Colt McCoy puts Texas on clear path to Big 12, BCS title games

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

jburch@star-telegram.com

STILLWATER, Okla. — Among his 40 career victories as Texas’ starting quarterback, Colt McCoy has racked up better statistics than he posted in Saturday’s 41-14 victory over Oklahoma State.

He has led the third-ranked Longhorns to victories over more talented teams than the 13th-ranked Cowboys. But he has not added a bigger "W" to his 40-7 career ledger as a college quarterback than the one he collected at Boone Pickens Stadium.

This one, unlike the first 39, should be the win that catapults Texas into its first berth in a Big 12 Championship Game with McCoy at the helm. It also kept the Longhorns, the No. 3 team in the BCS standings, in prime position to play for a national championship.

Nothing is guaranteed, obviously. But by turning in a turnover-free effort in a hostile environment on Halloween night, McCoy did enough to lift the Longhorns (8-0, 5-0 in Big 12) past the Cowboys (6-2, 3-1) and provide what amounts to a two-game cushion in the South Division standings heading into the November stretch run.

For Texas, which has not played for a Big 12 title since 2005 under former quarterback Vince Young, Saturday’s triumph represents a huge milestone. Especially for McCoy, who had fallen short in three previous starts with a chance to apply the knockout punch to the Longhorns’ closest pursuer in the South Division race.

Not Saturday. McCoy delivered this one, highlighted by a six-minute stretch when the Longhorns went on a 17-0 run that turned a 17-7 shootout into a name-the-score rout.

"This win was huge for us," McCoy said. "We feel a lot better right now than we did at this time last year, I’ll promise you."

In burying the bad memories from last year’s season-turning, 39-33 loss to Texas Tech — a game on this same weekend last year — McCoy responded on several fronts.

He did it with his arm, throwing for 171 yards and a touchdown. He did it with his legs, emerging as the Longhorns’ leading rusher (11 carries, 34 yards) for the first time in a game this season.

Mostly, he did it by avoiding turnovers — unlike OSU counterpart Zac Robinson, who had two interceptions returned for touchdowns by Texas defensive backs — and exhibiting some surgical precision on the game’s most telling drives.

"I thought Colt played as good as he’s ever played tonight," offensive coordinator Greg Davis said. "And I’ve seen him play awfully well."

Texas coach Mack Brown said McCoy "played with a great head and was very accurate" while delivering the type of high-profile victory that should turn the heads of poll voters when ballots are counted today.

For the first time this season, McCoy played a game without throwing an interception. Instead, he completed 76.2 percent of his passes (16-of-21). Included were 5 of 6 attempts for 39 yards on Texas’ initial possession, setting up an early 3-0 lead the Horns would not relinquish.

When Oklahoma State’s offense showed signs of life late in the second quarter, McCoy covered up a Cowboys touchdown drive by leading an 80-yard, beat-the-clock drive that culminated in Malcolm Williams’ momentum-turning, 11-yard touchdown catch with 9 seconds remaining in the half to stretch the lead to 24-7.

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