On Thursday night in Ames, Iowa something screwy happened. OK, someTHINGS screwy happened is more like it. Regardless, the final score read 31-30 to the guys in white uniforms and burnt orange longhorns on their helmets.
Most importantly though, Mack Brown and the Texas Longhorns are atop the Big 12 standings (for a few days at least). Who would've thought that possible just a few short weeks ago as Taysom Hill and BYU ran all over them, right?
Yet, that's a fact.
Speaking of facts and screwy things….Here are a few from Thursday night's contest at Jack Trice Stadium:
– Texas' David Mack deserves to be suspended for the awful "block" that happened about five seconds after Texas had scored from inside the five yard line. It was perhaps the dirtiest play of the season and how the ISU defender didn't react or the rest of the team didn't go all retaliation on him should be commended as well.
– Texas got LUCKY AS HELL on the goal line as Jeremiah George literally ripped the football out of the hands of Jonathan Gray, only to see the refs somehow call him down and then not overturn it on replay. Just plain awful.
– Texas won't win another football game if McCoy is throwing the football 45…yes, FORTY-FIVE times in a game. It's simply not Longhorn football and it isn't a recipe for success to say the least.
– Iowa State has a budding star in Aaron Wimberly, who had a coming out party last week against Tulsa and put the wood and the speed to the Texas defense on Thursday night. He rushed for 117 yards and touchdown against Texas and has 254 yards in just the last two weeks. Yep, the guy is one of the best four or five running backs in the Big 12 as we sit here tonight/in the morning.
– Finally, Paul Rhoads is still the best quote in college football and let's just put it this way…This could be the best seven minutes of a post game presser you'll ever see:
So, congratulations Mack Brown, you survived another week. Let's face facts, a loss to the Cyclones in Ames would've ended his career at Texas.
That's no slight to the Cyclones, as they proved they will not lay down for anyone in the Big 12 this season—as long as Sam Richardson is their QB. Rather, it is more of the reality of the situation in Texas and all that is going on around the program.
Losing another game to a team that they shouldn't lose to (on paper at least) wouldn't have been a good look to say the least.
Oh, and to the refs in this one….Enjoy the Christmas gift from Mack Brown, because he sure as hell owes you one after tonight.
