Texas loses offensive swagger after injury to McCoy

Colt McCoy had fallen early to injury leaving the Texas offense in shambles. True freshman QB Garrett Gilbert stepped into the harsh spotlight of the biggest game in college football and looked like a freshman ought to look when thrown into that situation: scared and shaky.

Alabama, the number one team in the nation, looked like it was poised for a ridiculous rout. Yet, as the fourth quarter ticked away, Alabama was sitting on a slim and precarious lead. 

That most fickle of all forces in sports, momentum, had shifted the Longhorn’s way.  Garrett, the number one high school recruit in the nation, had found his footing and his confidence throwing two second half touchdowns to All-American receiver Jordan Shipley. 

The Texas defense had shown up big time and shut the door on an Alabama team that lead the game 24 to 6 at halftime, but had nothing but punts to that point in the second half. 

Despite the injury to McCoy after just 5 plays, despite the miscues and interceptions thrown by the freshman, despite the Heisman Trophy winner on the other side of the ball, despite all odds, Texas found itself down by just 3 points with minutes to go, all the “Mo” and the ball in their grasp.

Enter the spoiler, or if you’re an Alabama fan, the hero:  Eryk Anders. 

Following an Alabama punt the Longhorns found themselves with the ball on their own seven yard line with enough time on the clock and just 93 yards away from a national championship when Anders hit Garrett with a blindside sack, forcing a fumble and dashing all Texas hopes of a repeat of their 2005 championship.

Three plays later Heisman Trophy winner, Mark Ingram, punched the ball into the end zone for Alabama’s first score of the second half making it a 31 to 21 score. 

Gilbert took the ball again and threw his third interception of the night.  From a Longhorn perspective hope had left the building, momentum had switched jerseys, and college football’s winningest quarterback could do nothing but watch from the sidelines.

 "I would have given anything to be out there because it would have been different," McCoy said after the game. 

Final score Alabama 37, Texas 21.

USA Today has come out with its Top 25 Coaches’ Poll ranking the BCS National Championship winner Alabama as number one.  The poll keeps Texas at number two followed by Florida, Boise State, Ohio and TCU respectively.

Congratulations to the Alabama Crimson Tide and head coach Nick Saban.