I say world, but I doubt if a lot of people outside of Abilene or Tuscola took notice of the article I wrote as sports editor of the Abilene Reporter-News.

I knew Colt only in passing because I went to the same church for a while, and saw him play his senior year at Jim Ned.

I am a Texas Tech alumnus and never have been a Longhorn fan. I didn't hate 'em like Aggies do, but I never pulled for them.

In 2005 I watched them more on television, even though Colt was red-shirted. I love college football, and Vince Young was as exciting as anything I'd seen in a while.

And by January of 2006, I found myself whooping and hollering in front of the TV with the rest of my family as Young scored in the last few seconds to give Texas the national championship.

Later that same year, I began this blog a few games into the season. Colt was big news as a redshirt-freshman, and I thought he might have staying power.

I guess 45 victories, more than any other college quarterback in history, proves that.
Over the years I was really more of a Colt fan than a Texas fan, but I got to "know" (not in person, of course) Mack Brown through his comments in the media and I guess I am now a fan of Burnt Orange ... except on those days when they play the Scarlet and Black, of course.

My heart sunk with all the other UT fans when Colt went out of the Alabama game.
I have no doubt Texas would've won that game with their star quarterback.

Colt's comments at the end of the game were as classy as any losing athlete has made in any sport.

I will follow Colt as he moves up through the NFL ranks ... but not in this blog.

This is the final entry, although the blog will stay live so you can relive these past four years in posts, stats and photos.

As Colt might say, "Stay on the Rock and avoid the sinking sand."

I'll be putting more photos up a little later this morning.

There are a couple of good comments from last night's post and someone sent a link to Colt McCoy's very classy post-game interview: http://geekettebits.com/information/colt-mccoys-post-2010-bcs-game-interview/

You know his heart was breaking, but he maintained an even strain. We always knew he had the Right Stuff. Here's part of the transcription:
------------------
"I love this game, I have a passion for this game, I've done everything I can to contribute to my team and we made it this far and it's unfortunate that I didn't get to play. I would have given everything I had to be out there with my team. Congratulations to Alabama, I love the way our team fought...Garrett Gilbert played as well as he could play, he did a tremendous job. I always give God the glory, I'd never question why things happen the way they do. God is in control of my life and if nothing else I know I'm standing on The Rock."
--------------------
He went on to answer about his arm and congratulate Alabama again.

A class act until the end, that's Colt McCoy.

Unfortunately, that came to pass, and it wasn't a concerted effort by the Alabama defense that did it, either.

It was just one freakish hit that took out Colt before he could even finish the first series of the night.

The game changed instantly. The air went out of the Texas sails and straight into those of Alabama's ship, which was already listing badly early. Then, of course, it went as to be expected after that in the first half.

And you can't blame true freshman Garrett Gilbert. What a stressful way to start your career at quarterback, especially when someone on the coaching staff wasn't content with going into the lockerroom down by 11 points.

Gilbert showed real promise in the second half, and almost pulled off a miracle except for a fumble on a blind-side hit late in the game that made the wheels come off. And the UT defense definitely got its composure back after halftime and showed who was the best team on that side of the ball.

But an important piece of the Burnt Orange Machine just wasn't there.

Colt will recover from his injury and no doubt get picked in the second or third round of the NFL draft later this year. So the story isn't over yet.

But it sure was an unlucky way to finish a great season.

Thanks for that season, Colt, and for all those others as well.

Sorry you didn't get a real shot at the title.

I remember the last 10 seconds, of course, and Vince Young thrusting the football over the goal line.

But I'm pretty sure the Longhorns were given the old "slim and none" chance to win because USC came in with a gazillion-game winning streak (or maybe it was "just" 34), and Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart would combine to destroy the Texas defense and not give the exciting Vince Young a chance to shine.

This time around, everyone has Texas as the underdog (not by much), but no one is making much of a big deal of it. Colt McCoy and the Longhorns have even been questioned for having fun in La-La Land preparing for it instead of being uptight.

Two great teams, two great coaches, the winningest quarterback in the history of college football and the current Heisman trophy winner. You don't need any hype for that.

Speaking of the H-word, the most interesting tidbit in the Associated Press' at-a-glance below is the fact that in the last seven National Championship games that included a Heisman trophy winner, the winner's team lost in six of those.

Here's hoping the guy who should've won it this year leads his team to a 30-20 victory.

Texas vs. Alabama at-a-glance

Line: Alabama by 4. ... Series Record: Texas leads 7-0-1
Last meeting: 1982 Cotton Bowl, Texas 14-12.

What's At Stake

Two of college football's most storied and tradition-rich programs try to add a national championship crystal ball to their trophy cases. For the Crimson Tide, it would be the first national championship since 1992 and be a culmination of sorts for Nick Saban's quick restoration of Alabama football. Saban would also be the first coach in the poll era to win national championships with two teams. Mack Brown and the Longhorns are going for their second national title in five seasons.

Key Matchup

Alabama defensive line vs. Texas offensive line. OT Adam Ulatoski, C Chris Hall and the Longhorns' blockers are coming off their worst game of the season. They allowed nine sacks against Ndamukong Suh and Nebraska in the Big 12 title game. Now the question is: How will they hold up against massive NG Terrence Cody and all those blitzes that Saban and defensive coordinator Kirby Smart conjure up.

Players to Watch

Texas: QB Colt McCoy. The two-time Heisman finalist completed 70 percent of his passes and was also the team's second-leading rusher with 348 yards. It's unlikely Texas' inconsistent running game will find traction against Alabama, so the Longhorns' hopes are firmly in McCoy's hands.

Alabama: LB Rolando McClain. The 258-pound All-American makes plays all over the field. He led the Tide in tackles (101) and had four sacks and two interceptions. He is also like a coach on the field, directing his teammates into the right spots. But he was fighting an illness earlier in the week and how much that will affect him won't be known until the game is played.

Facts & Figures

Alabama TB Mark Ingram is the eighth Heisman Trophy winner to play in the BCS championship game. Six of the previous seven were on the losing end of the title game. ... Alabama ranks No. 2 in the nation in total defense at 241 yards allowed per game and Texas is No. 3 at 251 yards allowed per game. The Longhorns' run defense ranks No. 1 in the nation at 62 yards allowed per game and 'Bama is No. 2 at 78 yards allowed per game. ... Texas WR Jordan Shipley caught 106 passes, more than the combined total of the Longhorns' second- and third-leading receivers (James Kirkendoll with 48 and Dan Buckner with 44).

Lots of photos coming out of Pasadena of Colt McCoy at practice. As it gets closer to game time, his expression gets more determined.

I hate to be like a TV talking head and utter the over-used phrase "Keys to the Game," but ...

We need to talk about Keys to the Game. In my mind there is only one ... Time. Colt will need more of it than his counterpart since the Longhorns will no doubt throw more often. And if there's one group on the field wanting to "redeem" itself and give him that time, it's the offensive line, who allowed their QB to be sacked nine times in the last game.

For that reason, I think Colt will have enough time to find Jordan Shipley ... who will need additional time to get open since he will no doubt be double-teamed.

And then there's hang time. I bet both teams place those ticks of the clock at a premium during practice time since both have good special teams. But with all this time to study, coaches on both sides will no doubt have a suitable answer for Shipley and others. Think fair catch.

The Texas defense can be just as good as the Alabama defense, but it is time for them to be better than they've ever been this season. They need to shine.

I believe they will, so I'm revising my earlier prediction to: Texas 30, Alabama 20.

Most prognostications I see now have Alabama winning by 7 points. I do think it will be that close of a game, maybe even closer, but I think Texas will be on the winning end.

Why? Because our man Colt McCoy doesn't want his last game in burnt orange to be anything like his next-to-the-last game where he was one second away from defeat.

I've also heard "stop McCoy and you stop the Longhorns." Nebraska came thisclose to stopping him, and I just wonder how many times the Alabama coaches have watched the Big 12 championship game. The Crimson Tide doesn't have a Ndamukong Suh (who does?), but their defense is very, very good.

I haven't heard anyone who's said "stop Ingram and you stop Alabama," but I bet their QB Greg McElroy will be as ready as McCoy since he wants to prove he's better than the winningest QB in college football history.

My prediction: 30-27 Texas.

And I haven't seen any better than what I just witnessed in the Whatever It's Name Was Bowl with Bowling Green and Idaho.

It had everything I like in a post-season football game - sportsmanship, high scoring, 100-percent effort by everyone, not too many inordinate displays of celebration (until the end), quick-pulsed drama and yes ... even a blue playing field.

Idaho won the game 43-42 because of a wild scoring drive with about a half a minute to go in the back-and-forth game, and - more importantly - the coach's decision to go for two and the win instead of one and the tie with 4 seconds left in the game. Not that I would've minded overtime. It's my second favorite thing in college football next to the onside kick.

The Idaho coach took a chance and it paid off.

I bring all this up because after the lackluster showing against the Cornhuskers, the Longhorns will probably need to take a chance or two to beat Alabama and claim the National Championship.

I hope Colt McCoy and a lot of his teammates were watching that game. It was not only exciting and great entertainment, but the sheer joy of the moment for the victors seeped out of the tube and infected me ... someone who doesn't know Idaho from Shinola.

Here's my placard I would hold up if I were going to be in Pasadena: "Remember Idaho!"

There are wins and then there are big wins ... and then there is the biggest WIN of your life.

Just ask the Vandals.

(P.S. Which reminds me of one more thing I like about post-season football games - teams with cool mascot names).

Great thing about sports ... it helps you remember where you were at any given time.
I happen to remember Aug. 31, 2006. I was watching the opening game of the GoFridayNight.com Champions Classic in Abilene.

It was between Graham and Midland Greenwood. Coach Brad McCoy, new to coaching Graham, was starting his son at quarterback in his freshman year.

Case McCoy was skinnier than I ever remember Colt being. I prowled the sidelines during that game taking pictures and hearing comments about how Case was going to get pounded, he was no Colt, etc.

Well, the Steers - who wear the exact same logo on their helmets (only blue) as UT - lost 25-15 and Case didn't have the debut he wanted, despite throwing for 251 yards and a TD. Some fans were already writing him off.

Two days after that game I was still prowling the sidelines of the Classic during another game, while Case's older brother Colt was starting his first game as a freshman for the University of Texas.

Colt McCoy had already been written off before he took a single snap - "He's no Vince Young ... Why couldn't we get (fill in the blank here) ... Kiss this season goodbye." I remember all those comments on the web and in sports publications.

Even though the Longhorns pounded North Texas, 56-7, in Colt's first game, his doubters weren't impressed.

Not until the following week when Ohio State beat UT, 24-7, did some people think Colt might have a future. That's the best I remember someone looking in a loss.

After that game, I even remember one ruggedly-handsome guy who said to himself - "Dude, this guy has it; maybe you should do a blog."

Fast forward through all the victories and pounds of muscle gained during the years in between then and now, and the bottom line is both the McCoy brothers will soon be playing for championships.

Case and the Steers, 14-1, play for the Texas 3A Division II state championship this Saturday.

And we all know what championship Colt and the 13-0 Longhorns will be playing for in early January.

Not bad senior years for either guys, huh? And, oh, I almost forgot ... Colt is the winningest quarterback in the history of college football. Ta-da to you people who wrote him off way back when!

Case, of course, has already committed to Texas and will make it official in February, and Colt will hopefully land somewhere in the NFL where he can watch how it's done (as he did that redshirt year with Vince Young), and then go for future championships one of these days.

This blog will officially come to an end sometime in early 2010, and it's been a great ride. Hopefully, the recollections, stats and photos archived here will be around for a long time and remind those in the future about that ride the Real McCoy enjoyed.

P.S. That's it from me until after the holidays. Merry Christmas!

He is joined on the first team by bud Jordan Shipley and UT defensive star Earl Thomas. Only Alabama had more players on the first team than Texas.

Guess that cements it. The Longhorns will be the underdogs on Jan. 7 in the National Championship at the Rose Bowl.

I can't read Colt's mind like some people purport to be able to do, but even though he has nothing left to prove individually, I imagine he will get some amount of motivation out of the contest, like Vince Young did - rising to the occasion and pulling out his best game to be able to share the biggest award of all with everyone.

The Heisman winner and his team enter the Rose Bowl Stadium favored heavily over Texas.

And the Texas quarterback has the game of his life and upsets the favorites for the National Championship.

It could happen ... again.

Something about "name recognition" overcoming the fact he didn't put up good numbers in the Nebraska game like Alabama's Mark Ingram had against Florida.

After Colt's won just about everything else, I'm starting to believe them.

While you wait, here are a couple of great stories about Colt from ReporterNews.com today:

The Heisman? No doubt in Tus-Colt-a by Doug Myers

Colt McCoy: From Tuscola to title game by Greg Jaklewicz

Enjoy.

BTW: The Graham Steers, coached by Colt's father Brad, advanced to the Class 3A Division II state championship game with a 27-20 victory over Pittsburg last night. Bet Brad and his lovely wife will be a little short on sleep when they are in the Heisman audience up in New York tonight.

He began the night repeating as recipient of the Walter Camp Award, following that up with the Davey O'Brien Award and then the hat trick, the Maxwell Award.

The Maxwell, of course, honors the nation's best all-around player, the O'Brien Award is for the nation's best quarterback, and the Camp is another award for best all-around player, but voted on by coaches and sports information directors.

I knew he would repeat with the Camp Award, but thought his only other "win" in the "Big Four" would be the Heisman. Well, three out of three ain't bad, and we'll find out about the fourth one Saturday night.

This Associated Press photo by Stephen Chernin shows Colt McCoy speaking on behalf of all the selected Scholar Athletes at the annual National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame awards dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York on Tuesday night.

This Associated Press photo by Richard Drews shows our man Colt McCoy and Florida quarterback Tim Tebow flanking National Football Foundation Chairman Archie Manning at the 2009 College Hall of Fame inductees news conference in New York, earlier today.