Every yr, Texas and Texas A&M give school soccer consultants cause to consider within the recruiting rankings. The Lonestar State sustains so many packages outdoors of its two bell cows that the belief is the faculties with first dibs must be perennial nationwide title contenders. Then you watch them play, and it makes you marvel how a state so obsessive about soccer is that this unhealthy at it.
The Longhorns have been fortunate to outlive a ferocious rally from Kansas State after Wildcat coach Chris Kleiman opted to go for the win on fourth and aim from the four-yard line in OT and failed. Will Howard’s ultimate try got here in a second of desperation, and UT escaped, 33-30.
The Aggies weren’t so lucky, lacking a game-tying area aim on the whistle that might’ve despatched the competition to extra time. Instead, No. 10 Ole Miss hung onto the win, 38-35, and its prime 10 rating heading into Georgia week. Now, Jimbo Fisher’s group is 5-4, and boosters in College Station should shell out $125 million in complete buyouts if they need out of their take care of Fisher and his very costly workers.
We’ll get to that in a second, however I simply need to ask UT followers one thing actual fast: Do you suppose Steve Sarkisian is the man? The Longhorns almost gagged up a 20-point lead at house in opposition to a group with a obvious talent hole. This solely a pair weeks faraway from letting Houston overcome a 21-point deficit, and needing one other purple zone cease to keep away from extra time.
After the debut of the College Football Playoff rankings this week, Sark stored touting his group’s win over Alabama as one of the best win within the nation, and I simply needed somebody to ask him about Houston. Or even the Oklahoma recreation, that they’d no enterprise dropping. If not for Kansas State botching an additional level and a game-tying area aim (from extra-point vary) within the fourth quarter, their playoff hopes could be kaput.
It doesn’t matter that the Longhorns’ ought to roll by way of the remainder of convention play. I don’t know if it’s profound conceitedness, however I’m beginning to assume that’s the case, as a result of there’s no different rationalization.
As far as A&M is anxious, Fisher’s group is laughably gifted, even by SEC requirements, but fails to execute fundamental ideas each fourth play. Yes, Max Johnson is the son of a recreation supervisor in each means doable, however there have been a number of second halves this season that Mark Sanchez’s unborn youngster might’ve guided the Aggies to wins.
That’s to not make excuses for Fisher, as a result of he conjures up confidence in speaking heads solely. All I’m declaring is Texas A&M in some way “tested” Alabama, Tennessee, Miami, and now Ole Miss with out actually making them sweat. (Lane Kiffin undoubtedly was sweating Saturday, however that’s as a result of he’s not present on confession, and talks a lot trash to Fisher that he would’ve wanted a go away of absence had they misplaced.)
I can’t stress how a lot I’m going to benefit from the Texas-Texas A&M reunion subsequent season. These two deserve it. They’re mirror disappointments whose weekly flirtation with greatness and catastrophe is just matched by one another.
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