What Went Wrong In The Cotton Bowl?

When you lose a game like the one Oklahoma did in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday you can pinpoint a handful of plays that were game changers. The 2008 version of the Red River Rivalry truly was a classic against two teams that would be legitimate BCS championship contenders but only one could emerge in control of their own destiny. Let’s give credit where it is due and congratulate our archrivals from south of the border and then look at what went wrong.

Things are looking great at this point. The Sooners went 80 yards in 8 plays and Sam Bradford was 4/5 for 63 yards but we see early that the running game wasn’t working. Oklahoma did some really good things with play-action and misdirection on this drive and the momentum was clearly on the side of the Sooners at this point.

Even with Texas scoring a field goal on this possession Oklahoma still had momentum because the kept the Longhorns out of the end zone when Texas had a first down at the Oklahoma 10 yard line. However, this drive should have been a three-and-out but OU committed a 5 yard penalty on 3^rd and 4.  

Texas did a good job here at dropping back in coverage. Bradford’s run wasn’t planned. It was a scramble that resulted from not being able to find a receiver.

No damage here because the drive ended with a Texas punt but once again we see a defensive penalty for jumping into the neutral zone. It took Texas from 3^rd and 9 to a easier to convert 3^rd and 4.  

Again Texas does a superb job at dropping back in coverage to force a Sam Bradford run on first down. However, that would be given back and then some with a false start penalty on third down that changed the dynamic of the drive.

This was the final Texas drive of the first quarter. At the end of the first 15 minutes of play the Longhorns had only produced 70 yards of offense (Oklahoma’s first drive was 80 yards) and scored 3 points. You couldn’t say that it was a great start to the game but it was a very good one for the Sooners.

Things are in place for a possible Red River blowout. Oklahoma is up 14-3 but has not has not yet shown the ability to effectively run the football. Without being able to do that they won’t be able to burn clock in the second half. What we’ll see next is absolutely what we feared when it comes to Oklahoma’s special teams. Jordan Shipley would run the ensuing kickoff back 96 yards to pay dirt. This absolutely changed the landscape of the game. Instead of a 14-3 lead, with Texas demoralized, the score was 14-10 and the Texas sideline was energized.

Oklahoma did fairly well on running on this drive but the pass was the bread and butter and the Sooners scored another touchdown. I don’t want to sound like scoring is a bad thing but OU should have been in complete control at this point of the game and they weren’t. Texas just wouldn’t be put away.

Oklahoma just couldn’t keep Texas at a distance. The Longhorns did an amazing job all afternoon at answering Oklahoma scores. This was the best drive of the day for Texas and it was huge. Colt McCoy was spectacular on this drive coming up with play after play. However, it may not have happened had it not been for the assistance of OU’s defense. With the Longhorns facing 2^nd and 10 from their own 20 Oklahoma’s defense jumped before the snap on consecutive plays giving the Longhorns a first down.

Sam Bradford’s interception here was huge. Outside of the Texas kickoff return it was the biggest mistake of the half for the Sooners. Now the Longhorns have the opportunity to take the lead going into the half.

I realize that you have to take your shots down the field but maybe we should question if this was the time. OU only needed three yards here and they have numerous plays that could pick up those yards. Get the first down and then stretch the field!

Penalties were huge in the first half. Again we find a drive that could have possibly ended but was saved by a defensive penalty. Yes, I understand that McCoy could have taken a dive on this play but you can’t get around the fact that Travis Lewis touched him and that is what earned the flag.

This could have and should have been a defensive statement by the Sooners. Starting the second half off with a sack was huge but unfortunately this would be the last time Oklahoma’s defense would take the field for an entire defensive stand with a healthy Ryan Reynolds.    

Again, it’s hard to complain when the team is scoring touchdowns but Oklahoma only ran the ball once on this drive. Back-to-back incomplete passes stopped the clock with Oklahoma leading the game. 

I take it back! This was the most impressive drive for the Texas Longhorns most impressive drive of the day. Without Ryan Reynolds in the middle Texas attacked the weakness of Oklahoma’s defense. Nine of the Longhorns twelve plays on this drive were right at Brandon Crow. I’ve got no beef against the kid because he is young and was thrust into an extremely difficult situation but he was clearly abused by the Texas offense.

At this point I knew that Oklahoma was in serious trouble. Texas had given OU 15 yards on one of their few penalties and the Sooners couldn't capitalize. Oklahoma was unable to do here what Texas had already done three times in this game. OU could not answer with a score when they were up against the ropes. As they say hindsight is 20/20 but the fake punt was a bad idea in my opinion. I know Bob Stoops has been able to pull those off in the past but I just think it was a bad idea, especially when the Sooners had the lead.

All that said, Oklahoma was a failed Jermaine Gresham block away from converting on the fake punt. Notice I didn’t say a missed block. I said failed block as in didn’t even attempt to block.    

Yes, it was a bogus penalty but Travis Lewis should have just let McCoy fall instead of trying to hold him up. Good deeds are seldom rewarded on the opponent’s sideline. If the quarterback hits the ground and you are in the vicinity there will be laundry on the field.

This is the drive of the game for Oklahoma! Oklahoma went 76 yards in 13 plays to regain the lead after falling behind for the fist time. Unfortunately it would be OU’s final scoring drive of the day.

Texas won this game because they had an answer for everything. Oklahoma’s biggest shortcoming was not being able to prevent Texas from answering. You have to give the Longhorns credit for coming up with the key plays when needed. Colt McCoy just seemed to be one step ahead of the Sooner defense.

Here’s what I don’t understand. When the Sooners were up they faked a punt and were unsuccessful but when trailing by 3 they punted the ball away on 4^th and 2. Again hindsight is 20/20 and unlike Bob Stoops we have the luxury of second guessing but why not go for it? When Oklahoma punted the ball away I said, much to the dismay of the people around me in section 30, that the game was over. Turns out I was right.

Two yards, two lousy yards! I would bet every time on Oklahoma picking that up with the game on the line.   

Our man Brandon Crown was out of position and failed to fill the gap on Ogbonnaya’s 62 yard run. This was the final nail in Oklahoma’s coffin. Here’s some numbers for you. With Reynolds in the game the Sooner defense gave up 198 yards and 13 points. With Reynolds gone the defense allowed 288 yards and 24 points.