Instant Analysis: Texas-Kansas

Unlike 2004, the Texas Longhorns didn’t have to sweat out a last-minute victory at Kansas. Like 2004, Mack Brown’s team will need some BCS standings magic in order to get the postseason prize it wants.

The boys in burnt orange took care of business against the jolted Jayhawks on Saturday, throwing down a dominating defensive performance to throttle Todd Reesing and the rest of a capable KU crew. As a result of their triumph, the Longhorns didn’t just knock Kansas out of the Big 12 North race; they passed the final road test of their season, taking a big step toward the 11-1 record that will give them a shot at the BCS Championship Game if Oklahoma knocks off Texas Tech next weekend.

Colt McCoy and his offensive teammates were solid on this afternoon, but hardly spectacular. The reason why the Horns hooked Mark Mangino’s men was that their defense stood tall in a rocky first half. Mistakes and misfires from the UT offense didn’t drag down the difference makers on the other side of the ball. At one point in the first half, McCoy fumbled on his own side of midfield, but with Texas hitting hard and preventing Jayhawk receivers from getting any run-after-catch yards, the home team couldn’t dent the scoreboard.

All told, Texas stuffed Kansas on two fourth downs in the first 30 minutes of action, and turned aside the Jayhawks on three separate forays inside the Longhorn 44. With coordinator Will Muschamp getting timely plays from his charges, even in short-field and sudden-change situations, a comparatively meager offensive output of just 14 first-half points still gave Texas a two-touchdown advantage at halftime. But shutting out the Jayhawks early, Muschamp’s defense put the clamps on any hopes of a home-team upset in Lawrence. When McCoy settled down in the third quarter, Texas began to cruise, and now, the only thing separating the Horns from their 11-1 record is a mediocre Texas A&M team, which will have to go into Austin on Thanksgiving night and pull a rabbit out of the hat.

Next Saturday, their two division rivals will take center stage. But at least Texas now knows that when Texas Tech and Oklahoma go at it in Norman, the Longhorns will still be part of the Big 12 South and national title conversations. Today’s win ensured as much.