FROM THE REAL ART SPORTS DESK
TEXAS, LSU: WEEKEND OF GLORY!

From the AP via ESPN:

Justin Tucker lifts Texas by Texas A&M in likely end of rivalry

Texas spoiled Texas A&M's going away party.

Justin Tucker kicked a 40-yard field goal as time expired to give the Longhorns a 27-25 victory over Texas A&M on Thursday night in the likely end of a more than century-old rivalry.

Texas A&M's last Big 12 game and the 118th meeting between the bitter rivals before the Aggies depart for the Southeastern Conference next season was a thriller befitting one of college football's oldest and most storied matchups.

"Sports can be really cruel," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "I think it was a time tonight where both teams deserved to win."

The Aggies were down 24-19 before Ryan Tannehill found Jeff Fuller on a 16-yard touchdown pass with 1:48 remaining. But the 2-point conversion failed, leaving A&M (6-6, 4-5 Big 12) ahead 25-24.

The Longhorns' winning drive was helped by a 15-yard personal foul penalty and a 25-yard run by quarterback Case McCoy.

More here.

Again from the AP via ESPN:

No. 1 LSU pulls away from No. 3 Arkansas in fourth quarter

Tyrann Mathieu answered the call for a game-turning play when LSU needed one most, and the top-ranked Tigers piled on from there.

Mathieu returned a punt 92 yards for a game-tying score and the Tigers punished third-ranked Arkansas with 286 yards rushing, wiping out a 14-point deficit with a 41-17 win Friday that secured a spot in the SEC championship.

"I could hear my teammates in my ear saying, 'Man, we need you to go make a play,'" Mathieu said. "I was able to help the momentum really go in our favor.

More here.

Oh god, what a great weekend for football.

The Texas game was, of course, something of a nail-biter, especially toward the end, after that Aggie touchdown. But then, there was a little under two minutes left on the clock, which constitutes the circumstances from which legends are made. And, my god, that Case McCoy run, right when we needed it. Amazing, just amazing. I mean, the defense actually won this for us, what with the offense's running corps being decimated with injuries: given that situation, it is amazing, indeed, that we were able to move the ball at all. But we did when we needed to, and the defense, which has turned into a real quality act, kept us in it so we could.

And we beat them at Kyle Field, which to the Aggies is kind of like nailing a nun, or a priest, right inside a cathedral. Winning in College Station is always the sweetest victory of all. And I've read that the Aggies took this really hard, crying in the locker room and all that, which makes beating them even sweeter. Nothing like the delicious taste of sheep-fuckers' tears. I'll be remembering this game for a long, long time.

Also, I had a lot of fun talking shit about the game on facebook, while it was in progress. I quoted the announcers. Stuff like "A&M is melting down right before our eyes!" I taunted the Aggies. Given all my old high school acquaintances with whom I am facebook friends, some of whom went to Texas, and some of whom went to A&M, it was a really nice trash-talk fest. It is especially good that we won in that I didn't end up having to remove my foot from my mouth. I could proudly leave it there while hopping around doing the hook 'em sign. Ha! We won!

And the next day, LSU continued its take-no-prisoners campaign through the SEC. Sluggish start, but Arkansas did come into the game as the number three team in the land, and they have been something of a thorn in the Tigers' side these last four or five seasons. So big fuck that the Razorbacks scored a couple of touchdowns before LSU got it going. In the end, they kicked ass. As usual.

And Mathieu may very well be the best college football player I've ever seen. Playing on what may be the best college football team I've ever seen. So Georgia's next, which ought to be pretty easy, and then...you know, we already beat 'Bama, and I understand that they're probably going to the national championship game in New Orleans because they're the number two team and all, but...we already beat them. A rematch is yet another reason why I hate the BCS system.

Are we ever going to do playoffs?


Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) is tackled by Texas linebacker
Keenan Robinson (1) and cornerback Carrington Byndom (23) during the first
quarter of an NCAA college football game at Kyle Field Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011,
in College Station. Photo: Houston Chronicle, Brett Coomer


LSU's Tyrann Mathieu (7) returns a punt for a 92-yard for a touchdown during
the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas in Baton
Rouge, La., Friday, Nov. 25, 2011. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

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