Early '08 Predictions, Part II

We left off yesterday with Texas at 6-0 midway through the season. Game 7 involves Missouri coming to DKR for what should be a great game between two top ranked teams. Coming off an emotional win over OU, Texas is in danger of being mentally exhausted. Missouri returns 6 and 8 respectively, with the most important returning starters being QB Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin. However, one of the most interesting things to watch will be the O-line and how they respond to the loss of Adam Spieker. Assuming someone steps up to fill the slot, look for Missouri to beat Texas in Austin. As much as I would like to be wrong on this, I'm just not sure that Texas' secondary will be up to the task of defending against Daniel and Mizzou's wideouts. Whether or not the front 4 can get pressure on Daniel in this game will be huge. If Texas does have to resort to frequent blitzing, Daniel will eventually pick them apart. If the front 4 is able to get pressure, Texas could very well win this game. Also important will be the state of Mizzou's running game after the loss of Tony Temple. While I do think that Texas is the better team, Mizzou will be coming off a home game against Oklahoma State while Texas will be coming home from the OU game in Dallas. Call it a hunch, but Texas gets their first loss of the year at home to Mizzou. Texas' 8th game of the year is a home date with Oklahoma State (returns 7 on offense and 5 on defense). I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say that Ok. St. goes up early, and loses late. Rather prescient of me, I know. Just call it a hunch. The closest I have ever gotten to feeling sorry for an opponent is last year's UT v. Ok. St. team. I doubt any team has ever lost to the same opponent in THE SAME WAY consecutive times. Since our starters don't really start playing in this game until the 4th quarter, I say we put the second team offense in for the first three quarters. Watching Ok. St. try to beat Texas is like watching Colin Montgomery with the lead in the final round of a major. SURELY he can't lose this one too, right? Wrong. We are in their heads, and there is no way they win in Austin. Texas gets out of this game 7-1. Up next is Tech, who returns TEN starters on offense and 7 on defense. This game will be played in the booming, modern metropolis of Lubbock. Bring your favorite bratwurst, as the tortillas will be provided for free (dumbest "tradition" ever). Last year Tech averaged 529 yards of offense per game, and all those kids now have another year of experience. As with Missouri, I am concerned about how our defensive backs will fare in this game. Much will depend on how well the defense is adapting to Muschamp's scheme. This game will also be the last in a very tough stretch that consisted of OU, Mizzou, Ok. St, and finally Tech. As usual, the key will be keeping our offense on the field, and theirs off of it. Unfortunately, I think Tech gets the win here. Texas will be exhausted, and Tech will play with tons of energy as they try to convince themselves that they are as good as the big boys. They aren't, but on this day they are due for a win. Texas sits at 7-2, and gets their first loss in the south division. After Tech is Baylor. So, we are now 8-2. Game eleven is at Kansas. Yes, I am talking about extremely overrated, played a high school schedule, our coach is overdue for an infarction and looks like he ate a fat guy Kansas. Now you know what I think about their "big" 2007 campaign. I'm just not drinking the Kool-aid. Look for Texas to roll in this one, outscoring Kansas by at least 17. And finally, after stuffing your face full of turkey and mom's buttermilk pie, we get to see Texas play the Aggies in Austin (looks like the farm animals in College Station get the weekend off). NO WAY does Mack let ATM win 3 in a row. The fact that they won 2 in a row is unacceptable, and Mack knows it. I mean, come on. ATM is paying their new $1.5 million a year, and Baylor is paying their new coach $1.5 million a year. Who is keeping up with who? It's hard to tell. No matter what Sherman says, ATM is going to have to be a run-oriented team next year. McGee is simply not able to throw the ball well enough to run a balanced pro-style offense. As one aggie told me after seeing a game last year, "McGee reared back and threw it as far as he could....and it went 30 yards." With Goodson and Lane returning, Sherman will have to work with what he has. If there is one thing Muschamp knows how to defend, it is the run. Anyone watched an SEC game lately? Plus, Muschamp practiced against Auburn's offense all last year, and that offense is not far off from what ATM will be running. Colt and the boys hang 42 on the Aggies, and Texas wraps up the season a surprising 10-2. Whether or not they play for the Big 12 title will depend on whether or not OU loses 2 conference games. So there you have it. If you disagree, you are wrong. But feel free to try and convince me otherwise. As Seymore Skinner says, "prove me wrong kids, prove me wrong."