Longhorns climbing polls, peaking at the right time

Posted Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009 Comments   (0) Print Share Share Reprints
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By JIMMY BURCH

jburch@star-telegram.com

Texas took its turn Sunday as college football’s latest fascination in the minds of finicky poll voters, climbing to No. 2 in both major polls as well as No. 2 in the BCS standings.

The Longhorns (8-0, 5-0 in Big 12) jumped Alabama in all three sets of rankings on the strength of a 41-14 victory over No. 18 Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla. The triumph emboldened coach Mack Brown to surmise that his team, which scored two defensive touchdowns in the rout of its closest pursuer in the South Division, might be showing signs of dominance at an ideal stretch of the season.

Texas leads the nation in non-offensive touchdowns, with nine: three on defense, six on special teams.

"Scoring in all three phases is something that gives you a chance to be really, really good," Brown said, summing up the victory over OSU (6-2, 3-1). "I think the signal is we have a chance to be really good here at the end. We want to be the best team in the country. And we want to continue to play like that."

One problem in improving, or even maintaining, the Longhorns’ current poll position: Texas’ schedule includes no more games against Top 25 teams, limiting the buzz factor associated with future victories.

That will be doubly true in the Big 12 Championship Game, Dec. 5 in Arlington, if Texas keeps winning. As things stand, Texas appears destined to play a North Division champion that could arrive at Cowboys Stadium with a 3-5 record in league play.

Sadly, that remains a mathematical possibility. Even worse, it remains possible for all six North Division teams to finish 3-5, requiring a tedious examination of the league’s tiebreaker procedures — amid significant national embarrassment — to ferret out the mess.

Although potentially whimsical, a worst-case scenario finish to the North Division race is unlikely. What looms possible, even probable, is a multiple-school deadlock of teams with 4-4 league records when the regular-season ends.

That actually occurred in 2004, when Colorado’s head-to-head victory over Iowa State earned the Buffaloes an opportunity to get flattened by Oklahoma, 42-3, in the first of five consecutive Big 12 championship games won by South Division teams. Combined margin of victory in those contests: 233-51. Average score: 47-10.

In other words, it’s nothing new to project a lopsided matchup in the Big 12 championship game. But this year’s North Division representative could be one of the most odious in history unless Kansas State (5-4, 3-2) or Nebraska (5-3, 2-2) wins its remaining games. Especially Nebraska.

If the Cornhuskers carry a 9-3 record into Cowboys Stadium, it would include a victory over No. 20 Oklahoma. It would give Texas a blue-blood opponent for the Longhorns’ last opportunity to sway poll voters before the matchup is set for the BCS National Championship Game, Jan. 7 in Pasadena, Calif.

But I wouldn’t count on it. Instead, I’m guessing the team to emerge from the topsy-turvy North will be Kansas State. Yep, the same Wildcats who lost to Louisiana-Lafayette, 17-15, and fell to Texas Tech, 66-14, figure to loom as the Longhorns’ last hurdle in their path to play for a national title. Why?

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