Texas vs Alabama: Bad Break for Longhorns, But Don't Diminish the Crimson Tide

As I watched Texas quarterback Colt McCoy run off the field only five plays into the Bowl Championship Series title game, right arm hanging limply at his side, I remember thinking: "Uh oh, this is going to be a blowout."

And I was right. For a half.

Garrett Gilbert, the Texas freshman quarterback who replaced McCoy, must have been thinking the same thing. For a half.

Then something strange happened - Gilbert forgot he was a freshman.

Trailing 24-6 in the third quarter, Garrett Gilbert began to engineer a comeback for all time.

First, he hit Texas wide receiver Jordan Shipley with a 44-yard touchdown pass with 1:31 left in the third quarter to make the score 24-13.

Still, the mountain to be climbed was steep and, after all, this was still a freshman, and, more importantly, this was the vaunted Crimson Tide defense. Then, with 6:15 left in the game, he did it again. Gilbert to Shipley and, after a successful two point conversion, the score was 24-21.

"Hold on," I thought to myself, "Could it be? Can this freshman write a BCS story for the ages?"

Well, no.

After a blindside quarterback sack by Eryk Anders on Gilbert, who had Texas in a position to actually take the lead, resulted in a fumble that was recovered in the shadow of the Texas end zone, order was returned to the college football universe.

Alabama would capitalise on that fumble with Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram scoring on a one-yard run to make it 31-21.

Later, freshman running back Trent Richardson would add a meaningless touchdown to fashion the final score to 37-21. But make no mistake about it, this was a tough game, and one whose final score would belie the drama that enveloped this fiercely fought contest.

Did Texas catch a bad break with McCoy's injury? Sure. But injuries are part of the game, and you can't write the script before you take the field. Besides, the Alabama defense, that vaunted unit that made the Crimson Tide so formidable all season, had a bit to do with McCoy's injury, didn't they?

Meanwhile, Alabama had their own quarterback injury to contend with. Greg McElroy, the Crimson Tide's quarterback who hasn't lost a game that he started since the eighth grade, was nursing cracked ribs that limited his effectiveness as well.

McElroy would finish the game with six completions in 11 attempts for a paltry 58 yards. Suffice to say, both teams had quarterback issues that compromised their game plans.

In the final analysis, this was a game where both teams can ask, "What if?" Of course, for Texas, the questions raised are more difficult to swallow.

Colt McCoy is a marvelous quarterback whose final game should have lasted longer than five plays. But it didn't, and this is what we are left with. Alabama has nothing to apologise for, and no one should tarnish their victory by suggesting that it was compromised by Colt McCoy's injury.

Alabama won this game by using the same recipe that brought them to title game. A tough defense, the veracity of a tough running game that featured Mark Ingram and freshman Trent Richardson who tore up a very good Texas defense, and the game planning of coach Nick Saban won out in the end.

Alabama can wear their title with pride, and Texas can hold their head up high. The Longhorns could have rolled over when their field general went down, but they didn't.

So kudos to Texas. And ROLL TIDE!

Text: Rick Mchan

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