Have to laugh to see that Rasmussen has a poll out showing 55 percent of “fans” expect Bama to win tonight at the Rose Bowl. I laugh because that was almost exactly the prediction level in 2006 when Texas played USC for the national championship and won. Then, people would say, Texas would be nothing without QB Vince Young. Now they say the same about QB Colt McCoy who they expect will be corraled by the Bama defense. I expect (as I did in 2006) that Texas will win it, but, again, it will be close. It’ll be a defensive struggle most of the way.
UPDATE: Well, with McCoy apparently out of the game with an injured passing shoulder, Texas is down 18 points at the half, 24-6. Texas was looking great before Colt got hurt. But the Texas defense is not stopping the Alabama run. So, even if backup QB Garrett Gilbert was completing some of the passes he has overthrown or the Texas receivers were not dropping the few good ones, Bama might still be well ahead. Hard to see a way, frankly, that Texas can win it now, without a big improvement of their defense in the second half.
FINAL: I don’t feel so bad with the 37-21 loss to Alabama. The Texas defense held them scoreless for 29 minutes in the second half while the offense pulled within 3. Then Bama created a fumble and got a pick and scored on both. Game over. It shows that Texas might have won if McCoy had not been knocked out. Funny thing about him, though. He is by far the most injury-prone QB Texas has ever had.
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 