TOTO, TOO?
Bevo, I don't think we're in Texas anymore.
This Saturday morning at 11:30 is when the Longhorns will show the world (or at least the part of it that receives Fox Sports Southwest) what they're made of.
By his own admission Colt McCoy took some time in the first half of the Baylor game to get the taste of defeat out of his mouth and start playing like the Heisman contender he is.
But still, that was Baylor, and this is Kansas - on the road - with flying footballs and houses and a quarterback named Todd Reesing from Lake Travis in Austin who has gotten the short end of the stick when pundits talk about all the great signal callers in the Big 12.
Reesing isn't as big and strong as Colt, but he has impressive numbers so far with 240-of-359 completions for 2,942 yards and 23 TDs. You don't think he's jazzed to show what he can do against a team that "ignored" him?
The Jayhawks will play a very good, inspired game, and UT's impressive victory in such a spirited contest will go a long way in proving that they still are worthy of National Championship consideration.
I see Colt and company taking the starch out of the Jayhawks like flying monkeys taking the stuffing out of a scarecrow.
Sorry 'bout that visual. Here's the game capsule:
Line: Texas by 14.
Series Record: Texas leads 6-2.
Last meeting: 2004, Texas 27-23.
What's at Stake
Texas must avoid an upset to stay in contention for the Big 12 South title and the national championship hunt. Kansas, which finishes the regular season next week against No. 12 Missouri, needs to win at least one of these last two to secure a decent bowl bid and avoid falling too much further from last year's 12-1 campaign.
Key Matchup
Texas DE Brian Orakpo and Kansas' freshmen tackles Jeremiah Hatch and Jeff Spikes. Hatch and Spikes have switched sides since conference play began but both have had their troubles. Orakpo did not play last week after hurting his knee against Texas Tech. But he was expected to return.
Players to Watch
Texas: QB Colt McCoy and WR/KR Jordan Shipley. McCoy bounced right back from the Texas Tech loss by throwing five touchdown passes in the victory over Baylor. Shipley has two returns for touchdowns and Kansas has been hurting in kick coverage.
Kansas: QB Todd Reesing. A native of Austin who was ignored by the Longhorns, Reesing will be as motivated as he's been in any game of his career. But the undersized junior also had the worst game of his life last week in Kansas' loss at Nebraska.
Facts & Figures
Kansas has started the same 22 players on both offense and defense the past two games. ... The game is a sellout and the Jayhawks are on pace to set a stadium attendance record for the fourth consecutive year. ... The last time Texas visited Kansas, in 2004, the Longhorns rallied for a 27-23 win, and Kansas coach Mark Mangino had to apologize for remarks he made about officiating in a heated postgame news conference.