FROM THE REAL ART SPORTS DESK
TEXAS, LSU BOTH GO TO 3-0

From the AP via ESPN:

Case McCoy tosses two TDs, leads Texas past UCLA

With a new McCoy thriving in a familiar old setting, these Texas Longhorns showed they've come an awfully long way in the year since they lost to UCLA.

Case McCoy passed for 168 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start, D.J. Grant made his first three career touchdown catches, and the 23rd-ranked Longhorns avenged last season's stunning home loss to the Bruins with a 49-20 victory on Saturday.

McCoy hadn't been to the Rose Bowl since he watched his older brother, Colt, get injured during Texas' loss to Alabama in the BCS title game 20 months ago. The Longhorns have been rebuilding ever since, but they might have found their next quarterback: McCoy was a model of efficiency, going 12 for 15 without a turnover or a sack as Texas systematically shredded the Bruins for 488 total yards.

More here.

Again from the AP via ESPN:

No. 3 LSU's solid defense shuts down No. 25 Mississippi State

LSU's Jarrett Lee stepped back in the pocket, surveyed the field and let a pass fly. It was a beautifully thrown fade route to Rueben Randle, who beat two Mississippi State defenders to the corner of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown.

Everyone already knew LSU had a great running game and defense. Now the Tigers might be developing a quarterback to match.

"Rueben made a great route -- it was just a matter of putting it out there for him," Lee said. "I feel like I'm becoming a more mature player. Really developing."

The senior quarterback, filling in for suspended Jordan Jefferson, completed 21 of 27 passes for 213 yards and the touchdown and No. 3 LSU defeated No. 25 Mississippi State 19-6 on Thursday night.

And

Lee's success is quickly making LSU fans forget about Jefferson, the expected starter who has been suspended all season after being arrested for his alleged role in a bar fight in August. Lee wasn't necessarily spectacular, but he didn't have to be, calmly managing the game and hitting open receivers when opportunities arose.

It's a stark contrast from his freshman season in 2008, when Lee threw 16 interceptions, including seven that were returned for touchdowns. Since those tough days he's spent most of the time on the bench. Now with a new opportunity, he's taking full advantage.

More here.

Okay, I'm really liking what I'm seeing from both teams.

Texas hasn't really been tested yet, of course, but after last year's dismal season, solid play with a running game the likes of which I haven't seen out of Texas since the 90s is as good as beating a ranked team. To me, anyway, and, rest assured, ranked opponents will come soon enough. I'm especially digging that Case McCoy is shaping up to be as exciting of a QB as his brother was, and then there's that Shipley kid. Did I mention how good the Longhorn ground game appears to be? I think Mac's got his groove back. Actually, the 'Horns could end up even better than they were with Colt and Vince Young.

An old pal of mine from our days at UT now lives in Los Angeles and went to the game. A couple of hours after it was over, he sent me some cell phone footage of Texas fans singing "The Eyes of Texas" at what they were calling "Vince Young Field." Works for me. Two of our greatest recent victories were at the Rose Bowl, against Michigan in 2005, and against USC in 2006. "Vince Young Field." Has a nice ring to it.

And LSU is looking pretty good, too. Much better, actually, in that they've already been tested and now they're ranked number two behind the Land Thieves. I had to work during the game so I caught it online at ESPN in HD after I got home. The one thing that came through with the HD was just how fucking talented the Tigers are. It really doesn't matter if Jarrett Lee isn't the greatest quarterback ever: all he has to do is competently manage the game and not fuck up, and he appears to be doing that just fine; let their massive roster of football talent win the games and he can just kind of stand in the middle of it all.


UCLA defensive linemen Damien Holmes and Seali'i Epenesa pressure Texas
quarterback Cae McCoy (6) in the third quarter on Saturday, September 17, 2011,
at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Texas defeated UCLA, 49-20.
(Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times/MCT)


LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee (12) passes the ball for a 7-yard
gain as Mississippi State linebacker Cameron Lawrence (10)
watches during the first half of an NCAA college football
game in Starkville, Miss., Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011.
(AP Photo/Kerry Smith)

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