and led the Longhorns in rushing in '08. This year, though, he has gained only 58 yards. The Longhorns will find running difficult against Oklahoma, which ranks third in the nation against the run. The Sooners have allowed fewer than 150 rushing yards in every game and have allowed no rushing touchdowns. LBs Travis Lewis and Ryan Reynolds have combined for 85 tackles. T Gerald McCoy has 7.5 tackles for loss.
Edge: Oklahoma

Texas pass offense vs. Oklahoma pass defense:
McCoy isn't having as spectacular a season as he did a year ago, when he was Heisman runner-up, but he's still effective. He has passed for 1,410 yards and 10 touchdowns. His greatest strength is a knack for continuing drives with third-down completions. McCoy's favorite receiver is Jordan Shipley, who ranks second in the nation with 47 receptions for 583 yards. Oklahoma's pass defense has been vulnerable at times. The Sooners surrendered a late winning touchdown drive to BYU and allowed three touchdown passes in a loss to Miami. But the Sooners have eight interceptions; CB Brian Jackson leads with three. The strongest part of OU's pass defense is its rush, which has produced 18 sacks. End Jeremy Beal has 6.5.
Edge: Texas

Oklahoma special teams vs. Texas special teams:
The Sooners are excellent on kick coverage, which is important against Texas. OU also has explosive returns teams, but they won't be full strength if Broyles can't play. CB Dominique Franks averages nearly 19 yards on punt returns. K Jimmy Stevens is accurate but lacks range. P Tress Way is having an excellent season, averaging 44.6 yards per kick with seven attempts killed inside the 20. He'll want to angle punts away from Shipley, who averages 18.9 yards and has scored two touchdowns on punt returns. Shipley also may return kickoffs, though freshman D.J. Monroe leads the nation with a 51.5 average and has two touchdowns. K Hunter Lawrence is 9-for-11 on field-goal attempts, with a long of 43 yards. P Justin Tucker is averaging 35.8 yards per boot.
Edge: Texas

Oklahoma coaching staff vs. Texas coaching staff:
Bob Stoops has led Oklahoma to a national championship in 2000 and to six Big 12 championships, including each of the past three. He's 6-4 against Texas. Two of the Sooners' conference titles have come with Kevin Wilson in charge of the offense. Texas coach Mack Brown led the Longhorns to a national title in 2005 and double-digit victory totals in eight consecutive seasons. Brown is 5-6 against OU. Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp is among the best in his field.
Edge: Oklahoma

X-factor:
Oklahoma has had issues covering opponents' tight ends. BYU's Dennis Pitta had seven catches against the Sooners, and Miami's Jimmy Graham and Dedrick Epps had touchdown receptions in the Hurricanes' victory over OU. Texas doesn't have a prototypical tight end, but coaches have used wide receiver Dan Buckner as a "flex" tight end. Buckner has emerged as an effective part of Texas' offense, with 29 catches and four touchdowns.

Oklahoma will win if:
The Sooners are counting on their running game to be productive. Murray and Brown need to help keep OU out of obvious passing situations to slow Texas' pass rush. Bradford may need extra time to locate inexperienced receivers who could have difficulty getting open. Defensively, OU has to consistently pressure McCoy and keep him from scrambling. Preventing Shipley from making big plays on passes and/or returns is vital.

Texas will win if:
The Longhorns appear to be stronger, so avoiding turnovers and penalties is crucial. They must protect McCoy against a fierce pass rush that can wreak havoc on a passing game. Getting the ball in Shipley's hands is a priority. So is keeping Bradford from getting comfortable in the pocket.

EXPERT PICKS
Olin Buchanan: Texas 24, Oklahoma 17
Tom Dienhart: Oklahoma 27, Texas 24
David Fox: Texas 35, Oklahoma 24
Mike Huguenin: Texas 28, Oklahoma 17
Jason King: Texas 28, Oklahoma 24
Steve Megargee: Texas 27, Oklahoma 20

Olin Buchanan is the senior college football writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at olin@rivals.com.




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