|
Sport Sections |
|
|
| | |||
| Saturday, October 7 Sooners' 63 points the most in rivalry history | |||
| DALLAS (AP) -- The stunned look on Texas coach Mack Brown's face
and the strain in his voice said it all.
No one could see this coming: a 63-14 loss to rival and Oklahoma (No. 12 ESPN/USA Today, No. 10 AP) that ranks as one of the most embarrassing days in the
history of Texas football.
The staggering defeat left Brown drained and bewildered as to
what had just happened.
Before the questions even started Saturday, Brown blamed himself
for the disastrous showing by his Longhorns, ranked 10th in the ESPN/USA Today poll and No. 11 in the AP poll.
"I did a poor job," he said. "That's all you can say. You
can't look anywhere else at this one. Nobody can screw it up as bad
as I did today. I didn't do anything to get them to play.
"I thought we'd win the game, that shows you how far off I
was."
On the scale of humiliation, a rout at the hands of Oklahoma
ranks up there with the 66-3 home defeat to UCLA in 1997, former
coach John Mackovic's last season.
"This feels way worse than UCLA," said defensive tackle Casey
Hampton. "You don't come out against a rival like this and get
totally dominated."
The infamous "Rout 66" knocked the Longhorns, who were also
ranked 11th at the time, clear out of the Top 25 -- the worst drop
in poll history -- and spiraling toward a 4-7 season. It also
started the calls for Mackovic's job.
This game was supposed to revive one of the country's best
rivalries. It was the first time since 1984 that both Oklahoma
(5-0, 2-0 Big 12) and Texas (3-2, 1-1) came in so highly ranked.
It was over quickly. Oklahoma was overwhelming. Texas was
terrible.
Oklahoma entered the Cotton Bowl on the run, coming out of the
locker-room tunnel with arms pumping to excite the crowd. The
Longhorns walked in with a military-like march, ready for battle.
It was the only time Texas put up any kind of fight.
The Sooners' offense scored on its first five possessions in the
first half. The defense chipped in with an interception return for
a touchdown.
Quentin Griffin scored three of his six rushing touchdowns in
the first half as the Sooners led 42-0 by the second quarter.
Before Saturday, Texas had given up only 44 points all season. By
the time he was done, Griffin's six touchdowns were more than UT
had given up all season.
Oklahoma rolled up 534 yards of offense and 28 first downs. The
Sooners' 63 points was the most scored by either team in a series
that dates back to 1900. The final score was the most lopsided
final margin since OU blanked Texas 50-0 in 1908.
"It was as poor of a performance that I've seen out of a
football team that I've been responsible for in a long time,"
Brown said.
The offense was no better. While the Sooners were scoring six
touchdowns in the first half, Texas managed just five first downs.
The running game which produced its first 100-yard rusher last
week against Oklahoma State was held to minus-7 yards.
The two quarterback system of Major Applewhite and Chris Simms?
Disaster.
Applewhite, who led Texas out of 17-0 hole to a 38-28 win over
Oklahoma last year, started and struggled. He was 9-of-18 for 98
yards with one touchdown.
Simms got the call with Texas trailing 28-0. His third pass went
straight into the arms of Oklahoma linebacker Rocky Calmus, who
returned it 41 yards for a touchdown.
"It's the worst butt kicking I've ever been involved with,"
said Simms, who looked stunned afterward by the Longhorns'
futility. "I'm shocked. This is really bad. There's probably
nothing worse than this."
Texas, which had dreamed of winning the Big 12 South division,
suddenly finds itself wondering what will happen to the rest of the
season. Oklahoma, meanwhile, starts thinking national title chase.
"We can't go anywhere but forward from here," Simms said.
"We're just not as good as we thought."
| ALSO SEE
Griffin rushes for six TDs as Sooners slam Texas 63-14 | ||
|
Copyright ©2000 ESPN Internet Ventures. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information are applicable to this site. Click here for a list of employment opportunities at ESPN.com. |