FROM THE REAL ART SPORTS DESK:
TEXAS, LSU NEARLY DEFEATED BY UNRANKED RIVALS
From the Austin American-Statesman:
Texas survives scare in College Station
The second-ranked Texas Longhorns needed a fake punt and a blocked punt to overcome a third-quarter deficit and come back for a 40-29 victory over Texas A&M on Friday at Kyle Field.
The Longhorns (11-0) finished the regular season undefeated for the first time since 1983 but saw their national-title plans very much in jeopardy.
With Rose Bowl representatives watching from the press box, the mistake-prone Longhorns ran up against an energized Aggie team that, despite the loss of its starting quarterback, played its best game of the year. The Aggies ended the season at 5-6 and are not eligible for a bowl.
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What did I say a couple of weeks ago? Oh yes:
Of course, there's one last bit of bidness to take care of before winning the conference: Texas now must embarrass the hell out of those chest-beating militarists in College Station. The Longhorns are going to Kyle Field in a couple of weeks, which is where the Aggies are at their strongest. Beating them there, beating them bad, will be glorious.
I will now eat my words. By all accounts, Texas played an awful game against the Aggies. We're lucky just to have won. The Statesman article observes that UT quarterback Vince Young's Heisman hopes are all but dead. What an embarrassment. Fortunately for me, I was unable to watch the game because we're in tech rehearsals for Big Love. I taped it, but I'm wondering if I want to put myself through the ordeal of watching it. Really, the only way it could have been worse is if we'd lost. But we didn't. It was really sloppy, but we won. Texas is 11-0 for the first time in two decades, and we got that final regular season win against the Aggies on their own home field, and the UT/A&M game is almost always fierce. That's still something.
However, I worry about being able to beat USC in the Rose Bowl...what am I saying? We've got to win the Big 12 first, and with another performance like yesterday's, that is not at all a certainty. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Texas coach Mack Brown, is dunked with water by William Winston (78) and Brian Orakpo (98) as Limas Sweed (4) gets out of the way after Texas beat Texas A&M 40-29 at College Station. (photo from the Houston Chronicle)
From the AP via Baton Rouge Advocate:
LSU beats Ark. for SEC title game berth
No. 3 LSU won with clutch defense yet again, wrapping up a berth in the Southeastern Conference championship game.
JaMarcus Russell threw a 50-yard touchdown pass and Justin Vincent ran for a 4-yard score to help LSU take 19-17 victory over Arkansas on Friday in the battle for "The Boot."
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Don't let the glowing headline and misleading lead sentence fool you: LSU played as badly as Texas did, worse even, when you look at the victory margin. Arkansas fields some good teams from time to time, but not this year. It's very cool that the Tigers clinched the SEC West title, and maintained their #3 ranking, but the Razorbacks are an unworthy opponent, and LSU almost lost. Again, I couldn't watch this one because of our marathon rehearsals, but I was able to hear the crowd roar from the stadium which is only a five minute walk away--there were fewer roars than there should have been. Frankly, I wouldn't have been so bummed if the had Tigers lost--Texas is who I really love, and LSU won the national championship only a couple of years ago, after all; their downfall wouldn't be nearly as painful to me as UT losing to A&M would. But still. What was up on Friday with my two teams?
I'm just happy we won. Both times.
Louisiana State quarterback JaMarcus Russell looks for a receiver as he scrambles out of the pocket during first half action against Arkansas in Baton Rouge, La., Friday, Nov. 25, 2005. (AP PHOTO)
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