to tackle Texas quarterback James Brown. Brown was not sacked by NU Saturday, the first time in 40 games that the Husker defense has failed to record a sack.Scott Bruhn/DN
Texas shocks NU for Big 12 title
By Mike Kluck Senior Reporter
ST LOUIS -- Moments after Texas' 37-27 victory over Nebraska on Saturday, Longhorn Coach John Mackovic sat in a hallway at the Trans World Dome, looking at the game statistics and shaking his head. Mackovic stared at the Longhorns' offensive numbers: 503 total yards, 8.8 yards per play, 353 yards passing, one punt. It was the only time on Saturday that the Texas football coach was caught off-guard. "It was a surprise," Mackovic said. "We're not shocked. We're sure surprised, the way we were moving and the things we were doing. I didn't know how many yards, but I kept thinking we must be gaining some yards today. When I looked up and saw we had scored 37 points, even that in itself was a little bit of a surprise for me." What was a surprise to the 63,109 fans in attendance at the inaugural Big 12 championship game was that Texas was able to move the ball against Nebraska's defense, which many had considered to be the best in the nation. The Husker defense came into the game allowing an average of 232.9 yards per game. For most of the day, Mackovic and his junior quarterback, James Brown, kept the Cornhuskers in shock as Texas (8-4) earned a spot in the Fiesta Bowl against Penn State. NU (10-2), which fell three spots in The Associated Press Top 25 to No. 6, is headed to Miami and the Dec. 31 Orange Bowl against 10-1 Virginia Tech. Texas entered the rankings at No. 20. The Longhorns became the first team to score a rushing touchdown this season against Nebraska and the first NU opponent in 39 games to avoid a sack. Texas also completed a gutsy, unconventional fourth-and-inches play to clinch the game. With just 2:27 remaining in the game, Texas held a 30-27 lead, facing a fourth down at its own 28-yard line. Instead of punting the ball or running a quarterback sneak, Brown took the snap. The 6-foot, 190-pounder rolled to his left and found a wide-open Derek Lewis, who streaked 61 yards down the sideline to the NU 11. "I thought they were going to go into a freeze and not snap the ball and try and draw us offsides," Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne said. "When they snapped the ball, I was amazed. Then, when I saw the quarterback running to the left, I was really amazed. "And then when he threw the ball, I was even more amazed. We had a chance to get our hands on him, and if the guy drops the ball or doesn't throw it right, we have a great chance just to win the game. "They obviously felt if they didn't do something pretty good there, we might come back and win it. It was a gamble on their part, but it worked and we have to give them credit for it. If (Brown) hadn't had mobility and speed, they might never have gotten the pass off." Osborne wasn't the only one amazed with the play. "I thought they were going to run the quarterback-keeper," senior Mike Minter said. "I was surprised when he rolled out, and it was just me and him for the first down. Then all of a sudden, he throws the ball over my head and I saw the guy was wide open. It was a great call." On the next play, running back Priest Holmes carried the ball 11 yards for his third touchdown, and the Longhorns had their biggest lead of the game. Holmes and Brown helped give the Longhorns their first lead of the game. Texas took the opening kickoff and marched 80 yards, scoring when Holmes ran in from five yards out. Brown was a perfect four for four throwing the ball on the drive, completing passes of 10, 11, 10 and 11 yards and scrambling one time for a four-yard gain as the Longhorns never faced a third-down situation. It was the first time since the Sept. 21 Arizona State game that a Nebraska opponent scored on the opening drive of a game. The Sun Devils beat NU 19-0. "Brown was hard to catch," Osborne said. "There were times he was elusive enough that we couldn't get the heat on them that we wanted to, and he would make a play. He did an excellent job." The Huskers were ineffective on their first drive, and the Longhorns appeared ready to take control of the game when they moved the ball 54 yards in nine plays to the Nebraska 9-yard line. But an errant Brown pass was intercepted by Eric Stokes in the end zone to thwart the UT drive. Brown finished the day 19-of-28 passing for 353 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. After the first interception, Nebraska put together a 12-play, 80-yard drive in which I-back DeAngelo Evans carried six times for 17 yards. The true freshman, who was making his first career start, also caught a screen pass for a 22-yard gain and scored from two yards out on a trap play up the middle. Evans finished the day with a career-high 32 rushing attempts for 130 yards and three touchdowns. After the NU score, Nebraska had a chance to take control. The Husker defense forced the Longhorns to punt, and Nebraska took the ball at its own 43-yard line. However, on third down and four, quarterback Scott Frost fumbled and Texas linebacker Aaron Humphrey recovered at the Husker 37-yard line. Frost was effective throwing the ball, completing 15 of 24 passes for 155 yards. The junior also ran the ball 18 times for 47 yards. After gaining just five yards, the Longhorns settled for a Phil Dawson 49-yard field goal. Nebraska responded by putting together a seven-play, 31-yard drive highlighted by junior Jay Sims' 18-yard run and a career best 51-yard field goal from Kris Brown. Texas needed just three plays and 1:15 to regain the lead when Holmes broke free for a 61-yard touchdown run. It was the longest run against the Huskers this season. But Nebraska answered with an 11-play, 80-yard drive to tie the game at 17 on a 23-yard run by Evans. "One thing we thought that probably would happen is they would get some yards throwing the ball," Osborne said. "We didn't feel like they would be able to run on us as well as they did. That we thought was the main difference." Mackovic said the difference in the game was the Longhorns' quick-strike ability, opposed to the Huskers, who averaged 12 plays per drive. Texas, which held the ball for only 20:25 and 57 plays to NU's 39:35 and 87 plays, averaged six plays per drive. "We didn't give them an easy score, and that was the key," Mackovic said. "They always had to work for it. They would work all that time to just barely catch up, and then we would score that fast. "Then in the fourth quarter, when they had to try and score in a hurry, they couldn't do it." Nebraska Defensive Coordinator Charlie McBride agreed with Mackovic, saying the Huskers were never able to slow the Longhorns. McBride also said the Huskers made too many mistakes, which was disappointing after the success NU's defense had one week earlier in a 17-12 win over Colorado. The Longhorns added a field goal with 1:23 remaining in the first half to take a 20-17 halftime lead. But after Texas added a 47-yard field goal in the third quarter, Nebraska appeared to gain the momentum. The Huskers put together a 15-play, 72-yard drive to take a 24-23 lead when Evans scored on a six-yard run with 2:11 remaining in the third quarter. On the Longhorns' next series, Eric Warfield intercepted Brown at the Nebraska 47-yard line. The Husker offense moved the ball to the Texas 4, but on third and goal, Frost fumbled a pitch to Evans. Evans recovered, but Nebraska had to settle for a 24-yard field goal and a 27-23 lead. Texas' quick-strike ability hit again when the Longhorns went 80 in three plays, scoring to take a 30-27 lead. Facing a second and 13 from the UT 34, Brown found wide receiver Wane McGarity for 66 yards, lofting a pass over Minter. Minter, who had played the whole game at linebacker, was playing rover because of an injury to Warfield. "Of course, he hadn't worked at safety all week," Osborne said. "He just misjudged the ball. He obviously hadn't been playing the deep ball the last two weeks, and I'm sure if he had a little bit of practice there, he might have been all right." Nebraska took the ensuing kickoff and moved the ball to the Texas 38-yard line. On fourth and four, the Huskers decided to go for the first down, but an illegal procedure penalty pushed the ball back to Texas 43, forcing NU to punt. UT was pinned at its own 4 yard-line, but Brown completed an eight-yard pass under heavy pressure in the end zone to Pat Fitzgerald. Five plays later, Brown hit Lewis for the fourth-down back-breaker. "We went from the penthouse to the outhouse overnight," McBride said. "I thought in every game we have played this year, we have played well -- except this one. We never slowed them down any."
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