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Texas and Big 12 Football Capsules: No. 4 TCU wraps up 12-0 season, waits for BCS bid
Comments 0 | Recommend 0FORT WORTH — Bring on any opponent for TCU. The undefeated Horned Frogs are going to bust into the BCS for the first time. The only question left is where are they headed and who will they play.
"We can play with anybody," coach Gary Patterson said after TCU wrapped its first undefeated regular season in 71 years. "We're going to look forward to the challenge, we'll find out what that's going to be and we're going to get ready for it. ... This team can play with a lot of people, and not just this year."
Hard to argue after the fourth-ranked Horned Frogs improved to 12-0 with a 51-10 victory over New Mexico on Saturday — their seventh straight win by at least 27 points, a stretch including BYU and Utah, last year's BCS buster.
While there should be no question about if TCU (12-0, 8-0 Mountain West Conference) will be part of the Bowl Championship Series, the Frogs have to wait another week to make travel plans.
Representatives from the Fiesta, Orange and Sugar bowls were in attendance.
"They're sure way up there," said Alan Young, the Fiesta Bowl board chairman. "It's an easy sell to our board of directors. ... TCU is right in the middle of our mix."
After some near-misses in the past, including a 10-0 start in 2003 and a one-loss season two years after that, TCU is higher in the BCS standings than any team from a conference without an automatic bid has ever been this late in the season. The Frogs are fourth behind Florida, Alabama and Texas.
"Well, we finally did it," Patterson said to open his postgame news conference.
Andy Dalton matched a career high with four touchdown passes, two to Antoine Hicks in a 12-second span that put the Horned Frogs up 30-0 early in the second quarter. Dalton had already run for a score.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock, fans chanted "B-C-S! B-C-S!" They then stormed the field to celebrate, creating a sea of purple around a riser in the middle of the field where a celebratory cooler shower-drenched Patterson accepted the Mountain West Conference championship trophy.
By clinching the outright Mountain West title, TCU has only the two upper boxes of its pyramid of goals still not colored in purple. The Frogs are certain to play in a BCS game, though the teams ahead of them will have to slip up for a chance at their loftiest goal: No. 1, national champions. Florida and Alabama do have to play each other in the SEC championship game next week, and Texas meets Nebraska in the Big 12 title game.
"Of course, we're going to root for the upset and all of that," Dalton said. "Now that we've done everything that we can do, there's that relief. "
Dalton, a junior and third-year starter, was 15 of 24 for 228 yards while earning his 29th career victory, matching the school record set by "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh (1934-36). Dalton pushed his career TD passing total to 43, three more than Baugh and six shy of Max Knake's school record.
TCU has a 14-game winning streak, matching the school record set by the 1938 team led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Davey O'Brien that went 11-0 and clinched the team's only AP national championship. The school also claims a national title in 1935, the only other time the Frogs won 12 games.
"I have bubble guts, like this spot I'm feeling good, so overwhelmed by the excitement," linebacker Daryl Washington said, trying to explain how he felt.
Dalton's 8-yard keeper put TCU up 9-0. Then he threw TD passes the next three possessions, all in a span of 2½ minutes.
Hicks made a 20-yard TD catch immediately after New Mexico (1-11, 1-7) fumbled the kickoff following his 62-yard score when Dalton hit him in stride near the 30.
Bart Johnson had a 17-yard touchdown catch before New Mexico went three-and-out and Hicks scored on consecutive passes. Johnson added a 24-yard TD on the first play of the fourth quarter before the Frogs returned two interceptions for scores in 2:20 — Washington taking one 20 yards and Rafael Priest going 47 yards.
Hicks, who finished with five catches for 123 yards, has scored 10 touchdowns on 26 touches this season (six TDs on 19 catches and four TDs on seven rushing attempts).
New Mexico, which wrapped up its first season under coach Mike Locksley a week after getting its only victory, scored all of its points in a span of 72 seconds late in the first half and finished with only 172 yards on 74 plays.
"Yeah, we're a long ways away from that team," Locksley said. "They came ready to play and they showed why they're conference champions."
Tech doesn't score much, but beats Baylor 20-13
ARLINGTON — Scoring just two touchdowns and two field goals usually means trouble for Mike Leach and the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Against Baylor on Saturday, it was enough for a 20-13 victory.
Taylor Potts threw a pair of touchdown passes to Lyle Leong less than two minutes apart midway through the third quarter and the defense made a goal-line stand in the final minutes, giving Texas Tech a rare low-scoring victory.
The Red Raiders (8-4, 5-3 Big 12) hadn't scored so few points and still won since beating Texas A&M 12-0 in November 2001. It was the third-fewest points in a victory in Leach's 10-year tenure. The Red Raiders came in averaging 38.2 points, seventh best in the nation.
Tech players might have been flat because they had little on the line beyond the excitement of playing in the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium. Oklahoma State's loss earlier Saturday put it in line to get the Big 12's spot in the Cotton Bowl, leaving Tech headed for the Holiday or Alamo Bowl regardless of this outcome.
"We spent about two-thirds of the game playing with nine guys," said Leach, meaning he didn't feel everyone was trying their hardest on every play. "But in the end, when it's tough, a lot of guys give up the ghost and our guys didn't. ... Sometimes you've just got to find a way."
Baylor (4-8, 1-7) let senior quarterback Blake Szymanski start his final game instead of freshman Nick Florence, who'd started the last five games.
Szymanski hit a 57-yard pass on the opening drive and had the Bears up 10-0 and 13-3 early in the second half.
Late in the fourth quarter, Szymanski faced first-and-goal from the 10. Two runs and an incompletion left Baylor with fourth down from the 5. On the game-deciding play, he scrambled to his right and threw behind receiver Ernest Smith.
Even if Smith had caught it, he wasn't in the end zone, and two Tech players were near him.
"Everybody played hard," Baylor coach Art Briles said. "You can go to any position, and those guys played hard to win. It came up (5) yards short. It would be interesting to see if we made it, because we weren't going into OT. ... We already had a (2-point) play picked out, actually."
Szymanski finished 22 of 35 for 234 yards. He also ran 14 times for another 43 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown plunge. It also was the final game for star linebacker Joe Pawelek.
"Being a fifth-year guy, you think you would be itching to get out of here," Pawelek said. "But the way this program is going, we are wishing we had another four years."
Potts was 29-for-46 for 227 yards with an interception. Leong, Austin Zouzalik and Alex Torres each caught six passes. Defensive end Brandon Sharpe tied the school sack record with his 14th of the season.
Playing in front of a heavily pro-Tech crowd, the Red Raiders were shut out until Matt Williams kicked a field goal with four seconds left to halftime. Trailing 10-3 at halftime, they got the ball to open the second half — and fumbled on the first play to fall. They wound up trailing by 10 again.
Potts capped the next series with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Leong. Then senior Brent Nickerson nabbed his first career interception to give Potts the ball at the Baylor 32. Potts then hit Leong in the end zone for a 12-yard, go-ahead touchdown.
After a fake 35-yard field goal failed early in the fourth quarter, Leach let Williams try stretching the lead from the 43. And he did, booting the longest field goal of his career to put Tech up by seven with 6:24 left.
Tech has beaten Baylor 14 straight games. This was the first of two held at neutral sites in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Next year's game will be at the Cotton Bowl during the state fair.
What did Leach think of the $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium?
"I was waiting for George Jetson and Elroy and the dog to come out and start doing some stuff and buzz around and do their thing," he said. "It's very impressive, and the quality they said it is, it is. It was fun."
No. 25 Houston beats Rice to win C-USA West
HOUSTON — Houston was kept out of the Conference USA championship game last season by rival Rice.
With trip to the league title game on the line again, the 25th-ranked Cougars put away the Owls early and in record-breaking fashion.
Case Keenum led Houston to a school-record-tying 59 first-half points and the Cougars went on to score more points than any major college team this season in a 73-14 rout Saturday night.
Keenum threw for 323 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score in the first half to lead the Cougars to the C-USA West division title and a game at East Carolina next Saturday.
Tyron Carrier returned the opening kickoff 99 yards and Keenum and many of Houston's other starters didn't play after the break.
"We had that bitter taste in our mouth this whole year," Carrier said of last year's 56-42 loss to Rice. "So it was real important for us to come out and start early and I put it upon myself to set the tone for the rest of the game."
Charles Sims added a pair of scores for Houston (10-2, 6-2) and Carrier scored on a 37-yard run in the second quarter to break a two-game winning streak for Rice (2-10, 2-6).
Houston scored on each of its seven possessions in the first half. The Cougars' 59 first-half points eclipsed their previous season-high for points in a game.
"Our team has really played pretty well the last couple of weeks and we need that," Houston coach Kevin Sumlin said. "Any time you're involved in any type of championship run, you've got to continue to get better."
Houston's 1989 team, including Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware, which previously held the mark for most first-half points was honored at halftime. Those Cougars set the record in a 95-21 defeat of a just-back-from-the-NCAA-death-penalty SMU team.
The Cougars had more touchdowns (eight) than Rice had first downs (five) before halftime and Houston outgained the Owls 465-144 in the first two quarters. The Owls' first-half passing yards (53) were less than Houston's score.
Tyler Smith ran for 113 yards for the Owls and freshman Charles Ross 105 yards rushing and both Rice touchdowns.
The Cougars scoring slowed in the second half with backups playing, but they added a pair of scores with Cotton Turner at quarterback to make it 73-14 early in the fourth. Sumlin put third-stringer Austin Elrod in at quarterback after that and Houston didn't score again.
"We pulled the guys that are critical to our success because the risk of injury at this point in the season is more than the reward of somebody patting you on the back for a stat," Sumlin said.
After Carrier put Houston ahead early, Keenum made it 14-0 with a 1-yard run with about 10 minutes left in the first quarter.
Brandon Brinkley returned the first of three first-half interceptions by the Cougars defense 45 yards for a touchdown to push the lead to 21-0 later in the first quarter. He dashed a few yards before stutter-stepping to avoid a couple of defenders and then bulling in for the touchdown.
"We caught some big breaks there early," Keenum said. "When you score a touchdown in all three phases pretty early like that, it says a lot about how we're playing as a team."
Jamal Robinson had the two other interceptions, one off Nick Fanuzzi and the other from backup Ryan Lewis.
"The hardest thing for me is that I feel like I let a bunch of seniors down," Rice coach David Bailiff said. "They have invested four or five years here at Rice and you do everything you can as a man to let them go out there and win it."
Houston was already ahead 24-0 after a field goal by Matt Hogan when Rice finally got a first down with 2½ minutes left in the first quarter. Fanuzzi found Ross on a short pass that he turned into a 30-yard gain. They couldn't get anything going after that run and had to punt.
"They were ready to go and we weren't," Bailiff said. "So much of football is attitude and we got on our heels and never recovered."
Fanuzzi was 16 of 30 for 132 yards and with two interceptions.
Ross had a 48-yard run to get the Owls to the Houston 26 early in the second quarter, but Fanuzzi threw his second interception three plays later to kill that drive.
Keenum extended his streak of consecutive game with a touchdown pass to 28 when he hit Patrick Edwards in the end zone for a 39-yard touchdown pass that made it 38-0 about 11 minutes before halftime. Keenum also threw a 5-yard touchdown to L.J. Castile that made it 59-0 just before halftime.
Turner threw for 112 yards and a touchdown after replacing Keenum before he was relieved by Elrod.
-- Kristie Rieken
SMU wins 26-21; heading for 1st bowl since 1984
DALLAS — A long wait for SMU is officially over.
Shawnbrey McNeal rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 5:23 remaining, to lead SMU to a 26-21 win over Tulane on Saturday.
The Mustangs (7-5, 6-2) were already bowl eligible with six wins. With Saturday's victory, they are guaranteed to earn one of Conference USA's six automatic bowl bids. SMU, which went 1-11 the last two seasons, has not appeared in a bowl game since the 1984 Aloha Bowl.
Three years after that appearance, the NCAA imposed the death penalty on the football program for multiple rules violations. The Mustangs didn't play football for two seasons and have since struggled to regain respectability.
"I didn't see a player laugh or have fun until the second game this year," SMU coach June Jones said of the teamÂ’s attitude. "It's like they were browbeat worse than any players IÂ’ve ever seen."
Jones, in his second season at SMU, was given a two-year contract extension on Friday, keeping him at the school through 2014. Jones came from Hawaii, and the Mustangs may be going to Hawaii for their bowl game next month.
"I told the players I didnÂ’t really think it would really soak in yet," Jones said. "I told them they talk about the (early 1980s team) Pony Express; in 10 years theyÂ’re going to talk about you."
McNeal, who carried the ball 26 times, scored on a 4-yard run in the fourth quarter to put SMU ahead, and the Mustangs held on.
Tulane (3-9, 1-7) led 21-20 when Andre Anderson scored on a 1-yard run with 10:06 to play. Earlier, Ryan Griffin and Jeremy Williams connected for a pair of touchdown passes for the Green Wave.
After McNeal's touchdown put the Mustangs ahead, Tulane had two chances. On the first drive, the Green Wave was stopped on downs; on the second, as time was running out, Tulane fumbled and SMU recovered.
Kyle Padron completed 20 of 34 passes for 264 yards for SMU, and Emmanuel Sanders finished with six receptions for 144 yards. SMU led 17-7 at halftime.
Arkansas State holds off North Texas 30-26
JONESBORO, Ark. — Ryan Aplin threw for 240 yards and ran for 122 and two touchdowns to lead Arkansas State to a 30-26 victory over North Texas on Saturday.
Aplin, a redshirt freshman making his third start, scored on runs of 6 and 10 yards and completed 18 of 28 passes as the Red Wolves (3-8, 2-5 Sun Belt) ended a four-game losing streak. Aplin's 362 yards of offense are the fifth most in school history and the best ever by a freshman.
"I thought Ryan Aplin played outstanding," ASU coach Steve Roberts said. "He did some great things in the running game. He proved that you have to pay attention to him as a threat in the running game. He threw the football very well with the exception of a few goal-line passes.
"I know that he's proud of his accomplishments. It's a great experience for him, and it's great for him to get that experience with a win. It's easier to correct those things with you're coming off a victory."
Aplin, who did throw three interceptions, led the Red Wolves to scores on their first four drives but the team had to hold off the Mean Green (2-10, 1-7), which pulled to within 30-26 with 1:25 left on a 19-yard pass from Derek Thompson to Jamaal Jackson.
After Alex Carrington blocked the extra point, ASU's Graham Bates recovered North Texas' ensuing onside-kick attempt.
The Mean Green rallied after trailing 27-7 at halftime. Kevin Dickerson scored on a 25-yard run and Alex Lott caught a 5-yard pass from Nathan Tune to make it 30-20. Lance Dunbar led North Texas with 126 rushing yards and a TD.
"The big deal was our defense caused some turnovers tonight and allowed our football team to get back in the ball game," North Texas coach Todd Dodge said. "It's just a reflection of our entire season of all the heartbreaking losses we've gone through, and our players have continued to show up and believe in one another."
ASU's only second-half points came on a field goal by Josh Arauco.
Don Jones, another redshirt freshman, scored the first ASU touchdown on a 14-yard run, and Reggie Arnold made it 27-0 on a 7-yard run. Arnold rushed for 111 yards.
Vittatoe has 517 yards as UTEP tops Marshall 52-21
EL PASO — Trevor Vittatoe passed for 517 yards and five touchdowns as UTEP routed Marshall 52-21 on Saturday.
Jeff Moturi led receivers with 179 yards, including an 80-yard scoring pass from Vittatoe, who also connected for TDs with Tufick Shadrawy, Kris Adams, Jonny Moore and Donavon Kemp.
James Thomas and Donald Buckram also scored for UTEP on runs of 4 and 12 yards.
Brian Anderson threw for 347 yards and three touchdowns for the Thundering Herd. Anderson found Aaron Dobson, Chuck Walker and Antavio Wilson for scores.
After leading 20-14 at the break, the Miners exploded in the second half, adding four touchdowns and a field goal while holding the Thundering Herd to just one TD.
Texas Southern overtakes Arkansas Pine Bluff 14-10
DALLAS — Arvell Nelson threw for 256 yards and ran for the go-ahead touchdown to lead Texas Southern to a 14-10 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday.
Nelson's TD came with less than four minutes left in the third quarter to finish a nine-play, 75-yard drive. He went 21-for-33 passing and also rushed for 75 yards. Running back Martin Gilbert ran for 86 yards and a touchdown.
The Tigers (5-5, 4-2 Southwestern) held the Golden Lions to just eight yards on the ground. Pine Bluff's quarterback Josh Boudreaux threw for 209 yards and a touchdown, but was sacked twice and lost nine yards overall on the ground.
Carlos Reyes also added a field goal for Pine Bluff.
Stephen F. Austin wins 44-33 over E. Washington
NACOGDOCHES — Jeremy Moses' 432-passing yards helped lead Stephen F. Austin to a 44-33 victory over Eastern Washington in the first round of the NCAA FCS Playoffs.
Moses was 43 for 57 (75.4 percent) with four touchdown passes and three interceptions. He connected with Duane Brooks 15 times for 124 yards and Brandon Scott 11 times for 89 yards and two touchdowns. Lumberjacks (10-2, 6-1 Southland) running back Vincent Pervis ran the ball 16 times for 125 yards.
Matt Nichols was 43 for 76 (56.5 percent) for 461 yards, three touchdowns and an interception for the Eagles (8-4, 6-2 Big Sky). Taiwan Jones had 118 rushing yards and a touchdown. Tony Davis was the Eagles leading receiver on the day with 10 catches for 115 yards.
Stephen F. Austin led 30-12 at the half and by as many as 25 in the game. The two teams combined for 1,158 total yards, with 893 of them coming in the passing game.
Linfield beats Mary Hardin-Baylor 53-21
MCMINNVILLE, Ore. — Aaron Boehme passed for three touchdowns and ran for another in Linfield's 53-21 victory over Mary Hardin-Baylor in the NCAA Division III playoffs on Saturday.
Linfield (11-0) advances to the quarterfinals to host St. Thomas (10-1) next Saturday.
Defensive end Eric Hedin forced three fumbled and returned one for a touchdown for the Wildcats, who fell behind 14-3 early.
Boehme complete 20 of 32 passes for 260 yards. Prev Patterson had 11 catches for 207 yards and a touchdown.
Quincy Daniels ran for 117 yards and a score for the Crusaders (10-2) of Belton, Texas, who ended their season 10-2.
The last time the two teams met was the 2004 Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl where the Wildcats claimed the Div. III championship with a 28-21 victory.
Big 12
Huskers know they'll have to be sharper vs. Texas
OMAHA, Neb. — Nebraska's players and coaches say anything less than their best won't be good enough when the Cornhuskers play unbeaten Texas for the Big 12 championship.
"We have to play perfect defense and we have to play perfect offense, and there can't be any turnovers and there can't be any mental lapses," safety Larry Asante said. "We have to play our best football all year."
The Huskers (9-3, 6-2) at least have to play better than they did Friday in their scuffling, 28-20 victory at Colorado.
They went into Boulder already having clinched their spot in next Saturday's conference title game in Arlington, Texas, and turned in what coach Bo Pelini said was one of his team's worst efforts of the season.
The offense mustered only two touchdowns and 217 yards. The defense allowed a season-high 403 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown on the game's last play that had Pelini fuming.
"We won the football game, and that's great," Pelini said. "But I have higher standards than what I saw. We played inconsistent, sloppy football."
As much as the Huskers have struggled, especially on offense, they still take a five-game win streak into the championship game. If they upset Texas (12-0, 8-0), they would win their first conference title since 1999, knock the third-ranked Longhorns out of national championship contention and advance to a BCS bowl for the first time since the 2001 season.
The Longhorns won a 49-39 shootout Thursday against rival Texas A&M in their last regular-season game.
A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson ripped through Texas' defense in a head-to-head battle with Heisman Trophy front-runner Colt McCoy.
Nebraska's Zac Lee can't do the things Johnson does. The Huskers' best chance to win is to keep the score low.
Colorado, held without a first down on its first four possessions, generated 381 of its 403 yards in the last three quarters. Rodney Stewart ran for 110 yards to become the first opposing back to go over 100 this season. The Buffaloes' touchdown drives went 67, 59 and 80 yards.
"We let too many receivers get wide open," safety Matt O'Hanlon said. "We have a challenge ahead of us with Colt McCoy."
Touchdowns on Niles Paul's 59-yard punt return and O'Hanlon's 20-yard interception return saved Nebraska. But that wasn't enough for Pelini.
"That was not our best football," Pelini said. "I'm happy we won the game — you have to do some things right to win — but I thought we took a step back."
In the big picture, Nebraska has continued the improvement that began under Pelini last season. Nebraska has won nine games in back-to-back years for the first time since the end of its NCAA-record streak of 33 straight nine-win seasons from 1969-2001.
The Huskers also went 4-0 in conference road games for the first time since the 1997 national championship season.
Asked if his team is ready for Texas, Pelini said, "We're not ready for anything right now. We have to get ready this week.
"We don't need to be ready today, we need to be ready next Saturday night, and we'll be ready."
-- Eric Olson
No. 11 Cowboys shut out of BCS with 27-0 loss
NORMAN, Okla. — No. 11 Oklahoma State had everything to play for: the money and exposure of the Bowl Championship Series, another step toward making school history and bragging rights in a rare chance to outshine its traditional in-state rival.
Then Oklahoma snatched all that away in making OSU look anything but BCS-worthy.
DeMarco Murray ran for two touchdowns, Ryan Broyles returned a punt 88 yards for a score and Oklahoma knocked No. 11 Oklahoma State out of contention for its first BCS appearance with a 27-0 win Saturday.
"The only good thing about this is it counts as one loss, and I told the team that," Cowboys coach Mike Gundy said. "To move forward, you have to let go. This team has accomplished a lot. We have an opportunity to go play in a very good bowl game. Where that'll be, I'm not sure."
With representatives of the Fiesta and Orange bowls watching, the Cowboys (9-3, 6-2 Big 12) fell completely flat with their worst offensive performance of the decade. Oklahoma State was shut out for the first time since 2005 by an Oklahoma defense coming off its worst outing of the year in a 41-13 loss at Texas Tech last week.
"That's the way you finish a season," defensive captain Gerald McCoy said. "We've still got a bowl game to play, but that's the way you come back and finish out."
Zac Robinson threw for only 44 yards on 9-for-21 passing after missing last week's game with injuries to his head and shoulder. He was pulled in the fourth quarter with his lowest passing total since taking over as the starting quarterback early in the 2007 season.
"Zac wasn't 100 percent, but that's certainly not an excuse for what happened," Gundy said.
Brandon Weeden, who led a second-half comeback in last week's win against Colorado, finally replaced Robinson after Broyles' punt return put Oklahoma up 27-0 midway through the fourth quarter. The crowd started chanting "Overrated!" after he let Quinn Sharp's punt sail over his head, then fielded the bouncing ball, turned around and raced for the score.
Oklahoma State didn't have a single first down in the second half and finished with only 109 yards of total offense.
"I guess I'd have to say that most of the game is the physical aspect, and they were the most dominating force on the field," Cowboys left tackle Russell Okung said. "And you see the results of that right now."
Broyles, who originally committed to Oklahoma State but instead chose to play for the Sooners, had 103 yards receiving to go with his 209 yards on punt returns. Patrick O'Hara, the walk-on who had never played football before taking over as Oklahoma's kicker two weeks ago, hit field goals from 24 and 19 yards.
The Sooners (7-5, 5-3) have won seven in a row in the Bedlam rivalry and 30 straight home games, the longest streak in the Bowl Subdivision.
"It was a definite way to come out on a high note in this Bedlam game. Everyone was talking about how we were breaking their season or whatnot, but really we were making our season more than anything," Broyles said.
Broyles' 47-yard reception set up Murray's first scoring run, a 13-yarder that he punctuated by leaping from the 4-yard line out of bounds past where the goal line would have extended. He also had a 12-yard TD run following Robinson's interception, which safety Jonathan Nelson returned 37 yards.
The shutout was preserved when tight end Trent Ratterree tracked down Justin Gent from behind on a fumble return in the final minute, stripped the ball and recovered it. That allowed Oklahoma to run out the clock on its first shutout against a ranked team since a 12-0 win against Texas in 2004.
The Sooners have three shutouts in a season for the first time since 1986, when they had five.
"When he did that, I was like, 'Yes! Thank you, man.' We worked so hard to keep them with that goose egg, and he made a big play for us," McCoy said.
Oklahoma's Landry Jones finished 20 for 37 for 224 yards. He lost a fumble in the first quarter after a 59-yard punt return by Broyles set up first-and-goal at the 7-yard line.
A season riddled with injuries continued for the Sooners, who played without left tackle Trent Williams. The NFL prospect was the only player on Oklahoma's offense who had started the first 11 games, and his absence left the team with only one of its starters on the line. Tight end Eric Mensik made his first career start on the offensive line to replace Williams.
Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford, also out for the season following shoulder surgery, appeared in a videotaped message before the game to thank fans and encourage them to support the Sooners. And receiver Corey Wilson, who injured his back in an offseason car accident, climbed out of his wheelchair and took a few steps with the aid of a walker at the end of Oklahoma's senior day ceremony.
Neither team — or the referees, for that matter — gave the fans much to cheer for early on as the game was marred by fumbles and constant replay reviews, including one that required a second look for officials to get the down and distance correct. But while the Sooners made up for their early mistakes, OSU never got anything going.
"We certainly would have liked to have had the opportunity to be in that BCS picture, but we can't do anything about that now," Gundy said. "As I said earlier, at the end of the year, the bowl representatives in this league are going to pick teams that have competed for 12 games. You've got to play 12 games."
-- Jeff Latzke
Sooners LT Trent not in uniform vs Oklahoma State
NORMAN, Okla. — Oklahoma left tackle Trent Williams was not in uniform for the Sooners' rivalry game against No. 11 Oklahoma State.
Williams is an NFL prospect who returned to the Sooners this season instead of entering the draft. He had been the only player on Oklahoma's offense to start every game this season.
Eric Mensik, usually a tight end, started in Williams' place on Saturday.
Oklahoma was already without three other starting offensive linemen after center Ben Habern broke his left leg in last week's loss at Texas Tech. The Sooners are also without Brody Eldridge and Jarvis Jones.
Last-second field goal gives Tigers win over KU
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The 117th version of the Border Showdown was arguably the wildest in the nation's second most-played rivalry. No. 118 topped it nearly every way.
Missouri tackled Todd Reesing for a safety with 2:39 remaining and Grant Ressel hit a 27-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Tigers a 41-39 win over Kansas on Saturday in another wild rivalry game at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kansas won 40-37 last year, scoring a touchdown with 27 seconds left and blocking a field goal at the buzzer.
These bitter rivals somehow one-upped that epic game, trading big plays, scores and momentum seemingly with every snap, putting on a show no one from either team will likely ever forget.
"I'm kind of numb right now," Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said.
Missouri (8-4, 4-4 Big 12) had 553 total yards, but needed a safety and Ressel's fourth field goal of the game to beat its rival and potentially end coach Mark Mangino's eight-year stint at Kansas (5-7, 1-7) with a seven-game losing streak.
Danario Alexander caught 15 passes for 233 yards, the third time he's eclipsed 200 yards in four games, and Derrick Washington ran for 111 yards and two scores for the Tigers. Blaine Gabbert threw for 303 yards and a score, and ran for 94 more yards to boost Missouri's bowl prospects.
"It would have been disappointing to lose to them two years in a row," Missouri cornerback Carl Gettis said.
Reesing was spectacular in his final collegiate game, throwing for a school-record 498 yards and four touchdowns. He finishes as Kansas' all-time leader in nearly every significant category, but goes out with seven consecutive losses after starting his career with 11 straight wins.
Briscoe had 14 catches for 242 yards in what may be his final game — the NFL could be next — but lost two fumbles that led directly to Missouri touchdowns. Kerry Meier caught two touchdown passes and Kansas finished with 547 total yards.
None of it was good enough against Missouri, the team the Jayhawks want to beat most. It also might not be enough to save Mangino, who's under investigation by the university for allegations of harsh treatment of players.
"I don't have anything to say to any decision-makers or anything," Mangino said. "A friend of mine told me something one time I think is a very good way to go about life. That is: I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees."
Just like last year, the Jayhawks had a chance at the end.
Jacob Branstetter hit a 39-yard field goal with 5:10 left to put Kansas up 39-36, then the Jayhawks forced Missouri to punt.
Starting the drive at its own 3, Kansas opted to pass instead of milking clock. After two failed passes, Brian Coulter and Aldon Smith converged on Reesing in the end zone for a safety to cut Kansas' lead to 39-38. Worse yet, the Jayhawks ran just 14 seconds off the clock, giving Missouri plenty of time to move into position for the winning score.
The Tigers did just that, getting a 27-yard run from Washington to set up Ressel's attempt. He split the uprights and, after a brief delay for a penalty on Kansas, the Tigers rushed the field for one of their wildest wins against their biggest rival.
"I saw the flag go up and I was alarmed at first because I thought we were going to have to kick it again," Ressel said. "Once I saw it was on KU, I was really happy."
Kansas and Missouri spent the second half of last year's game trading scores. They were at it again this year.
Trailing 21-13, Missouri marched down the field on its opening drive of the second half for Washington's 14-yard touchdown run up the middle. Kansas answered with a 2-yard pass from Reesing to Meier after Missouri's Sean Weatherspoon was called for running into the center on a made field goal.
Missouri's turn, Jerrell Jackson got the right corner on an end-around and scored on a 37-yard run. The Tigers needed just 55 seconds to score again, following Briscoe's second fumble with Alexander's catch-and-run 68-yard touchdown. Ressel's third field goal, from 37 yards, put Missouri up 36-28 early in the fourth quarter.
Kansas and Briscoe weren't done. Streaking up the sideline, Briscoe pulled down a long pass from Reesing, wobbled safety Jasper Simmons' knees near the 20, then went in for a 74-yard touchdown. Reesing hit Meier for the 2-point conversion, tying the game at 36-all.
Kansas got the ball back, starting inside its 1, and drove down for Branstetter's field goal to set up the final flurry.
Unlike last year, Missouri came out on top — and ended a difficult season at Kansas.
"We learned a lot about life this season," Kansas senior running back Jake Sharp said. "I learned when you think you think you know what you've got going on, when you think you've got it figured, that's when life shows you how small you are and what you really know. The way the season went, it obviously is a very big disappointment to our team."
-- John Marshall
Mangino: Ask the decision-makers if I'll be back
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A defiant Mark Mangino insisted he plans to be the coach at Kansas next year, but will have no regrets if he's not.
"A friend of mine told me something one time I think is a very good way to go about life," the embattled coach said after Missouri rallied for a 41-39 victory Saturday night.
"I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees."
Two weeks after word leaked that athletic director Lew Perkins had launched an investigation into Mangino's treatment of players, the Jayhawks finally brought an end to a season that began 5-0 but descended into the depths of a bitterly disappointing seven-game losing streak.
The loss means the Jayhawks (5-7, 1-7 Big 12) are not bowl eligible and Mangino is 50-48 in eight years — two wins shy of the school record for a coach.
When the internal probe might end and what Mangino's fate will be could be learned in the next week.
"I'm confident in my ability. I feel good about everything I've done," said Mangino.
After going 12-1 in 2007 and winning the Orange Bowl, Mangino was given a raise and a contract extension through 2012. If he's fired without cause, the school could be on the hook for about $6.6 million.
Since the probe began, several former players have told stories of insensitive — some might say cruel — comments the coach made.
But following that first wave of anti-Mangino sentiment, a gush of pro-Mangino comments were offered by many current and former players and their parents.
Mangino said he's done nothing wrong and that he sees no need to change.
"When I was hired at Kansas they told me they desperately needed structure and discipline in the football program," he said. "The people that hired me said it was the key point. And I've done that the right way and I feel good about it and I'm proud of the way I've dealt with the players in our program."
If the Jayhawks do get rid of Mangino, they'll need to act as soon as possible because an all-important recruiting period begins on Monday.
But has Mangino's ability to recruit already been damaged beyond repair? Stories of verbal abuse told by certain former players are certain to be used against him by the same coaches who have been rallying to his defense. Offsetting vows of loyalty and support by other players may not resonate as much with high school prospects and their moms and dads.
If Saturday's game was Mangino's last, he will end his time at Kansas two wins shy of the school record, which has stood for 100 years.
"Why don't you ask the decision-makers?" he said when asked whether he thinks he'll be back. "I've been up front, with nothing to hide. Sometimes people ask me questions and I'm not the one who should be answering them."
Many of his top players, such as senior quarterback Todd Reesing and running back Jake Sharp, are adamant in their support.
"I feel very blessed to have him as my coach," Sharp said. "I learned a lot from him. With all this going on, he never wavered. He never came to practice halfway. I have the utmost respect for him and what he's done for this program."
Reesing ended his career holding almost every school passing record. Mangino was one of only two college coaches who offered him a scholarship.
"He's done a lot for this program and I love the guy to death," Reesing said. "What happens is out of my hands."
-- Doug Tucker
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