|
Spin city
Brown, somehow, tries to put a happy face on UT's loss
Posted: Monday October 14, 2002 12:00 PM
By Stewart Mandel, CNNSI.com
The much-anticipated Red River Shootout has been decided. Another year, another Bob Stoops manhandling of the Longhorns.
And another spin job by Mack Brown.
"Chris Simms is playing as well as anybody in the country and he will continue to do so," Texas’ coach said after his team’s sixth straight loss to a Top 10 opponent.
Apparently still in shock from the defeat, Brown momentarily forgot that his quarterback isn’t playing quite as well as Seneca Wallace, Ken Dorsey, Byron Leftwich, Kliff Kingsbury, Jason Gesser, Cody Pickett, Carson Palmer, Eli Manning, Casey Clausen, John Navarre ...
There is at least one thing Brown preaches, however, that is technically correct. “It's not all about one game," he said, as these teams proved last season when Texas lost to the Sooners but beat them out in the Big 12 South standings.
So where do Oklahoma and Texas go from here?
The Sooners showed once again Saturday that few teams play with more emotion or produce more big plays on defense, and that almost nobody is better prepared. The Sooners are now a whopping 9-1 under Stoops -- the anti-Mack -- against Top 10 opponents.
What they have had trouble doing, however, is sustaining that level of performance against less inspiring opponents, as in last year’s loss to Oklahoma State and this season’s sluggish performances against South Florida and Missouri.
Therefore, OU may well keep the ball rolling this week against Iowa State and in a couple weeks against Colorado and Texas A&M. They are vulnerable enough, however, to stumble against a Texas Tech or Oklahoma State.
Texas is simply too talented to lose to inferior opponents. That’s largely how it rolled off six straight wins to close the 2001 regular season.
But as we’ve long known but were vividly reminded Saturday, the ‘Horns are not a big-game team. Simms is an average quarterback in a Hall of Famer’s body, and no amount of big performances against Baylor or Kansas can overshadow that. Their offensive line needs work. And apparently so does their defensive line after allowing 266 rushing yards to the Sooners.
Look for still-stunned UT to struggle again this week at Kansas State before kicking it into gear for the rest of the season.
There will be at least two more losses between the two teams before season’s end. On which side they fall will determine who captures the Big 12 and, possibly, a trip to the Fiesta Bowl.
| College Football Power Rankings |
|---|
| Rank |
LW |
|
Team |
| 1 |
1 |
 |
Miami (FL) Hurricanes (6-0)
Last we noted that Miami had yet to be sufficiently tested. There goes that. The ‘Canes obviously aced the exam with flying colors, but opponents now know to run it right at them.
Next game: Oct. 26 at West Virginia. |
| 2 |
2 |
 |
Virginia Tech Hokies (6-0)
Speaking of future opponents who will run it right at Miami, the Hokies attempted 61 rushes for 334 yards in their 28-23 victory over Boston College. Fifty-four days until Dec. 7.
Next game: Saturday vs. Rutgers. |
| 3 |
4 |
 |
Oklahoma Sooners (6-0)
Lost in the Chris Simms-bash fest and the hoopla surrounding Quentin Griffin’s 248-yard day was that Sooners QB Nate Hybl threw four picks. What will be the Sooners’ identity on offense the rest of the way?
Next game: Saturday vs. Iowa State. |
| 4 |
6 |
 |
Oregon Ducks (6-0)
Like Miami, the Ducks preserved a long winning streak with a one-point win (which also included a key missed field goal). Oregon should keep rolling with its next three games at Autzen Stadium.
Next game: Saturday vs. Arizona State. |
| 5 |
5 |
 |
Ohio St. Buckeyes (7-0)
As the season wears on, it becomes increasingly clear that the Buckeyes will go as far as Maurice Clarett will take them. That’s a lot to ask of a somewhat immature freshman -- even one who has 13 touchdowns.
Next game: Saturday at Wisconsin. |
| 6 |
9 |
 |
Georgia Bulldogs (6-0)
It wasn’t pretty, but the Dawgs got a crucial home victory over depleted Tennessee and now hold a two-game lead in the SEC East over both the Vols and Gators. David Pollack and the defense have been phenomenal.
Next game: Saturday vs. Vanderbilt. |
| 7 |
7 |
 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-0)
They’re doing it with defense, so it will be interesting to see what happens next week at Air Force when ND’s big-play defensive backs are essentially taken out of the game by a team that never passes.
Next game: Saturday at Air Force. |
| 8 |
8 |
 |
Washington St. Cougars (6-1)
Jason Gesser and the offense get all the props, but Rien Long and the defense have been on top of their game lately, allowing just 158 passing yards against high-powered Stanford.
Next game: Oct. 26 at Arizona. |
| 9 |
10 |
 |
Iowa St. Cyclones (6-1)
Seneca Wallace provided the highlight of the season Saturday with his wild, weaving, across-the-field and back touchdown dash against Texas Tech. The Red Raiders seemed shell-shocked the rest of the night.
Next game: Saturday vs. Oklahoma. |
| 10 |
-- |
 |
LSU Tigers (5-1)
Any skepticism about the Tigers’ top-ranked defense was erased against Florida. There will always be questions about QB Matt Mauck’s passing ability, but the man knows how to make a first down out of nothing.
Next game: Saturday vs. South Carolina. |
| 11 |
11 |
 |
North Carolina St. Wolfpack (7-0)
The Wolfpack was tested a tad more than expected by rival UNC, but the defense came up with some big stops, and T.A. McClendon had another big rushing game, going for 164 yards on 22 carries.
Next game: Saturday vs. Duke. |
| 12 |
14 |
 |
Iowa Hawkeyes (6-1)
The Hawkeyes’ much-maligned secondary did a number on Michigan State star Charles Rogers, while underrated QB Brad Banks was more than happy to pounce following the defense’s several produced turnovers.
Next game: Saturday at Indiana |
| 13 |
-- |
 |
Michigan Wolverines (5-1)
The Wolverines’ got their biggest victory of the season Saturday thanks to a swarming front seven that silenced Penn State’s powerful running game. They’d still like more production out of RB Chris Perry.
Next game: Saturday at Purdue. |
| 14 |
3 |
 |
Texas Longhorns (5-1)
Is there anything left to say? How about this: The Sooners’ hex over the Longhorns is beginning to resemble this decade’s version of Michigan against Ohio State/John Cooper in the 1990s.
Next game: Saturday at Kansas State. |
| 15 |
12 |
 |
Florida St. Seminoles (5-2)
Speaking of hexes … The one obvious positive to come out of Saturday was Greg Jones. The ‘Noles may as well abandon any thoughts of going back to finesse and focus on becoming a power team the rest of the way.
Next game: Oct. 26 vs. Notre Dame |
| 16 |
16 |
 |
Air Force Falcons (6-0)
Those willing to stay up late Saturday night are going to get a textbook demonstration of good ol' option football. QB Chance Harridge has run for eight touchdowns the past two games, 15 overall.
Next game: Saturday vs. Notre Dame. |
| |
Dropped out: Tennessee, Penn State.
CNNSI.com college sports writer Stewart Mandel will update his Power Rankings every Monday during the season. They also serve as his ballot in the new Football Writers Association/Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll.
|
