​

Sloppy. Ugly. Guilty. But yet, in the end somehow satisfying.

A combined 29 points. Eight turnovers. Key plays made by two different No. 12s for the Longhorns. And the game-saving play was actually a tackle made by Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, after a brain-fart interception.

Even after a 16-13 escape over a Sam Bradford-less Oklahoma team - Karma. Toldja. - the Longhorns know this: Win and they're in.

Even though only three of the BCS' six computer polls rank Texas in the top five (stat geek Jeff Sagarin has them rated 15th), at No. 3 in the initial poll it knows that an undefeated season and a win in the Big 12 Championship Game means a trip to the National Championship Game. Florida and Alabama are ahead of Texas in the BCS, but they'll have to play each other in the SEC Championship Game.

Moral to the story ...

​Dear Oklahoma,

I am indeed a bitch.

Sincerely,

Karma

Last year the Oklahoma Sooners were whipped by the Texas Longhorns in their annual mid-October showdown in the Cotton Bowl. Both teams lost one game all season, yet somehow - inexplicably - it was Oklahoma, through a discombobulated national computer ranking, that was awarded the Big 12 Conference South championship, a berth in the conference championship game and, ultimately, a spot in college football's BCS National Championship Game opposite Florida.

45-35, anyone?

How exactly did the Sooners pull the Okie Doke through the back door? By running up the score against lesser opponents, that's how. They call it style points. We all know it's bullshit.

Hillary Whitehead

While we wait for all the Longhorns and Sooners fans to clear out of town, it's worth revisiting the scene from outside the Cotton Bowl this morning, where our photographer Hillary Whitehead trained her lens on some of the best Longhorn hairdos and Sooner cheerleader routines before the game.

Check out the slide show here. --Patrick Michels

Just watched "OU Sucks!" beat "Texas Sucks!" by 10 at this jumpin' joint on Lemmon. Don't know who, for sure, is the better quarterback -- Sam Bradford or Colt McCoy.

But I do know a couple things:

1. McCoy's roomate -- Jordan Shipley -- was the best player on the field.

2. That, until further notice, was college football's Game of the Year. – Richie Whitt

If this doesn’t get you ready for Saturday then nothing can. In fact, Longhorn, Sooner or otherwise, you could probably hear that music at a Briss and bolt out the door ready to tackle somebody.

For more Texas-OU inspiration I wrote a column in a fancy advertising section of this week’s paper product. I’d link to it but, alas, no link.

So pick up a copy. As always, it’s worth every penny. – Richie Whitt