FROM THE REAL ART SPORTS DESK
TEXAS BEATS TECH; LSU BEATS BAMA

From the AP via ESPN:

Texas collects 439 rush yards, routs Texas Tech

Freshman Joe Bergeron ran for 191 yards and three touchdowns and Texas (No. 21 BCS) used another punishing rushing performance to rout Texas Tech 52-20 on Saturday.

Texas (6-2, 3-2 Big 12) is bowl-eligible after missing the postseason last year for the first time since 1997.

Texas ran for 439 yards against one of the worst rushing defenses in the country. Bergeron topped 100 yards for the second week in a row and Fozzy Whittaker ran for two second-quarter touchdowns.

More here.

Again from the AP via ESPN:

LSU kicks winning field goal in OT for defensive-minded win over Alabama

The defenses lived up to the billing in the latest Game of the Century. Neither No. 1 LSU nor No. 2 Alabama could reach the end zone Saturday night, not even with extra time.

The Tigers aren't complaining.

They now have the inside track to the BCS title game.

Drew Alleman kicked a 25-yard field goal in overtime to lead LSU to a 9-6 victory over Alabama, which missed four field goals and squandered another scoring chance by throwing a goal-line interception -- simply too many mistakes to overcome in a fierce defensive struggle that didn't produce a lot of style points.

More here.

I missed the Texas game again. This time it had nothing to do with the frustrating lack of access to the Longhorn Network; this time, the game took place during an acting class I'm taking. But it's nice to see that the 'Horns haven't let their consecutive losses to schools from Oklahoma take the wind out of their sails. Tech may not be having a good season, but they did beat OU, and could have very easily beaten Texas if they'd shown up on Saturday. Actually, Tech always makes me a bit nervous--I mean, when they start completing passes, it's hard to stop them, like that damnable game a few years back that kept Texas from playing for the national championship. But win, we did. This time. And now we're bowl eligible, which counts very much as redemption from last season's debacle.

So we'll be playing in late December. Maybe even in January, one of those classic, but second tier, bowls, like the Cotton Bowl, which is fine by me.

Meanwhile, in Tuscaloosa, LSU played one of the greatest games I've ever seen. Fuck all these analysts and their bullshit about it not being "pretty." Fuck all of them; they obviously don't understand football. A fabulous defensive struggle is nothing short of the essence of the game. Every snap takes on great significance. Every time the ball goes into play you're wondering, "Is this it? Is this when they break it open?" It's all about patience, for everybody, fans, coaches, and players alike. It's also about being smashmouth and hitting the fuck out of the other guy. This game was just fucking beautiful.

I mean, I'd have liked to have seen some more offense, but in the end, we had just enough, and LSU's big D took care of the rest. If we can beat Arkansas, I think we've got that crystal monstrosity trophy in the bag.


Texas' Joe Bergeron (24) breaks away from Texas Tech's Jarvis Phillips (21) left,
and Jared Flannel (22) right, during the second half of Big 12 action held at
Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, November 05, 2011.
Texas defeated Texas Tech 52-20. (Rodolfo Gonzalez AMERICAN-STATESMAN)


TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 05: Eric Reid #1 of the LSU Tigers makes a catch
over Michael Williams #89 of the Alabama Crimson Tide for an interception during
the second half of the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 5, 2011 in
Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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