FROM THE REAL ART SPORTS DESK
BLOWOUT WEEKEND II: TEXAS, LSU AGAIN
DEFEAT VASTLY OVERMATCHED OPPONENTS

From the AP via ESPN:

Texas torments Sam Houston
with Sooner showdown looming

Sam Houston State was little more than a scrimmage for No. 7 Texas. Bring on Oklahoma.

Colt McCoy passed for two touchdowns, Henry Melton ran for two more and the Longhorns emptied their bench and still piled up the points on Division I-AA Sam Houston State in a 56-3 win Saturday night.

Next up, the rival Sooners who won five straight over Texas before the Longhorns ended the losing streak last season in their run to the national championship.

While thousands of fans left early, many who stayed to the end chanted "Beat OU!" as the Longhorns left the field.

"I've been waiting for this moment," McCoy said. "My whole life."

The Longhorns first had to dispatch an overmatched opponent in a game that was as one-sided as expected. Sam Houston State was Texas' first I-AA opponent since 1992 and the Longhorns (4-1) made quick work of the Bearkats (2-2).

Texas led 42-0 by halftime and scored more than 50 points for the third time this season.

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Jeez, when the article talks more about next week's opponent than this week's, you know there's something a bit off. Of course, I too am looking forward to UT/OU next weekend, which will obviously be a real game. Not that I have anything against Sam Houston State: they have a good theater department, an excellent criminal justice degree program, a funny mascot, and a decent football team. For I-AA football, that is. All of which brings me to this question: would somebody tell me why the hell Texas played these guys? It's just as well that it wasn't on TV; I watched what I'm sure was a much more interesting matchup instead, Florida versus Alabama.

Anyway, beat OU!

Again. from the AP via ESPN:

Russell's career day leads No. 9 LSU over Miss. State

Russell threw for a career-best 330 yards and matched a school record with 14 consecutive completions Saturday as No. 9 LSU beat the Bulldogs 48-17 in a game delayed when lightning sent spectators scurrying for cover.

After the storm passed, the junior quarterback returned and ended up completing 18 of 20 passes, including three for touchdowns.

The career day for Russell was by design. LSU coach Les Miles said he and his staff favored a pass-heavy attack after scouting Mississippi State's defense on film.

"We felt like we had advantages down the field throwing," Miles said. "If the defense gives us opportunities in the air, we're certainly going to take them. ... [Russell] is a pretty special quarterback."

LSU (4-1, 1-1 SEC) led 35-0 early in the second quarter, prompting thousands of fans to leave at halftime. A 52-minute delay while a thunderstorm rolled through further emptied the stands in the third quarter, when the score was 35-3.

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Well, obviously, this was much more interesting than the Texas game, if only because Mississippi State is a bona fide I-A team, and a conference opponent, to boot. But then, "to boot" is exactly what the Tigers did to the Bulldogs' collective butt. I only watched the second half of this one, which was on CBS here in Baton Rouge, because of the annoying 11:30 a.m. kickoff time. Thankfully, the in-stadium announcer, who was really only about six blocks away from where I slept the morning and early afternoon away, woke me up in time to catch me some LSU football. Which wasn't really all that exciting given the Tigers' 30 odd point lead when I finally switched on the tube. Ah well, as I said last week about UT beating Iowa State, at least it's a conference win.

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