NCAA Football Bcs

For a game that used evoke so much emotion on either side and often divided homes and friendships down the middle, this Texas-Texas A&M rivalry has strangely morphed into that just-another-game feel.

Maybe it's the fact the Aggies haven't seriously challenged for the Big 12 South championship this decade, while the Longhorns have seemingly been part of the division title conversation most seasons. Perhaps, it's because Oklahoma, in most years, has been the most dominant team in the South so Texas has directed its energy toward toppling the Sooners in their annual Red River Rivalry Game every October.

Some would might even suggest Texas Tech and --gasp -- Oklahoma State have become greater rivals to the Longhorns than A&M.

Leave it to Texas Tech coach Mike Leach to come up with a brutal assessment of the issues surrounding Kansas coach Mark Mangino and the allegations last week he has been both physically and mentally abusing his players.

Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins has launched an investigation into Mangino's actions after one of his players reported that the head coach poked him during a walk-through practice a couple weeks ago. Since then, several former players have come forth to discuss Mangino's alleged abusive behavior and sometimes mean-spirited verbal attacks.

Leach has never been guilty of playing the politically correct game and he certainly didn't disappoint during this week's Big 12 football coaches call when the subject turned to the storm Mangino is facing.

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy says he expects senior quarterback Zac Robinson to return to the starting lineup for the 11th-ranked Cowboys during Saturday's critical regular-season finale against rival Oklahoma.

Robinson missed Thursday night's win over Colorado after sustaining injuries to his head and shoulder in a victory over Texas Tech the previous week. But Gundy said during Monday's Big 12 football coaches teleconference that Robinson began throwing over the weekend and that he would return to practice Monday afternoon. Gundy normally does not discuss injuries which means Robinson could or could not play.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Usually one the most straight-laced and reserved of the Texas Longhorns, senior quarterback Colt McCoy finally stopped to take it all in late Saturday night.

AUSTIN, Texas -- For 21 University of Texas seniors, Saturday night was their last time playing at Texas Memorial Stadium. So they made it a night to remember.

The second-ranked Longhorns overpowered Kansas en route to a 51-20 victory that cemented them as the Big 12 South division champions and sealed senior quarterback Colt McCoy's place as college football's all-time winningest quarterback with 43 career wins.

But the Texas Longhorns, who are well positioned for their first BCS national championship game bid since 2005, still have quite a bit of business to finish. They will have to get past rival Texas A&M on Thanksgiving night and then North division champ Nebraska in the Big 12 title game.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Okay, so let the debate began.

Vince Young or Colt McCoy.

Which is the greatest Texas Longhorns quarterback of all time? Young led the Texas Longhorns to a season of perfection and the BCS national title in 2005 as a junior. McCoy, a four-year starter at Texas, has a chance tonight to become college football's all-time winningest quarterback with 43 wins should the second-ranked Longhorns make it past Kansas here at Texas Memorial Stadium.

It's that silly time of year again. There are so many significant teams among the big boys of college football, but there are just two slots on Jan. 7 in Pasadena, Calif., for that title game of the Bowl Championship Series. So the voice of the older Jim Mora is screaming in my subconscious.

Playoffs, playoffs?

We don't need playoffs in this situation.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Gary Patterson really doesn't want to lobby the BCS for inclusion into its national championship mix.

The fourth-ranked TCU Horned Frogs' impressive body of work should be enough.

They are just one of six remaining undefeated teams in the country, and have collected quality road wins at Clemson, Air Force and BYU en route to moving into fourth place in the BCS standings, the highest such ranking ever for a non-automatic qualifier.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- If there were questions about the BCS worthiness of the TCU Horned Frogs, they were answered -- and resoundingly -- Saturday night.

The fourth-ranked Horned Frogs made their big game against 16th-ranked Utah seem like an exhibition as they stunned the naysayers and maybe even themselves by routing the defending Mountain West champion Utes 55-28 in front a record crowd of 50,307 at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

The most immediate result is that the undefeated Horned Frogs have a major leg up in the MWC race by getting past nemesis Utah in convincing fashion. Even bigger, the Horned Frogs sent a clear message to the BCS community that they deserve to be part of the BCS conversation, not just for one of the four big bowl bids but for a real shot at the national title game.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The atmosphere is electric and Amon G. Carter Stadium is packed to overflow capacity for what is arguably the biggest game in decades at TCU.

Should the fourth-ranked Horned Frogs (9-0, 5-0) make it past No.16 Utah (8-1, 5-0) tonight they will not only have a strong edge in the Mountain West race but will also keep them in step for a BCS bowl bid and possibly a berth into the national title game. Should the Frogs, who are ranked fourth in the BCS standings, make it to Pasadena, Calif. they will become the first non-BCS conference school to compete in the BCS title game.

(Follow Terrance Harris' game blog after the jump)

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