- 2005 Texas Longhorn football team
NCAATeamFootballSeason
Year=2005
Team=Texas Longhorns
ImageSize=130
Conference=Big 12 Conference
Division=South
ShortConference=Big 12
CoachRank=1
APRank=1
Record=13–0
ConfRecord=9–0
HeadCoach=Mack Brown
OffCoach= Greg Davis
DefCoach=Gene Chizik &Duane Akina
OScheme= Spread
DScheme=4-3
Stadium=Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium
Champion=National Champions
Big 12 Champions
Big 12 South Division Champions
BowlTourney=2006 Rose Bowl
BowlTourneyResult= W 41-38 v. USC .The team's penultimate victory of the season, the
Big 12 Championship Game , featured the biggest margin of victory in the history of that contest. They finished the season by winning the 2006 Rose Bowl against theUniversity of Southern California Trojans for the national championship. Numerous publications have cited this victory and this team's season as standing among the greatest performances in college football history,cite news | url=http://cfn.scout.com/2/564658.html | title=Tuesday Question - Ten Greatest Bowl Games | date=September 5, 2006 | publisher=College Football News | work=Scout.com | author=Cirminiello, Richard and Harris, John | accessdate=2006-12-13] cite news | author=Fiutak, Pete | url=http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2006/TQ/Rose_Best.htm | title=Was the 2006 Rose Bowl the best college football game ever? | publisher=College Football News | work=CollegeFootballNews.com | date=10 January 2006 | accessdate=2006-10-20] cite news | author=Fiutak, Pete | url=http://www.collegefootballnews.com/Almanac/CFN_Formula/CFN_FormulaAllTime.htm |title=Formula and Calculations for All-Time Greatest Football Teams | publisher=College Football News | work=CollegeFootballNews.com | accessdate=2006-06-27] cite news | url=http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/sportscolumns/entries/2006/01/06/rose_bowl_a_gra.html | title=BCS enjoys 'grand cresendo' | work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution | publisher=Cox Enterprises | author=Furman Bisher | date=2006-01-06 | accessdate=2006-12-12] cite news | url=http://louisianastate.scout.com/2/596414.html | title=Is the bloom off the Rose? | publisher=College Football News | work=Scout.com | author=Defresne, Chris | date=December 1, 2006 | accessdate=2006-12-13] andESPN awarded the 2006ESPY Award for the "Best Game" in any sport to the Longhorns and the Trojans.Fisher, Gerren LaQuintCite news | url=http://www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2006/07/14/Sports/Texas.Snags.Espy.Trifecta-2131713.shtml?norewrite200607252146&sourcedomain=www.dailytexanonline.com | title=Texas snags ESPY trifecta - 2006 Rose Bowl voted Best Game of the year, Vince gets Best Championship Performance | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | date=14 July 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-25 | Author=Fisher, Gerren LaQuint] The Longhorns finished as the only unbeaten team in NCAA Division I-A football that year, with thirteen wins and zero losses.cite news | url = http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/06_records_3_big12.pdf | format =PDF | title=All Time Big-12 Standings | work = MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-06-26]Texas earned their second Big 12 Conference football championshipcite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/06_records_3_big12.pdf | format =
PDF | title=All Time Big-12 Standings | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-06-26] to make 27 conference championships total, including 25 in theSouthwest Conference .cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/06_records_3_swc.pdf | format =PDF | title=All Time SWC Standings | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-06-26] It was their fourth national championship in footballcite news | url=http://www.ncaa.org/champadmin/ia_football_past_champs.html | title=Past Division I-A Football National Champions | work=NCAA.org | publisher=National Collegiate Athletics Association | accessdate=2006-06-27] and the ninth perfect season in the history of Longhorn football.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=36&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=1349&change_well_id=2 | title=University of Texas - all time records | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-12-05]The team set numerous school and NCAA records, including their 652 points which set an NCAA record for points scored in a season. After the season ended, six Longhorns from this championship team joined professional football teams through the
2006 NFL Draft .cite news | url=http://nfl.com/draft/drafttracker/school/TX | title=Draft Tracker - Texas | work=NFL.com | publisher=National Football League | date=30 April 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-27] Seven more Longhorns followed suit in the2007 NFL Draft and they were joined by two free agents. Another nine followed through the 2008 Draft and free-agency to make a total of twenty-four players who entered into theNational Football League (NFL).Before the season
Media and fans of college football consider the UT program one of the great powerhouses of the game because of the school's winning record as well as their previous national championships in 1963, 1969 and 1970.cite book | url=http://www.potomacbooksinc.com/Books/BookDetail.aspx?productID=167960 | title=Texas Longhorns Football History A to Z | author=Pennington, Richard | publisher=Potomac Books | accessdate=2007-08-04] cite news | url=http://www.ncaaticketsnow.com/texas-tickets.asp | title=2004–2005 NCAA football tickets | work=NCAATicketsNow.com | publisher= NCAA Tickets Now | accessdate=2006-06-27] cite news |work=DailyTarheel.com | publisher= The Daily Tarheel | author=Fitt, Aaron | url=http://www.dailytarheel.com/media/storage/paper885/news/2002/09/14/Sportsaturday/Its-Not.About.Mack-1349746.shtml?norewrite200606280132&sourcedomain=www.dailytarheel.com | title=It's not about Mack | date=September 14, 2002 | accessdate=2007-08-21] cite news | url=http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/04/commentary/column_sportsbiz/sportsbiz/ | title=Texas is the BC$ champ, too - Even before their stunning upset of USC, the Longhorns were big winners where it matters. |work=CNNMoney | publisher=Turner Broadcasting | date=January 5, 2006 | accessdate=2007-04-25] From 1936 to 2004, the team finished the season in the top ten team of the
Associated Press Poll 23 times, or one-third of the time. At the start of the 2005 season, the Longhorns were one of the most victorious programs in college football history; they were third in total victories and fourth if measured by winning percentage.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/usatoday.com_%20brown_has_texas_savoring_possibilities.pdf | format =PDF | title=Brown has Texas savoring the possibilities | work=USA Today | publisher=Gannett Company | author = Wieberg, Steve | date=2 December 2005 | accessdate=2006-06-27] cite news | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/big12/2005-12-02-mack-brown_x.htm | title=Brown has Texas savoring the possibilities | work=USA Today | publisher=Gannett Company | author = Wieberg, Steve | date=2 December 2005 | accessdate=2006-08-04]In the 2004 season
Vince Young led the team to the2005 Rose Bowl , the school's firstBowl Championship Series (BCS) game, and a top 5 finish in the major polls. Young returned for the 2005–2006 season, as did most of the other key players from 2004–2005, with the exception ofCedric Benson ,Derrick Johnson , andBo Scaife . Texas was given a pre-season #2 ranking (behind the defending National Champions, the University of Southern California) by "Sports Illustrated " magazine, theAssociated Press Poll and the "USA Today "Coaches Poll .cite news | url=http://preseason.stassen.com/consensus/2005.html#national | title=2005 Preseason Consensus | work=Stassen.com | publisher=Stassen | accessdate=2006-07-24 ]During the summer of 2005, a period free of official team practices, Young and his receivers spent extra practice time working on their timing and team-work.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=40&url_article_id=2568&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2 | title=Sweed redemption | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | date=November 1, 2006 | accessdate=2006-12-14] The fall Orange and White intra-team
scrimmage was held on August 21, 2005 as an event open to the public.UT's colors areburnt orange and white. Normally, they wear Orange when at home and White when playing "away" games. For intra-teamscrimmage s, one team wears orange while the other team wears white, leading to the name.]Running back Ramonce Taylor returned the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown. Young completed 5 of 7 passing attempts for 68 yards and one touchdown. SeniorRichmond McGee made two 33-yard field goals and emerged as the top candidate to handle field goals, kickoffs and punts. Brown said of McGee, "We've never had one person do all three, so it's a concern, but right now, he would be the guy."cite news |last = Duarte | first = Joseph | url = http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/HoustonTaylorscrimmage.pdf | format = PDF | title=Taylor shows stuff in Horns' scrimmage | date=August 21, 2005 | work = Houston Chronicle | publisher= Hearst Corporation | accessdate=2006-12-14]The success of the 2004 team and the efforts during the off-season fueled anticipation by sports writers that Texas would play for the national championship if they could win their away game against
Ohio State University cite news | url=http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/preview?gid=200509100033 | title=(2) Texas - (4) Ohio State | work=Yahoo.com | publisher= Yahoo! Inc. | date=September 10, 2005 | accessdate=2007-01-17] and end their five-game losing streak against Oklahoma. The BCS system required any team competing in the championship game to be ranked either number one or number two in the BCS Standings at the end of the season.chedule
* Rankings are from the Associated Press poll released prior to each game.*cite news | title=College Football Rankings | work=ESPN.com | publisher=The Walt Disney Company | accessdate=2007-08-27 | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankingsindex?pollId=null&weekNumber=16&seasonYear=2005 |
@ Indicates opponent's field
vs. Indicates neutral field
Opponents listed in bold are conference games. † Denotes first national championship in football for the University of Texas since 1970 (BCS, AP).Roster
The final roster of the season:cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=47&url_article_id=1940&change_well_id=2 | title=2005 Roster | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-12-14]
Texas had very few problems affecting the roster. Only one defensive starter missed a game due to injury.cite news | url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/college/4282410.html | title=Injuries mount at Texas - Lokey is latest defensive player to be sidelined | work=Houston Chronicle | publisher=Hearst Corporation | author=Duarte, Joseph | date=23 October 2006 | accessdate=2006-10-24] On offense, starting running back Selvin Young injured his ankle in the game against Louisiana-Lafayette and re-injured it the following week against Ohio State. [cite news | url=http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/longhorns/entries/2005/09/26/selvin_young_ready_to_return.html | title=Selvin Young ready to return | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | author=Bridges, John | date=September 26, 2005 | accessdate=2007-09-05] He did not play in the games against Rice or Baylor. [cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=40&url_article_id=2808&change_well_id=2 | title=Selvin Young | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2007-09-05] Receiver Jordan Shipley missed the entire season due to a pulled
hamstring . [cite news | url=http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/bohls/entries/2007/06/29/shipley_injured.html | title=Shipley injured in workout | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | author=Bohls, Kirk | date=29 June 2007 | accessdate=2007-09-05]The
Austin Police Department charged UT receiver Myron Hardy with a Class Amisdemeanor for carrying a prohibited weapon, a “ ‘butterfly-style knife’ that operates like aswitchblade , making it a prohibited weapon.”cite news | url= http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/texas/stories/122005dnspoutwr.26a62715.html | title=UT sophomore WR charged with misdemeanor | work=The Dallas Morning News | publisher=Belo Corp | date=December 19, 2005 | author=Brown, Chip | accessdate=2007-09-05 | accessdate=2007-09-05] Hardy appeared in four games for the 2004 team, catching one pass for four yards. He redshirted in 2005. and returned to the roster for 2006. [cite news | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=162404 | title=#23 Myron Hardy | work=ESPN.com | publisher=The Walt Disney Company | accessdate=2007-09-05]The police investigated
assault allegations against Cedric Griffin and Ramonce Taylor but no charges were filed. The incident allegedly occurred December 10, 2005 near the Sixth Street entertainment district. The UT athletics department found no reason to discipline the players and they both played in the final game of the season. [cite news | url=http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/longhorns/12/18texfoot.html | title=New details emerge in police investigation into UT players | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | date=December 18, 2005 | author= Plohetski, Tony | accessdate=2007-09-05] Also in December, the police announced they were investigating a Longhorn player in a separate incident that occurred in September. This incident allegedly involvedarmed robbery with ahandgun . The police did not name the target of the investigation. [cite news | url= http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2263160 | title= Texas cornerback part of assault, robbery probe | work=ESPNU.com | publisher=The Walt Disney Company | date=December 16, 2005 | accessdate=2007-09-05]Three Longhorns, freshman running backs Michael Houston and Jerrell Wilkerson and sophomore defensive back Bobby Tatum, elected to transfer prior to UT’s
bowl game . All three were reserve players. [cite news | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2263106&campaign=rss&source=NCFHeadlines | title=Longhorns' Tatum, Houston, Wilkerson to transfer | work=ESPNU.com | publisher=The Walt Disney Company | date=December 16, 2005 | accessdate=2007-09-05]Game notes
Louisiana Lafayette
Linescore Amfootball
Road=Ragin' Cajuns
R1=3
R2=0
R3=0
R4=0
RT=3
Home=Longhorns
H1=13
H2=26
H3=14
H4=7
HT=60This game marked the second meeting of the Texas Longhorns and the Louisiana Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns. In their first meeting in 2000, UT fell behind 10–0 before quarterbackMajor Applewhite entered the game late in the first quarter and threw for 315 yards and 4 touchdowns as the Longhorns scored 52 unanswered points in a 52–10 victory.Prior to kickoff of the 2005 game, the stadium announcer made an appeal for donations to help those suffering in the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina , which devastated parts ofLouisiana five days previously. [cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_video/090205.wmv | title=Mack Brown gameday broadcast for Katrina relief | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30 | format=WMV] Donations were not accepted at the game because of a policy against official fund-raising. [cite news | url=http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/longhorns/entries/2005/08/31/call_to_aid_hurricane_katrina_victims.html | title=Call to aid Hurricane Katrina victims | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | author=Golden, Cedric | date=August 31, 2005 | accessdate=2007-03-29] As the Longhorns entered the field, special teams player Karim Meijer carried a United States flag that was given to the team on Thursday by former Longhorn Nathan Kaspar who flew the flag during missions in southeastern Iraq.cite news | author=Little, Bill | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=41&url_article_id=1462&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2 | title=Bill Little commentary: The colors | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | date=2 September 2005 | accessdate=2006-07-30] For this game only, the Longhorns worethrowback uniform s furnished by Nike as a way of honoring the past. The throwback jerseys were similar to jerseys worn during their 1963 National Championship season under Coach Darrell K. Royal.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/2005_ULL_notes.pdf | title=Texas Game Notes - Louisiana Lafayette | accessdate=2007-03-14 | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | format=PDF] cite news | url=http://www.bevosports.com/2005/08/18/texas-throwback-unis/ | title=Texas’ throwback unis | work=BevoSports.com | publisher=Bevo Sports | accessdate=2007-03-14] [cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/AAS--Longhorns_to_Wear_Throwbacks.pdf | title=Longhorns will have throwback look in opener - UT football team will wear helmets, jerseys with 1963 look. | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | author=Golden, Cedric | date=August 18, 2005 | format=PDF | accessdate=2007-03-14] Football's origins in theNortheastern United States have created an expectation that it is a cold-weather sport, [cite news | url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/1995/01/27/MN69472.DTL&type=printable | title=Commence the Countdown | work=SFGate.com | publisher=Hearst Communications | author=Caen, Herb | date=January 27, 1995 | accessdate=2007-08-24] [cite news | url=http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/03/commentary/column_sportsbiz/sportsbiz/index.htm | title=NFL's one-night stand | author=Isidore, Chris | work=CNNMoney.com | publisher=Turner Broadcasting | date=February 3, 2006 | accessdate=2007-08-24] [cite news | url=http://www.senate.gov/~schumer/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/press_releases/PR00723.html | title=Schumer asks the NFL to move Super bowl XXXVI to New York City | authorlink=Charles E. Schumer | author=Schumer, Charles E.,United States Senator from New York | work=Senate.gov | publisher=United States Senate | date=September 30, 2001 | accessdate=2007-08-24] [cite news | url=http://www.bsatroop17.org/Site/Library/ColdWeatherSurvivalGuide.pdf | title=Cold Weather Survival Guide | work=BSATroop17.org | publisher=Boy Scouts of America Troop 17 | format=PDF | accessdate=2007-08-24] [cite news | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2006-01-29-detroit-weather_x.htm | title=Bring on the snow: Detroit embraces cold weather | author=Allen, Kevin | work=USA Today | publisher=Gannett Company | date=January 29, 2006 | accessdate=2007-08-24] but the temperature at kickoff was 90°F (32°C) which is also the average temperature in Austin for the month of September. [cite news | url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ewx/html/cli/ausnorm.htm | title=Austin Climate Summary | work=NOAA.gov | publisher= National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | accessdate=2007-03-14] [cite news | url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USTX0057?from=search | title=Monthly Averages | work=Weather.com | publisher=Landmark Communications | accessdate=2007-03-14]Texas scored first when
Selvin Young ran the ball in for atouchdown . Theextra point attempt byRichmond McGee was no good. The Cajuns were able to score three points on a field goal by Sean Comiskey making the score Texas 6, Louisiana Lafayette 3. Texas replied with 54 unanswered points to win the game 60–3. With the win, Texas improved its record in season-opening games to 93–17–3 and 72–2–2 when they open the year at home. That figure includes 11 straight wins and victories in 30 of their last 31 games at home. Their home record under Mack Brown improved to 39 wins and 3 losses.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=1125801940-1275652003&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=1466 | title=Louisiana-Lafayette Game notes | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | date=September 5, 2005 | accessdate=2007-03-14]Several new Longhorn players entered the game. True freshman running back
Jamaal Charles set the UT rushing record for a debut game with 135 yards and a rushing touchdown alongside one reception for 18 yards,cite news | url= http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=40&url_article_id=1867&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2 | title=Jamaal Charles: Through freshman eyes | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | author=McLaughlin, Shannon | date=3 January 2006 | accessdate=2006-08-29] after taking over during the game for injured running backSelvin Young .cite news | title=Charles sets Longhorn mark while taking over for injured Selvin Young; 270-pound Melton flashes speed on scoring run | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | date=4 September 2005 | author=Golden, Cedric | accessdate=2006-07-30] True freshman running backHenry Melton also saw his first action and scored his first touchdown at the college level.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/game01.htm | title=Louisiana-Lafayette vs Texas (Sept 03, 2005) | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30] cite news | title=Charles sets Longhorn mark while taking over for injured Selvin Young; 270-pound Melton flashes speed on scoring run | work=Austin American-Statesman | url=statesman.com | publisher=Cox Enterprises | date=4 September 2005 | author=Golden, Cedric | accessdate=2006-07-30] True freshman Quan Cosby got his first college start, and two other true freshmen (Roy Miller and Aaron Lewis) saw action.Ohio State
Linescore Amfootball
Road=Longhorns
R1=10
R2=3
R3=3
R4=9
RT=25
Home=Buckeyes
H1=0
H2=16
H3=6
H4=0
HT=22According to "USA Today ", the match-up between the Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes (OSU) was one of the most-anticipated games of the 2005 season.cite news | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2005-09-09-whiteside_x.htm | title=Wuerffel says Katrina will not destroy ministry | work=USA Today | publisher=Gannett Company | author=Whiteside, Kelly | date=September 9, 2005 | accessdate=2007-01-17] Teams have become increasingly conservative in scheduling highly-ranked non-conference opponents, so a meeting of the number 2 and number 4 teams in the country was unusual this early in the season.cite news | url=http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2006/09/early_power_gam.html | title=Early power games key to college polls | author=Neuharth, Al | work=USA Today | publisher=Gannett Company | accessdate=2006-12-14] Because of the significance of the game in the national championship race,ESPN College GameDay chose the game as the site of its weekly broadcast. TheAmerican Football Coaches Association brought the national championship trophy to the game and displayed it on the field near Bevo, the UTmascot (photo below). [cite news | url=http://ohiostate.scout.com/2/436826.html | title=Photo Gallery - Pregame Festivities In Pictures | work=Scout.com | publisher=College Football News | date=September 11, 2005 | accessdate=2007-08-20]Texas and Ohio State are two of the oldest and "most storied" [cite news | url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/09/11/sports/college.php | title=College Football: Texas edges Ohio State in historic encounter | work=IHT.com | publisher=International Herald Tribune | date=September 11, 2005 | accessdate=2007-09-05] programs in college football, but this game was the first meeting between the two teams.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=40&url_article_id=1485&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2 | title=No. 2 Texas 25, No. 4 Ohio State 22 | author=Russo, Ralph | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | accessdate=2006-12-14] cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/APswaggerintoohio.pdf | format = PDF | title=Swagger into Ohio | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | accessdate=2006-07-30] For Texas, it meant playing a second
Big Ten Conference "powerhouse" [cite news | url=http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&endeca=1&isbn=074325788X&itm=4 | title=Buckeye Madness | publisher=Amazon.com | accessdate=2007-04-25] [cite news | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15750829/ | title=Michigan vs. Ohio State: Best game in history | work=MSNBC.com | author=Shuster, David | date=November 20, 2006 | accessdate=2007-04-25] less than one year after winning the first meeting between Texas and theUniversity of Michigan at the end of the 2004 season.The game was played in
Ohio Stadium , also known as "The Horseshoe"cite news | title=Ohio Stadium | work=CSTV.com | publisher= CSTV Networks, Inc. | url=http://ohiostatebuckeyes.cstv.com/trads/ohiostadium.html | accessdate=2006-07-30] or "the Shoe".cite news | url=http://www.buckeyextra.com/?story=132929 | title=Transcript of Mack Brown's postgame news conference | work=BuckeyeXtra.com | publisher=The Columbus Dispatch | date=September 11, 2005 | accessdate=2007-01-17] This stadium is notoriously tough for visiting teams, as its large capacity and structural design focus a tremendous amount of crowd noise that can make it difficult for the visiting team to call audibles at theline of scrimmage .cite news | title = Too Much Noise| publisher = The New York Times Company | work=The New York Times | page = B27| date = November 7, 1985 | accessdate = 2006-07-12] The game's attendance was 105,565, which set the all-time attendance record for Ohio Stadium.cite news | url=http://ohiostatebuckeyes.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/091105aai.html | title=Postgame Notes From No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Texas | work=CSTV.com | publisher= CSTV Networks, Inc. | accessdate=2006-07-30] The Ohio State/Michigan game eclipsed that mark on November 17, 2006. [cite news | url=http://ohiostatebuckeyes.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2006-2007/12michig.html | title=OSU/Michigan 2006 Box Score | work=CSTV.com | publisher= CSTV Networks, Inc. | accessdate=2006-11-19]Texas scored first with a 42 yard field goal, which was a career-long for Longhorn kicker David Pino. A five yard touchdown pass from Vince Young to Billy Pittman gave the Longhorns a 10–0 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Buckeyes controlled most of the second quarter. Their first score was a 45 yd field goal by
Josh Huston followed by a 36 yard touchdown pass from Troy Smith toSantonio Holmes to tie the score at 10–10. They took the lead with two more field goals from Josh Huston. Texas made a field goal to trim Ohio State's lead to 16–13 at the half. In the third quarter, Texas made one field goal and OSU made two, extending Ohio State's lead to 22–16. In the fourth quarter, Texas regained the lead with a touchdown pass from Young to Limas Sweed. UT'sAaron Harris sacked OSU'sTroy Smith for a safety and Texas took a three point lead, which they held when time expired.Texas' win, by a score of 25–22,cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/ut2.htm#GAME.QCK | title=Texas vs Ohio State (Sep 10, 2005) | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | date=10 September 2006 | accessdate=2007-03-12] was the lowest scoring game Texas would experience all season, both in terms of points scored by Texas and total points. Fourth-ranked OSU became the highest-ranked non-conference opponent the Longhorns had ever beaten at an opponent's home stadium. The previous high came in 1983 when third-ranked Texas pulled off a 20–7 upset versus fifth-ranked Auburn. Texas became the first non-conference opponent to beat the Buckeyes in Ohio Stadium since 1990, putting an end to a 36-game home victory string over non-conference opponents. The Longhorns also were the first team to beat the Buckeyes in a night game at The Horseshoe and it was UT's 10th straight victory in a night-game road contest.cite news | url = http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=40&url_article_id=1486&change_well_id=2 | title = Ohio State Game Notes | work = MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | date =September 11, 2005 | accessdate = 2006-12-14]
ESPN and "College Football Rivals" each named the game one of the best football games of the season.cite news | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/preview05/news/story?id=2145079&CMP=OTC-DT9705204233 | title=The best of the best for the '05 season | work=ESPN | publisher=The Walt Disney Company | accessdate=2006-12-12] cite news | url=http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=1144&CID=577469 | title=Top revenge games to watch for in 2006 | author=McClellan, Bob | date=August 30, 2006 | accessdate=2006-12-12]Rice
Linescore Amfootball
Road=Owls
R1=0
R2=0
R3=3
R4=7
RT=10
Home=Longhorns
H1=14
H2=28
H3=9
H4=0
HT=51TheRice Owls and Texas met in 2005 for the 88th time. Texas held a 65–21–1 lead in the series, which began in 1914. For the Longhorns his series ranks fourth in number of games played, behind Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and Baylor.cite news | url = http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/2005_Rice_notes.pdf | format = PDF | title = Game Week | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | date = September 2006 | accessdate = 2007-01-02 ] The two schools were once conference foes in theSouthwest Conference cite news | url=http://www.texasalmanac.com/history/highlights/swc/ | title=Texas History Highlights - A Look Back at the Southwest Conference | work=Texas Almanac | accessdate=2006-07-30] cite news | url=http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/SS/xns2.html | title=Southwest Conference | work=Handbook of Texas Online | accessdate=2006-07-30] and have maintained a rivalry despite the fact that Texas enjoys a sizable lead in the series.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=36&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=298&change_well_id=2 | title=All-Time Records vs. Opponents | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30] PresidentJohn F. Kennedy alluded to the lopsidedness of the rivalry in his 1962 speech on America's space program: "But why, some say, the moon? ... And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain. Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas? ... We choose to go to the moon ... and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."cite news | url=http://webcast.rice.edu/speeches/19620912kennedy.html | title=President John F. Kennedy - The Space Effort | work=Rice Webcast Archive |publisher=Rice University | accessdate=2006-07-30 Read the full speech at .] In addition to continuing a traditional rivalry, playing Rice in a home and away series allows for Texas to play games in Houston,Texas , an important recruiting base for UT,cite news| title=UT signs 25 players, including three of state's top four | url=http://www.statesman.com/horns/content/sports/stories/longhorns/02/1utsignweb.html | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | date=1 February 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-30] which has a significantTexas Exes alumni population.cite news | url=http://www.texasexes.com/Exes_are.htm | title=The Texas Exes Houston Chapter are: | work=Texas Exes Houston Chapter | accessdate=2006-07-30]The Horns took possession of the ball to start the game and used less than two minutes in scoring on a 25-yard carry by Jamaal Charles. Rice advanced to the Texas 43-yard line before punting the ball to Texas' one-yard line, forcing the Longhorns to start from inside their own
end zone . UT drove the ball 99 in seven plays for a second touchdown. With four seconds left in the first quarter, Vince Young threw a pass that was intercepted by Ja'Corey Shepherd at the UT 20-yard line. Rice lost yardage on their possession and failed to convert on fourth down so they turned the ball over on downs. The rest of the first-half scoring was dominated by the Longhorns as they scored four more touchdowns to take a 42–0 lead. The Owls had four–more possessions in the second–quarter but never advanced the ball past their own 30-yard line.In the second half, each team scored one field goal and one touchdown, although Texas missed their
extra point so they won the game 51–10. UT'sJamaal Charles ran for 189 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries in his first start for the Longhorns.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/ut3.htm | title=RICE vs Texas (Sep 17, 2005) | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30] cite news | url=http://riceowls.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/091705aab.html | title=Rice Tripped Up By No. 2 Texas, 51-10 - The Owls return to action on Sept. 24 when they host Navy. | work=CSTV.com | publisher= CSTV Networks, Inc. | date=17 September 2006 | accessdate=2007-03-13] After the game, Charles said that his goal was to rush for 200 yards each game but that he was not disappointed to fall short of 200 yards rushing because he hit his goal of rushing for three touchdowns.Missouri
Linescore Amfootball
Road=Longhorns
R1=14
R2=10
R3=13
R4=14
RT=51
Home=Tigers
H1=13
H2=0
H3=0
H4=7
HT=20Sportscasters touted the contest with theMissouri Tigers as a showcase between of the two best dual-threat quarterbacks playing in college football, pitting Missouri quarterback Brad Smith against Vince Young of Texas.cite news | url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/john_walters/09/30/weekend.pickoff/index.html | title=Hot Stuff | work=Sports Illustrated | publisher=Time Warner | date=September 30, 2006 | author=Walters, John | accessdate=2006-12-14] cite news | url=http://www.columbiatribune.com/2006/May/20060517Spor007.asp | title=Putting their feet up | work=ColumbiaTribune.com | publisher=Columbia Daily Tribune | date=May 17, 2006 | author=Matter, Dave | accessdate=2006-12-14] The two players combined for 582 yards total offense. Both Young and Smith led their respective team in rushing yards. Young had 108 rushing yards while Smith had 57. Young had 236 passing yards compared to Smith's 181.The Longhorns and the Tigers each scored two touchdowns in the first quarter, though Missouri missed an extra point to let Texas take a 14–13 lead. Texas scored another touchdown and a field goal to make a 24–13 lead at halftime. In the second half, Texas scored four more touchdowns, missing one extra point to increase their lead to 51–13. Missouri was scoreless for 40 minutes of play until they scored a touchdown with 3:54 left to play; it was their only score of the second half. Texas won the game 51–20cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/ut4.htm | title=Texas vs Missouri Tigers | date=October 1, 2005 | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30] to extend its series lead over Missouri to 15-5.
Oklahoma
Linescore Amfootball
Road=Sooners
R1=6
R2=0
R3=0
R4=6
RT=12
Home=Longhorns
H1=14
H2=10
H3=7
H4=14
HT=45Football fans consider the annual game between Texas and the Oklahoma Sooners (OU) one of the greatest rivalries games in all of college sports.cite news | url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/redrivershootout/texas/stories/100705dnspofbwnewrivalrylede.1c8619ce.html | title=UT-OU : Best Rivalry? | work=The Dallas Morning News | publisher=Belo Corp | author=Davis, Brian | date=October 7, 2005 | accessdate=2006-07-11] [cite book |last=Bradley |first=Michael |title=Big Games - College Football's Greatest Rivalries |year=2006 |work=Potomac Books |location=Dulles, Virginia |pages=ix, 71–103 |isbn=1574889087 ] Though officially called the Red River Rivalry,cite news | url=http://www.sbc.com/gen/press-room?pid=4800&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=21762 | title=SBC Companies Extend Sponsorship with Universities of Oklahoma and Texas for the SBC Red River Rivalry | work=ATT.com | accessdate=2006-07-11] it remains better known by its traditional name, theRed River Shootout ; the 2005 match-up was the 100th in the series.cite news | url=http://www.michigandaily.com/media/storage/paper851/news/2004/11/02/Opinioneditorials/From-The.Daily.Adhering.To.Tradition-1426377.shtml?norewrite200607111727&sourcedomain=www.michigandaily.com | title=From the Daily:Adhering to tradition - SBC Sponsor Threatened Game's Integrity | work=The Michigan Daily | publisher=University of Michigan | date=July 10, 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-11] cite news | url=http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:LDb5NWX9aLcJ:www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3305696+JOSEPH+DUARTE+Chronicle+%22political+correctness%22&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1&client=firefox-a | title=Defense's goal is 13 points or less | work=Houston Chronicle | publisher=Hearst Corporation | date=August 11, 2005 | accessdate=2006-07-11]Since 1912 the teams have played the game at the Cotton Bowl stadium in Dallas,
Texas , amid the atmosphere of the adjacentTexas State Fair .cite news | url=http://www.newsrecord.org/media/storage/paper693/news/2003/11/19/Sports/Column.Rivalries.Spark.College.Football-693841.shtml?norewrite200606152025&sourcedomain=www.newsrecord.org | title=Column: Rivalries spark college football |work=The News Record | publisher=University of Cincinnati | accessdate=2006-06-15] This is unusual because most college football games alternate between the opponents home stadiums. Dallas was chosen as the neutral site because it is approximately halfway between the two schools. The stadium is divided down the 50-yard line, with half of the stadium predominately clad in thecrimson and cream colors of Oklahoma, and the other half mostly wearing the burnt orange and white of Texas.cite news | title=Traditions: Texas-Oklahoma | url=http://msn.foxsports.com/story?contentId=3062152&print=true | work=FoxSports.com | publisher=Fox Sports | accessdate=2007-04-17] cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/2005_Oklahoma_notes.pdf | format = PDF | title=Game Week | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-12-14]The game frequently has implications for the conference and national championship races. Since 1945, at least one of the teams was ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation coming into 60 out of 65 games. Prior to the 2005 game, Texas held an advantage in the all-time series 55–39–5, which included a 43–35–4 edge in Dallas, but Oklahoma had won the 5 previous games, including the two worst losses ever for a Texas team in the series.cite news | url=http://soonerstats.com/football/series/details.cfm?OppID=7 | title=OU-Texas Football Series | work=SoonerStats.com| publisher=University of Oklahoma | accessdate=2006-07-30] Those losses had helped build a reputation that Mack Brown was not capable of winning in "Big Games".cite news | url=http://media.www.michigandaily.com/media/storage/paper851/news/2005/10/13/Sports/Longhorns.Road.To.The.Rose.Bowl.Is.Clear-1432097.shtml?sourcedomain=www.michigandaily.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com | title=Longhorns' road to the Rose Bowl is clear | authors=Geise, John & Kia Hamadanch | work=The Michigan Daily | publisher=University of Michigan | date=October 13, 2005 | accessdate=2007-01-17] cite news | url=http://www.coversexperts.com/includes/article_ce.aspx?ce=20087&ur=6367 | title=The Great Coaching Debate | author=Sevransky, Ted | work=Covers Experts | publisher=SportsDirect Inc | accessdate=2007-01-17] cite news | url=http://sportsbytes.net/article.asp?articleid=75234 | title=Coach Catharsis | author=Flint, Ross | work=TOTK.com | date=January 5, 2006 | accessdate=2007-01-17] Four times during those five years, Texas' loss to Oklahoma prevented them from playing in the Big 12 Conference Championship Game.cite news | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/columnist/weekendforecast/2005-10-05-column_x.htm | title=Full plate of Big 12, SEC showdowns worth feasting on | work=USA Today | publisher=Gannett Company | author=Smith, Erick | date=October 5, 2005 |accessdate=2007-01-17] One of these two teams appeared in four of the nine BCS national championship games from 1999–2007. [cite news | url=http://www.bcsfootball.org/bcsfb/timeline | title=BCS, Alliance & Coalition Games Year-by-Year | work=BCSfootball.org | publisher=The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, Inc | accessdate=2007-08-29]
The Longhorns scored first with a touchdown run by Ramonce Taylor; this was the first time for Texas to lead Oklahoma since 2002.cite news | url=http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=201725 | title=Oklahoma Sooners - Game Notes | work=SoonerSports.com | publisher=University of Oklahoma | date=October 8, 2005 | accessdate=2007-08-29] The Sooners' Garret Hartley answered with a 52-yard field goal, the longest of his college career, and a 9-yard field goal. Longhorn Jamaal Charles scored next on a 80-yard touchdown run. UT then scored with a 38-yard field goal by Richmond McGee and a 64-yard long bomb from Young to Billy Pittman just before halftime, giving Texas a 24–6 lead at the half. UT made the only score of the third quarter: a 27-yard touchdown pass from Young to Pittman. In the fourth quarter UT scored two touchdowns while OU scored one.
UT was favored by 14 pointscite news | url=http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2005/10/07/Sports/Brown.Ready.To.Pass.Credit.Rather.Than.Take.Blame-1013647.shtml?sourcedomain=www.dailytexanonline.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com | title=Brown ready to pass credit rather than take blame - Players insist Brown shoulders too much burden for OU losses | author=Veyhl, Jack | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | date=October 7, 2005 | accessdate=2007-01-17] cite news | url=http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/preview?gid=200510150083 | title=(24) Colorado - (2) Texas | work=yahoo.com | publisher= Yahoo! Inc. | date=October 15, 2005 | accessdate=2007-01-17] and won the game by 33 points,cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/ut5.htm | title=Oklahoma vs Texas | date=October 8, 2005 | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2007-08-29] tying the biggest margin of victory for the Longhorns in the history of the rivalry, a 40–7 victory in 1941. The game also marked the sixth time the Longhorns entered the contest ranked second nationally; they have won all six. With the win, Texas started their season 5–0 for the first time since 1983.
Colorado
Linescore Amfootball
Road=Buffaloes
R1=0
R2=10
R3=0
R4=7
RT=17
Home=Longhorns
H1=14
H2=21
H3=0
H4=7
HT=42Of all the teams on Texas regular season schedule, Colorado had the best historical record against Texas up to the start of the season. The all-time record was tied at 7–7, and the record since the formation of the Big 12 conference was tied at 3–3.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/2005_Colorado_release.pdf | format =PDF | title=Game Week | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | date=October 8, 2005 | accessdate=2006-12-14] Texas established a lead early in the game and never lost it; they led 35–10 at halftime and defeated the 2005 Colorado team by a final score of 42–17.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/ut6.htm | title=Colorado vs Texas |date=October 15, 2005 | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30]Texas scored touchdowns on all five of their first half possessions; these included three rushing touchdowns by Vince Young, one rushing touchdown by Selvin Young, and one touchdown pass from Vince Young to Limas Sweed. Colorado was scoreless in the first quarter. In the second quarter they scored with a 48 yard field goal by
Mason Crosby and a touchdown pass fromJoel Klatt to Evan Judge. After neither team scored in the third quarter, each team completed one touchdown pass in the final period.Vince Young had the best statistical performance of his career to date, completing 25 of 29 passing attempts for 336 yards and 2 passing touchdowns in addition to 58 yards rushing and 3 rushing touchdowns.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/ut6.htm | title=Colorado vs Texas (Oct 15, 2005) | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30] His 86.2% completion percentage set a new single-game record for UT, breaking his previous record of 85.7% set against Oklahoma State in 2004. After the game, Colorado Head Coach
Gary Barnett said of Young's passing performance, "We can’t do that in practice against air”, . meaning that his team would not have been able to complete 86.2% of their passes even if playing unopposed.cite news | url=http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/nwsltr/sports/ut/stories/120205dnspoutletter.2db1bd29.html | title=Promising Young delivers | date=14 December 2005 | accessdate=2006-07-30 | work=The Dallas Morning News | publisher=Belo Corp]Texas Tech
Linescore Amfootball
Road=Red Raiders
R1=7
R2=3
R3=7
R4=0
RT=17
Home=Longhorns
H1=10
H2=21
H3=14
H4=7
HT=52TheTexas Tech Red Raiders came into the game undefeated and ranked number 10 in the nation with hopes of beating Texas, winning out the season, and playing for a national championship. [cite news | url=http://texastech.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/101705aaa.html | title=Red Raiders Face Texas In Top-10 Showdown | work=CSTV.com | publisher=CSTV Networks, Inc. | date=October 17, 2005 | accessdate=2007-08-17]The Longhorns scored a field goal on their first possession and Texas Tech answered with a touchdown pass by
Cody Hodges . Texas regained the lead when Henry Melton rushed for a touchdown. In the second quarter, the Red Raiders tied up the game with a field goal before Texas regained the lead with two touchdown runs by Selvin Young and a touchdown pass to Billy Pittman. In the third quarter, the Longhorns extended their lead with two touchdowns to one by Texas Tech. Texas' seventh touchdown came with 6:30 left in the game and it was the last points scored in the game.Texas won the game 52–17cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/ut7.htm | title=Texas Tech vs Texas | date=October 22, 2005 | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30] and moved into first place in the
Bowl Championship Series (BCS) standings for the first time since they were implemented in 1998. The BCS formula took into account strength of schedule so that teams received more credit for beating stronger opponents. This allowed Texas to advance in the rankings since they beat an unbeaten team whileUniversity of Southern California , who previously held the number one spot, beat Washington, a 1–6 team.The week following the Texas Tech game Vince Young said he still planned to return for his senior season in 2006. Young, a candidate for the
Heisman trophy , also apologized for striking the "Heisman pose" during the win over Texas Tech; this had been viewed as an immodest indiscretion. [cite news | url=http://www.fanblogs.com/texas/005990.php | title=Vince Young, "I plan on coming back" | work=Dallas Morning News | publisher=Belo Corp | date=October 25, 2005 | accessdate=2007-03-30]Oklahoma State
Linescore Amfootball
Road=Longhorns
R1=9
R2=3
R3=22
R4=13
RT=47
Home=Cowboys
H1=21
H2=7
H3=0
H4=0
HT=28Texas place at the top of the BCS rankings lasted only one week. On October 29, 2005 Texas initially trailed but rallied to beat anOklahoma State Cowboys team that had held a losing record through the season so far. Texas retained the top spot in the computer rankings, but not by enough to stay ahead of USC in the overall BCS standings.cite news| title=2005 Bowl Championship Series Standings | url=http://www.bcsfootball.org/files/bcs-2005.pdf | work=BCSFootball.org | publisher=The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, Inc | accessdate=2006-07-20 | format=PDF ]Oklahoma State scored first, with a surprising 49 yard pass from Al Pena to D'Juan Woods. The Cowboys had lined up tight on 4th and 1 as if trying a short, power run, but faked that play and threw a deep pas instead, catching the Longhorn defense off-guard. Texas replied with a touchdown pass from Young to Thomas, but David Pino missed the extra point, allowing the Cowboys to retain the lead. Oklahoma State scored another touchdown and Texas completed a field goal to make the score 21–9 at the end of the first quarter. The Cowboys scored one touchdown in the second quarter off of a pass that was deflected by Texas, and Texas made a field goal near the end to cut into the lead, leaving Oklahoma State ahead 28-12 at halftime. The second half was dominated by Texas as they scored five unanswered touchdowns to win the game. The scores consisted of two rushing touchdowns by Vince Young, two rushing touchdowns by Ramonce Taylor, and a 21 yard touchdown pass to Neale Tweedie.
Despite Oklahoma State's 0–4 start to conference play, they led Texas the entire first half, including a lead of as much as seventeen points. It was the third straight year that Texas trailed Oklahoma State at halftime and came from behind to win by a sizable margin (47–28). Vince Young set a school record for total yards in one game with 506 yards (239 passing, 267 rushing).cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/ut8.htm | title=Texas vs Oklahoma State | date=October 29, 2005 | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30] Young also became one of only seven players in NCAA history to have accumulated over 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing in a single game. Over the past three meetings between the two schools (2003–2005), the Longhorns outscored the Cowboys by a combined second-half score of 118–0.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=36&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=1349&change_well_id=2 | title=All-Time Results | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | date=December 30, 2006 | accessdate=2007-03-30]
TBS announced that the Longhorns’ come-from-behind victory scored a record viewership rating of 1.927 million viewers. This represented a 21 percent increase over the previous TBS network record for Southern California vs. Stanford in 2004. [cite news | url=http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/longhorns/entries/2005/11/01/longhorns_a_hit_on_tbs.html | title=Longhorns a hit on TBS | date=November 1, 2005 | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | accessdate=2007-03-31]
Baylor
Linescore Amfootball
Road=Longhorns
R1=6
R2=21
R3=21
R4=14
RT=62
Home=Bears
H1=0
H2=0
H3=0
H4=0
HT=0The Longhorns first played theBaylor Bears in 1901 and have faced them annually since both were members of theSouthwest Conference . In the 95 meetings through 2005, Texas' record was 69 wins, 22 losses, and 4 ties. Only Texas A&M and the University of Oklahoma had faced Texas more often on the football field.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=36&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=298&change_well_id=2 | title=All-Time Records vs. Opponents | work=Mack Brown Texas Football | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-10-07]Texas was stopped on their first drive due to an unsuccessful fourth down conversion. Baylor's first possession ended when UT's
Michael Huff intercepted a pass from Baylor's Terrance Park. Longhorn Jamaal Charles scored a touchdown on the drive but the kick was blocked, giving Texas the only first-quarter score and a 6–0 lead. Texas extended the lead in the second quarter with rushing touchdowns from Henry Melton, Jamaal Charles, and Ramonce Taylor. Taylor made two more touchdowns in the third quarter and Quan Cosby caught a touchdown pass from Young. In the fourth quarter, Taylor scored his fourth touchdown and backup quarterback Matt Nordgren scored on an odd play where he was hit and fumbled while scrambling for the goal line but the ball traveled forward at about the same speed he was running and bounced right back up into his hands. Texas won the 2005 game 62–0cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/ut9.htm | title=Texas vs Baylor | date=November 5, 2005 | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30] making it the onlyshutout of the 2005 season for the Longhorns.The 2005 Baylor game was played in Waco,
Texas , approximately 100 miles (161 km) north onInterstate 35 from Austin. [cite news| url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&tab=wl&q= | title=UT to Baylor driving directions | publisher=Google | accessdate=2007-03-30] Since UT home games are usually sold out and Waco is relatively close to Austin, recent games against Baylor have attracted numerous Texas fans driving to Waco to see the game. [cite news | url=http://www.baylor.edu/Lariat/news.php?action=story&story=16914 | title=Students should show BU allegiance | work=The Baylor Lariat | author=Cichowski, Trevor | date=November 27, 2001 | accessdate=2007-03-30] The Baylor athletic department suspended ticket sales at one point in an effort to limit the number of Longhorn fans who purchased tickets. The average attendance for Baylor's home games for the season was 37,428, [cite news | url=http://www.ncaa.org/stats/football/attendance/2005/2005_football_attendance.pdf | title=2005 National College Football Attendance | publisher=NCAA | accessdate=2007-03-30|format=PDF] but for the UT game the attendance was 44,783 still short of the 50,000 official capacity for Baylor'sFloyd Casey Stadium . [cite news | url=http://football.ballparks.com/NCAA/Big12/Baylor/ | title=Floyd Casey Stadium | work=Ballparks.com | accessdate=2007-03-30]Kansas
Linescore Amfootball
Road=Jayhawks
R1=0
R2=0
R3=14
R4=0
RT=14
Home=Longhorns
H1=28
H2=24
H3=7
H4=7
HT=66In order to win the 2004 game against the Kansas Jayhawks, Texas had to convert a 4th-and-18 situation and complete a touchdown pass with only eleven seconds remaining on the clock.cite news | url=http://kuathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/111304aaa.html | title=Texas Escapes with a 27–23 Win Over Kansas | work=CSTV.com | publisher=CSTV Networks, Inc. | date=November 13, 2004 | accessdate=2007-03-17] The 2005 game provided much less on-field drama, as Texas led 52–0 by halftime and defeated Kansas 66–14.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/ut10.htm | title=Kansas vs Texas (Nov 12, 2005) | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2007-09-04]In the first quarter, Texas scored touchdowns on a pass to Limas Sweed, a run by Jamaal Charles, a pass to Quan Cosby, and a punt return by Aaron Ross. In the second quarter, the Longhorns had a touchdown run by Ramonce Taylor and touchdown catches from David Thomas and Peter Ullman. David Pino also kicked a field goal for the Horns. In the third quarter, Kansas opened the scoring with a 59-yard touchdown by
Jon Cornish . Taylor scored another touchdown. UT had the only score of the fourth quarter, a touchdown by Selvin Young.UT fans were unhappy with ABC's television coverage of the event. The network elected to stick with the Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M game instead of switching to the Kansas vs. Texas game. ABC stayed with the Oklahoma vs. A&M game through the final down and then ran three full minutes of commercials while the Texas vs. Kansas game continued. By the time they switched over Texas was already leading 14–0. The ABC announcers started their coverage saying “And now, we’ll join the game you’ve been waiting for all week, which has pretty much already been decided.” [cite news | url=http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/longhorns/entries/2005/11/12/abc_leaves_ut_fans_watching_ou_and_am.html | title=ABC leaves UT fans watching OU and A&M | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | author=Corcoran, Michael | date=November 14, 2005 | accessdate=2007-03-31] ABC then broke away from their coverage at halftime to broadcast other events. This left thousands of UT fans who assembled to watch the game in Darrell K. Royal Texas - Memorial Stadium stranded without coverage for much of the game. [cite news | url=http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/longhorns/entries/2005/11/14/kvue_says_abc_made_call_on_joining_longhorn_game_in_progress.html | title=KVUE says ABC made call on joining Longhorn game in progress | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | author=Corcoran, Michael | date=November 14, 2005 | accessdate=2007-03-31]
The lopsided victory allowed Texas to play several less-experienced players. Back-up quarterback Matt Nordgren entered the game in the third quarter, replacing Vince Young. Third-string quarterback Matt McCoy replaced Nordgren just past the mid-point of the fourth quarter.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/ut10.htm | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | title=Kansas vs Texas | date=November 12, 2005 | accessdate=2006-07-30] Since
Colt McCoy was listed third on the UT depth chart, television broadcasters referred to Matt McCoy (no relation) as Colt McCoy, a mistake they repeated over the season. The Longhorns did not play Colt in the 2005 season, choosing to redshirt him instead.cite news | author=Corchan, Michael | url=http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/longhorns/11/14gameon.html | title=Ruining a Longhorns game on TV as easy as ABC | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | date=November 14, 2005 | accessdate=2006-02-28] After viewing this game as part of a recruiting visit to UT,Jevan Snead - ranked as one of the tophigh school quarterbacks in the nation, elected to switch his commitment fromUniversity of Florida to Texas. [cite news | url=http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/longhorns/entries/2005/11/14/longhorns_land_top_qb_recruit.html | title=Longhorns land top QB recruit | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | date=November 14, 2005 | accessdate=2007-03-31]Texas A&M
Linescore Amfootball
Road=Longhorns
R1=14
R2=7
R3=13
R4=6
RT=40
Home=Aggies
H1=9
H2=6
H3=14
H4=0
HT=29This game marked the 112th meeting between Texas and the Texas A&M Aggies and the game is part of a multi-sport rivalry called theLone Star Showdown . It is the longest-running rivalry for both the Longhorns and the Aggies and the football series is the seventh most-played rivalries in college football. [cite news | url=http://www.1122productions.com/rivalries/t.html#t2 | title=College Football Rivalries | work=1122Productions.com | publisher=1122 Productions | accessdate=2007-08-20] Texas came into the 2005 contest with a 72–34–5 record.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=36&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=298&change_well_id=2 | title=All Time Record vs. Opponents | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2007-03-31] During the week before the game, the Longhorns conducted their traditionalHex Rally . [cite news | url=http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/longhorns/entries/2005/11/17/texas_hex_rally_set_for_monday.html | title=Texas hex rally set for Monday | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | date=November 17, 2005 | accessdate=2007-03-31] As a result of a tragic accident in 1999, the Aggies did not host a school-sponsored version of their traditional Bonfire [cite news | url=http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage/paper657/news/2005/11/16/MailCall/Bonfire.Needs.Support.Of.Student.Body-1058980.shtml | title=Bonfire needs support of student body | work=The Battalion | publisher=Texas A&M University | date=November 16, 2005 | author=Dugan, Patrick | accessdate=2007-03-31] but an unofficial version called "Student Bonfire" was held November 19, 2005 [cite news | url=http://www.studentbonfire.com/pages/about.html | title=About student bonfire | work=StudentBonfire.com | publisher=Student Bonfire | accessdate=2007-03-31] despite a county-wide ban on bonfires. [cite news | url=http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/1993422.html | title=Unofficial Aggie Bonfire Burns As Scheduled | work=KWTX.com | publisher=KWTX | date=November 20, 2004 | accessdate=2007-08-27] The game's attendance was 86,616, which is 4,016 more than the official stadium capacity for Kyle Field.cite news | url=http://www.aggieathletics.com/facilities.php?FID=7 | title=Kyle Field | work=AggieAthletics.com | publisher=Texas A&M Athletics | accessdate=2006-09-27]Like the contest against Missouri, sportswriters touted the Texas A&M game as showcasing two of the best dual-threat quarterbacks playing in college football. [cite news | url=http://www.nationalchamps.net/2005/sub/previews/texasam.htm | title=#18 Texas A&M | work=NationalChamps.net | publisher=NationalChamps.net, LLC. | accessdate=2007-03-30] cite news | url=http://www.kusports.com/news/football_archive/story/116076 | title=The threat of Vince Young - KU knows -- QB burned Jayhawks last season| work=KUSports.com| publisher= Lawrence Journal-World & 6News Lawrence | date=November 11, 2005 | author=Wood, Ryan | accessdate=2007-03-30] [cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=40&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=1424&change_well_id=2 | title=Friendly rivalry | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | date=August 19, 2005 | accessdate=2007-03-30] [cite news | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/big12/2005-08-16-aggies-season_x.htm | title=Franchione, Texas A&M set for next big step| work=USA Today | publisher=Gannett Company | date=August 16, 2005 | author=Wieberg, Steve | accessdate=2007-03-30] However, Texas A&M's starting quarterback
Reggie McNeal missed the game due to an ankle injury; instead, freshman quarterbackStephen McGee made his first start. [cite news | url=http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/longhorns/entries/2005/11/25/injured_am_quarterback_reggie_mcneal_wont_play.html | title=Injured A&M quarterback Reggie McNeal won’t play | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | date=November 25, 2005 | accessdate=2007-03-31] The game was a back-and-forth affair ultimately won by Texas, 40–29.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/ut11.htm | title=Texas vs Texas A&M (Nov 25, 2005) | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30] The eleven point win was their second slimmest margin of victory of the regular season to that point, and they lost points in all three major polls but still remained solidly in second place.cite news | url=http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/longhorns/entries/2005/11/27/horns_lose_votes_in_all_three_polls.html | title=Horns lose votes in all three polls | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | author=Bridges, John | date=November 27, 2005 | accessdate=2007-03-31]The game was the poorest performance of the season by the Longhorns, both offensively and defensively. On offense, Vince Young had only 162 yards of offense, his lowest output of the season. The Associated Press remarked on the poor performance and said that Young, considered one of the nations best quarterbacks and a
Heisman trophy candidate coming into the game, was "not even the best quarterback on the field that day".cite news | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/games/2005-11-25-texas-am_x.htm | title=Young held in check, but Texas checkmates Aggies | author=Vertuno, Jim | work=USA Today | publisher=Gannett Company | date=November 25, 2005 | accessdate=2007-06-19] "The Daily Texan " predicted that the game could hurt Young's chances for the Heisman, but they also quoted UT head coachMack Brown as saying "Looking at the numbers from whatReggie Bush did last week and Vince did today, Reggie probably leads, but next week, Vince plays at noon, and Reggie at 3, so I think voters will wait and watch to see what happens."UT running backs Henry Melton and Ramonce Taylor also received criticism. Taylor was criticized for running backwards and sideways in an effort to gain yards, instead of moving ahead and breaking tackles. "The Daily Texan" observed "Five of Taylor's 15 carries resulted in a loss or no gain for a total of minus-17 yards. However, the other 10 carries totaled 119 yards for an average of 11.9 yards per positive running play. The sophomore didn't have a positive gain of fewer than 5 yards and accumulated three runs of 20 yards or longer." Greg Davis, UT's offensive coordinator, said "Ramonce is a darter. The only time that really concerned me was a third-and-two situation. We talked to him on the sideline about a little bit more down and distance awareness."cite news | url=http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2005/11/28/Sports/Texas.Focuses.On.Their.Goal-1113930.shtml | title=Texas focuses on their goal - Taylor uses speed, agility to break loose from opponents | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | author=Veyhl, Jake | date=November 28, 2005 | accessdate=2007-04-26] Melton was criticized for "tiptoeing indecisively". and letting himself get tackled near the
line of scrimmage .cite news | url=http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2005/11/28/Sports/Texas.Eyes.Opened.In.Win.Over.The.Aggies-1113934.shtml | title=Texas' eyes opened in win over the Aggies | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | author=Orchard, Philip | date=November 28, 2005 | accessdate=2007-06-19]On defense, the Longhorns held A&M to only 118 yards passing but gave up 277 yards rushing; the highest allowed by the Longhorns all season. Despite the poor outing, Texas finished the regular season undefeated.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/ut11.htm | title=Texas vs Texas A&M | date=November 25, 2005 | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30]
Gene Chizik , UT'sdefensive coordinator , said "This really is an eye-opening experience. Obviously, we've got to get better. But I'll tell you what, we're all going to drive home 11–0."cite news | url=http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2005/11/28/TopStories/Longhorns.Stay.Perfect-1113950.shtml | title=Longhorns stay perfect - Texas improves to 11-0 on the season despite an ugly win over Texas A&M Friday | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | author=Ransom, Eric | date=November 28, 2005 | accessdate=2007-06-19]Big 12 Championship versus Colorado
Linescore Amfootball
Road=Longhorns
R1=14
R2=28
R3=28
R4=0
RT=70
Home=Buffaloes
H1=0
H2=3
H3=0
H4=0
HT=3TheBig 12 Championship Game is held by the Big 12 Conference each year. The championship game pits the Big 12 North Division champion against the South Division champion in a game held after the regular season has been completed. [cite news | url=http://www.big12sports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/big12-footbl-championship-07.html | title=Big 12 Conference Championship Game | work=Big12Sports.com | publisher=Big 12 Conference | accessdate=2007-09-05] Despite losing the last two games of the regular season, Colorado retained the best record in the North Division of the Big 12 Conference. [cite news | url=http://media.www.iowastatedaily.com/media/storage/paper818/news/2005/11/29/Sports/David.Vs.Goliath-1114717.shtml | title=David vs. Goliath | author=Wall, Grant | work=IowaStateDaily.com | publisher=Iowa State University | date=November 29, 2005 | accessdate=2007-09-04] [cite news | url=http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2005/11/29/Sports/No.Time.For.WakeUp.Calls-1114801.shtml | title=No time for wake-up calls | author=Veyhl, Jake | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | date=November 29, 2005 | accessdate=2007-09-04] cite news | title=Colorado got help, may need more | work=Daily Camera | publisher=Scripps newspaper group | date=December 3, 2006 | page=E1] Prior to the game, Colorado head coachGary Barnett said, "I do not think anybody expects us to come in here and beat Texas." His team lost the game 70–3, the most lopsided score in any college football conference championship to date.cite news | url=http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2005/12/05/Sports/Longhorns.Become.First.Texas.Team.To.Reach.6000.Yards-1120735.shtml | title=Longhorns become first Texas team to reach 6,000 yards - Texas quarterback becomes all-time touchdown leader | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | author=Ranson, Eric | date=December 5, 2007 | accessdate=2007-08-21] cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/ut12.htm | title=Texas vs Colorado (Dec 03, 2005) | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30] The Longhorns scored ten touchdowns in their first eleven possessions. They started with first-quarter touchdowns by Henry Melton and Jamaal Charles. The Buffaloes got their only score of the game, a field goal, at the start of the second quarter. Vince Young, Limas Sweed, David Thomas, and Jamaal Charles scored touchdowns in the second quarter to give the Horns a 42–3 lead at halftime. In the third quarter, Selvin Young, Charles and Melton each scored rushing touchdowns. Brandon Foster scored a touchdown on defense due to Michael Griffin blocking a Colorado punt. Halfway through the 3rd quarter, Texas already had 70 points, but went on cruise control from that point on and didn't score again.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/ut12.htm | title=Texas vs Colorado (Dec 03, 2005) | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | date=December 3, 2005 |accessdate=2007-09-04]Following the victory, the largely UT crowd stayed in the stands to celebrate the Longhorns' return to the Rose Bowl — this time for a shot at a National Championship. As players circled the stadium giving high-fives and handshakes to fans, a section of the railing collapsed and fans spilled onto the sideline. One person suffered injuries and was removed from the field on a stretcher.cite news | title=Horn fans injured in postgame celebration | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | date=3 December 2005 | accessdate=2006-07-30]
Texas earned its second Big 12 football championship to make 27 conference championships total, including 25 in the
Southwest Conference ).cite news| url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/06_records_3_swc.pdf | format =PDF | title=All Time SWC Standings | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-06-26] The week after the game, Barnett was fired as Colorado's head coachcite news |url=http://www.suntimes.com/output/couch/cst-spt-greg092.html | title=Colorado's message: Scandals are OK, but not losses | work=Chicago Sun Times | publisher=Sun-Times Media Group | date=9 December 2005 | accessdate=2006-07-30] and replaced by Dan Hawkins, the former head coach of Boise State. [cite news | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2261324 | title=Colorado introduces Hawkins as head coach | work=ESPN.com | publisher=The Walt Disney Company | author= | date=December 19, 2006 | accessdate=2007-03-05]Rose Bowl versus USC
Linescore Amfootball
Road=Longhorns
R1=0
R2=16
R3=7
R4=18
RT=41
Home=Trojans
H1=7
H2=3
H3=14
H4=14
HT=38For the 2005 season, the Rose Bowl also served as theBCS National Championship Game as a result of theBowl Championship Series agreement. In the weeks leading up to the2006 Rose Bowl , the game was described by numerous publications as one of the most-anticipated match-ups in college football history and even as the greatest college football game of all time. [cite news | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/columnist/weekendforecast/2005-11-30-column_x.htm | title=Title clashes add holiday-related stress for many | work=USA Today | publisher=Gannett Company | author=Smith, Erick | date=November 30, 2006 | accessdate=2006-12-15] [cite news | url=http://www.betroyal.com/news/Newsletters/12-2005/30-A_Peach_Bowl_First!.aspx | work=BetRoyal.com | publisher=Bet Royal | title=The Game | accessdate=2006-12-15] [cite news | url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/arash_markazi/12/09/hot.read/1.html | title=Wayne's World | work=Sports Illustrated | publisher=Time Warner | date=2006-12-15 | accessdate=2007-08-20] [cite news | url=http://www.bodog.com/sportsbook/guide/rose-bowl-betting.jsp | title=Betting on the Rose Bowl 2006 | work=Bodog.com | publisher=Bodog Entertainment | accessdate=2006-12-15] [ cite news | url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2005_Dec_19/ai_n15952000 | work=FindArticles.com | publisher=Business Wire | title=Rose Bowl on Its Way to Becoming Best-Selling Bowl Game in History; Out-of-State Fans Flock to Orange, Sugar Bowls According to TicketCity.com | date=December 19, 2005 | accessdate=2006-12-15] cite news | url=http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/longhorns/01/6gameon.html | title=Game of the Century | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | date=January 5, 2006 | accessdate=2007-08-07] This was Texas' second trip to the Rose Bowl in school history,cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=36&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=1349&change_well_id=2 | title=All-Time Results | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2007-09-02] alongside their trip the previous season.cite news | url=http://www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2005/07/22/Sports/Texas.At.Center.Of.Big.12.Attention-963838.shtml?norewrite200612160248&sourcedomain=www.dailytexanonline.com | title=Texas at center of Big 12 attention - Young takes center stage as Longhorns talk about upcoming season of great expectations | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | date=July 22, 2005 | accessdate=2006-12-15]Less than three weeks before the game, USC Trojan
Reggie Bush won theHeisman trophy ahead of second place finisher Vince Young. Bush had the second highest number of first place votes in Heisman history (behindO.J. Simpson ) and the highest percentage of first place votes,cite news | url=http://www.heisman.com/winners/r-bush05.html | title=2005 - 71st Award - Reggie Bush | work=Heisman.com | publisher=CSTV Networks, Inc | accessdate=2006-07-30] while Young had a record number of second place votes. Bush's 933-point margin of victory was the 17th highest in the history of the Heisman voting. The third finalist was USC'sMatt Leinart , who won the Heisman trophy in 2004.cite news | url=http://www.heisman.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121104aaa.html | title=Matt Leinart Of The University Of Southern California Selected As The 2004 Heisman Winner | work=Heisman.com | publisher=CSTV Networks, Inc | date=11 December 2004 | accessdate=2006-07-30] This Rose Bowl would mark the first time two Heisman trophy winners would ever play in the same backfield.cite news | url=http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?p=215834&highlight=&sid=030fd666b7aeb81e93fed24ee63f8ec2 | title=Finalists for Heisman Trophy announced | work=SportingNews.com | publisher=Sporting News | date=7 December 2005 | accessdate=2006-07-30]The game's outcome was in doubt until the final minute of play. With 19 seconds left on the game clock, Vince Young ran for a touchdown and regained the lead for the Longhorns. He followed up by running the ball into the end zone for a two-point conversion. Leinart had time to attempt one pass but his pass fell out of bounds as time expired; UT beat USC by the score of 41–38.cite news| url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/rosebowl.htm | title=Texas vs Southern California | date=January 4, 2006 | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30]
Young completed 30 of 40 passes for 267 yards and carried the ball 19 times for 200 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns. His 467 total yards set a new Rose Bowl and BCS Championship Game record. He won the Rose Bowl "Most Valuable Player" (MVP) award for the second consecutive year, joining
Ron Dayne ,Bob Schloredt , and Charles White as the only two-time winners but the only player from outside the Big Ten orPac 10 . David Thomas' ten receptions set a UT record for most receptions in a game by atight end .Prior to the game, commentators had postulated that the 2005 USC team was one of or even "the" "greatest team of all-time".cite news | url=http://www.slate.com/id/2133477/?nav=mpp | title=Trojan Farce - Why USC is overrated. | author=Chait, Jonathan | work=Slate.com | publisher=Washington Post.Newsweek Interactive Co. LLC | date=30 December 2005 | accessdate=2007-08-03] [cite news | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19988287/ | title=The greatest ever? | work=MSNBC.com | publisher=NBC Universal / Microsoft | date=July 27, 2007 | accessdate=2007-08-07] [cite news | url=http://austinist.com/2006/01/05/superman.php | work=Austinist.com | publisher=Gothamist | title=SUPERMAN!!! | date=January 5, 2006 | accessdate=2007-08-07] ESPN analysts were virtually unanimous in their declaration of the 2005 USC Trojans as the best offense in the history of college football,cite news | url=http://www.burntorangenation.com/story/2006/6/26/161335/803 | title=ESPY Nominations for Texas! Yay? | work=BurntOrangeNation.com | publisher=SportsBlogs, Inc | date=26 January 2006 | accessdate=2007-08-07] despite the fact that they were in second place behind Texas in terms of points scored during the season. ESPN analysts
Mark May andKirk Herbstreit declared, before the 2005 Rose Bowl had even been played, that the 2005 USC Trojans were the 2nd best college football team of the past 50 years. May placed them behind only 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers; Herbstreit behind only 2001 Miami Hurricanes. This led to Texas fans at the Rose Bowl mockingly chanting "Best...Team...Ever" during the post-game celebration.cite news | url=http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/longhorns/entries/2006/01/05/chanting_like_champs.html | title=Chanting like champs | work=Austin American-Statesman |publisher=Cox Enterprises | date=January 5, 2006 | accessdate=2006-12-14] Stewart Mandell of "Sports Illustrated" observed, "ESPN spent the better part of Christmas season comparing that Trojans squad to some of the most acclaimed teams of all time only to find out that they weren’t even the best team that season." [cite news | url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_blogs/football/ncaa/2007/07/best-in-history-slow-down-there-jim.html | title='Best In History?' Slow Down There, Jim | work=Sports Illustrated | publisher=Time Warner | author=Mandell, Stewart | date=July 29, 2007 | accessdate=2007-08-06]Texas' Rose Bowl win was the 800th victory in school historycite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/fb_notes_082806.pdf | format =
PDF | title=Texas - Game 1 | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-10-22] and it earned the Longhorns their fourth consensus national championship in football.cite news | url=http://www.ncaa.org/champadmin/ia_football_past_champs.html | title=Past Division I-A Football National Champions | work=NCAA.org | accessdate=2006-06-27] Since the game, the media, coaches, and other commentators have heaped praise upon the Texas team, Young, and the Rose Bowl performance. Both the Rose Bowl win as well as the Longhorns' overall season have both been cited as standing among the greatest performances in college football history by observers such as "College Football News ",cite news | author=Fiutak, Pete | url=http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2006/TQ/Rose_Best.htm | title=Was the 2006 Rose Bowl the best college football game ever? | publiser=College Football News | date=10 January 2006 | accessdate=2006-10-20] cite news | author=Fiutak, Pete | url=http://www.collegefootballnews.com/Almanac/CFN_Formula/CFN_FormulaAllTime.htm |title=Formula and Calculations for All-Time Greatest Football Teams | work=College Football News | accessdate=2006-06-27] the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution ",cite news | url=http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/sportscolumns/entries/2006/01/06/rose_bowl_a_gra.html | title=BCS enjoys 'grand cresendo' | work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution | author=Furman Bisher | date=2006-01-06 | accessdate=2006-12-12] "Scout.com", "Austin American-Statesman ", Bodog Entertainment, [cite news | url=http://www.bodognation.com/sports-betting-news/ncaa-preview-whos-bcs-bound.html | title=NCAA Preview - Who's BCS bound? | work=Bodog.com | publisher=Bodog Entertainment | author=Richards, Carlisle | date=August 18, 2006 | accessdate=2007-08-07] and "Sports Illustrated ".cite news | author=Murphy, Austin | url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/preview/siexclusive/2006/pr/subs/siexclusive/01/05/cf.bcs0109/ | title=The Night is Young's | work=Sports Illustrated | publisher=Time Warner | date=5 January 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-30] ESPN awarded the two teams the 2006ESPY Award for the "Best Game" in any sport.Cite news | url=http://www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2006/07/14/Sports/Texas.Snags.Espy.Trifecta-2131713.shtml?norewrite200607252146&sourcedomain=www.dailytexanonline.com | title=Texas snags ESPY trifecta - 2006 Rose Bowl voted Best Game of the year, Vince gets Best Championship Performance | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | date=14 July 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-25 | author=Fisher, Gerren LaQuint]Texas' win over USC was their ninth consecutive victory when facing a ranked opponent. Texas broke USC's winning streak (then the longest in the nation) at 34 and claimed the longest running winning streak for themselves at 20 wins in a row.cite news | url=http://www.girlstalksports.com/American-Football/NFL/Texas-Longhorns-beat-USC-and-win-Rose-Bowl-20060105594/ | title=Texas Longhorns beat USC and win Rose Bowl | work=GirlsTalkSports.com | publisher=Girls Talk Sports | date=January 5, 2006 | accessdate=2006-12-31] cite news | url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3565516.html | title=Texas stuns USC to win Rose Bowl and national championship | author=Robertson, Dale | work=Houston Chronicle | publisher=Hearst Corporation | date=January 5, 2006 | accessdate=2006-12-31] Texas 20 game winning streak was the second-longest winning streak in school history; Texas had 30 wins in a row from 1968–70.cite news | url=http://www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2005/12/29/RoseBowl2006/Texas.Win.Streak.Impressive.Even.If.Second.To.Usc-1282414.shtml?norewrite200612310405&sourcedomain=www.dailytexanonline.com | title=Texas win streak impressive, even if second to USC | author=Vertuno, Jim | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | date=December 29, 2006 | accessdate=2006-12-29] Texas extended the winning streak to 21 before a September 9, 2006 loss to
Ohio State University . In beating USC, Texas defeated a #1 ranked team for the first time since defeating Alabama in the Orange Bowl on January 1, 1965.cite news | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/bowls/orange.htm | title=Orange Bowl | work=USA Today | publisher=Gannett Company | accessdate=2006-12-31] The Longhorns ended the season ranked third in the all-time list of both total wins and winning percentage (.7143).cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/fb_notes_082806.pdf | format =PDF | title = Texas - Game 1 | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-10-22]Rankings
The pre-season editions of the
Associated Press Poll and "USA Today "Coaches Poll pre-season polls both ranked Texas number two in the nation behind defending National ChampionUniversity of Southern California .cite news | url = http://preseason.stassen.com/consensus/2005.html#national | title = 2005 Preseason Consensus | work=Stassen.com | publisher=Stassen | accessdate = 2006-07-24 ] The two teams maintained those rankings throughout the entire 2005 regular season. Texas was ranked second in each week of the BCS rankings, except for one week where Texas took the top spot with USC falling to number two. [cite web | title=College Football Rankings | publisher=ESPN | accessdate=2007-08-27 | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankingsindex?pollId=null&weekNumber=16&seasonYear=2005 ] [cite web | title=2005 Bowl Championship Series Standings | url=http://www.bcsfootball.org/files/bcs-2005.pdf | publisher=The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, Inc | accessdate=2006-07-20|format=PDF] The BCS rankings during 2005 were based on a formula which factored in the votes of two human polls (the USA Today coach's poll and the Harris Interactive poll), combined with a variety of computer rankings. cite web | url=http://www.bcsfootball.org/index2.cfm?page=standings | title=BCS Standings | work=BCSfootball.org | publisher=FoxSports.com | accessdate=2006-07-31 The computer rankings favored Texas as the #1 team throughout the entire season, due partly to Texas's wins over ranked programs such asOhio State University andTexas Tech University . [cite news | url= http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbt05.htm | title= Jeff Sagarin NCAA football ratings | work=USA Today | publisher=Gannett Company | date=December 2005 | accessdate=2007-09-05] [cite news | url= http://www.fanblogs.com/bcs_poll/005984.php | title= BCS Poll 2005 - Week 2 | work=Texas Longhorns | publisher=Rivals.com | date=October 24, 2005 | accessdate=2007-09-05]On October 24, 2005, Texas passed USC in the BCS rankings due to a strong showing in the computer rankings, which favored the Longhorns because of the overall strength of their opponents as well as the October 22, 2005 win over previously unbeaten Texas Tech. The first place ranking was the first for UT in the BCS era, and the first top ranking in any major football poll since October 8, 1984, when they were atop both the Associated Press and Coaches polls. [cite news | author=Veyhl, Jake | url=http://www.dailytexanonline.com/news/2005/10/25/TopStories/Longhorns.No.1.For.First.Time.In.Bcs.Rankings-1032632.shtml | title=Longhorns Number 1 for First Time in BCS Rankings | date=October 25, 2005 | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | accessdate=2007-08-20] The 0.0007% margin separating Texas from USC was the slimmest margin between the top two teams since the inception of BCS rankings. [cite news | author=Harmonson, Todd | url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051025/news_1s25bcs.html | title=Texas ascends to No. 1 in BCS ahead of USC | date=October 25, 2005 | work=The San Diego Union-Tribune | publisher=Copley Press | accessdate=2007-08-20]
The stay at the top was short-lived. With the October 31, 2005 BCS rankings, Texas remained first in the computer rankings, with Virginia Tech pulling even with USC for number two in the computer rankings. However, USC remained atop both human polls and was able to reclaim the top overall ranking. Texas and USC won the rest of their games and faced each other in the National Championship, which Texas won 41–38. This was only the 35th meeting of the two top-ranked teams in the history of college football, including both regular season and bowl games. [cite news | url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/college/4165951.html | title=Poll shift means 1 will play 2 - Ohio State, UT get ready to clash in Austin | | work=Houston Chronicle | publisher=Hearst Corporation | author=Duarte, Joseph | date=September 6, 2006 | accessdate=2006-09-07] The BCS system now ensures that the two top teams in the BCS rankings face each other annually in a national championship game,cite news | url=http://www.bcsfootball.org/bcsfb/eligibility | title=BCS Selection Policies and Procedures | work=BCSFootball.org | publisher=The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, Inc | accessdate=2007-08-29] but the methodology for ranking the teams remains controversial among fans and sportswriters.cite news | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2245440 | title=Congress to look into 'deeply flawed' BCS system | work=ESPN.com | publisher=The Walt Disney Company | date=December 2, 2005 | accessdate=2007-08-29]
The 2005 season marks only the eighth time in 50 years that exactly two teams have gone into the bowl season undefeated. This has been a major criticism of the BCS format, which does not use a playoff to determine the national championship. Unless there are exactly two&nbps;unbeaten teams the choice of the top two teams can generate controversy. If more than two undefeated teams remain, then one or more of those teams must be left out. If one or fewer undefeated teams remain, then an opponent must be chosen from among the one-loss teams, meaning that other one-loss teams will be left out. [cite news | url=http://www.whatifsports.com/insider/default.asp?article=20061205 | title=BCS Inequities and Solutions | author=Swartz, Elliot | work=WhatIfSports.com | publisher=What if Sports | accessdate=2007-08-17] [cite news | url=http://www.bceaglesfootball.com/bcnotes2005.htm | title=Boston College Football Notes | work=BCEaglesFootball.com | publisher=Boston College | date=January 6, 2006 | accessdate=2007-08-17]
In the eight National Championship games through the 2006 Rose Bowl, the team ranked number one prior to the game has won five times, while the number two team has won three times. Up to the 2007 season, no school had won the BCS championship twice.cite news | url=http://www.bcsfootball.org/news.cfm?headline=56 | title=Bowl Championship Series Week-by-Week Standings | work=BCSFootball.org | publisher=The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, Inc | accessdate=2006-07-30] In the final polls after the bowl games, Texas received all 62 first place votes in the Coaches Poll [cite news | title=Final Dec. 4th Rankings from the Harris Interactive College Football Poll | work=HarrisInteractive.com | publisher=Harris Interactive | url=http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/newsletters/bcsnews/BCS_Dec_4_2005.pdf | accessdate=2006-07-20 | format=PDF] and all 65 first place votes in the AP Poll. [cite news | title=College Football Rankings | work=ESPN.com | publisher=The Walt Disney Company | accessdate=2006-07-20 | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankingsindex?pollId=null&weekNumber=16&seasonYear=2005]
After the season
Analysts labeled the team, their season, and their championship victory as the greatest or among the greatest in the history of the sport.
College Football News judged the 2005 Longhorns to have played the greatest college football season ever.cite news | author=Fiutak, Pete | url = http://www.collegefootballnews.com/Almanac/CFN_Formula/CFN_FormulaAllTime.htm | title = Formula and Calculations for All-Time Greatest Football Teams | work=CollegeFootballNews.com | publisher=College Football News | accessdate=2006-06-27] Sports-writers at College Football News also consider the 2006 Rose Bowl to be the best college football game ever played.cite news | url=http://cfn.scout.com/2/564658.html | title=Tuesday Question - Ten Greatest Bowl Games | date=September 5, 2006 | work=Scout.com | publisher=College Football News | author=Cirminiello, Richard and Harris, John | accessdate=2006-12-13] [cite news | author=Fiutak, Pete | url=http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2006/TQ/Rose_Best.htm | title=Was the 2006 Rose Bowl the best college football game ever? | work=CollegeFootballNews.com | publisher=College Football News | date=January 10, 2006 | accessdate=2007-08-20]Furman Bisher of theAtlanta Journal-Constitution said "if there ever has been a greater game, I never saw it, and I’ve been watching college football games since 1934."cite news | url = http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/sportscolumns/entries/2006/01/06/rose_bowl_a_gra.html | title=BCS enjoys 'grand cresendo' | work=AJC.com | publisher = Atlanta Journal-Constitution | author = Furman Bisher | date=2006-01-06 | accessdate = 2006-12-12] "Scout.com" called it "one of the best national title games ever",cite news | url=http://louisianastate.scout.com/2/596414.html | title=Is the bloom off the Rose? | author=Defresne, Chris | work=Scout.com | publisher=College Football News | date=December 1, 2006 | accessdate=2006-12-13] while Kevin Hench of Fox Sports called it "perhaps the greatest college football game ever played." [cite news | url=http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/6185260 | author=Hench, Kevin | title=Turkey Shoot: Top 10 disappointments of 2006 | publisher=Fox Broadcasting Company | work=FoxSports.com | date=June 1, 2007 | accessdate=2007-08-20]ESPN declared the 2006 Rose Bowl Game an instant classic and re-aired it within a week of the original broadcast.cite news | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/classic/news/story?id=2281595 | title=2006 BCS Encore | work=ESPN | publisher=The Walt Disney Company | accessdate=2006-07-27] ESPN later awarded the 2006ESPY Award to the Longhorns and Trojans for the 2006 "Best Game" in any sport.cite news | url=http://www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2006/07/14/Sports/Texas.Snags.Espy.Trifecta-2131713.shtml?norewrite200607252146&sourcedomain=www.dailytexanonline.com | title=Texas snags ESPY trifecta - 2006 Rose Bowl voted Best Game of the year, Vince gets Best Championship Performance | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | date=14 July 2006 | accessdate=2006-08-20 | author=Fisher, Gerren LaQuint] Vince Young and Matt Leinart accepted the award on behalf of their teams.cite news | title= Texas Longhorns at the 2006 ESPY Awards - Lance Armstrong & Vince Young Video | work=Meanhorn | publisher=Google.com | date=21 July 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-24 | url=http://meanhorn.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_meanhorn_archive.html] ESPN columnist Mark Schlabach ranked the 2005 Texas Longhorns as fourth-best among the first ten BCS-era champions.cite news | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=schlabach_mark&id=3406050&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1 | title=2001 Hurricanes cream of BCS champions crop | author=Schlabach, Mark | work=Espn.com | publisher=Espn | date=May 21, 2008 | accessdate=2008-05-21]The championship game drew attention from political figures. Head Coach Mack Brown took a congratulatory call from United States President
George W. Bush , who told Brown, "Congratulations on a wonderful moment...Tell the team congratulations, we're proud of them."cite news | last = Travers | first = Karen | url = http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=1474572&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312 | title = President Bush Wakes Up to Catch Longhorns' Rose Bowl Triumph on TV | work=ABCNews.com | publisher = The Walt Disney Company | date = January 5, 2005 | accessdate = 2007-01-02]White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said Bush wished Brown and the Longhorns all the best, and said that he looked forward to having them visit theWhite House soon. Bush was formerly a Governor of Texas and his daughter Jenna is a UT graduate.cite news | url=http://www.dailytexanonline.com/news/2006/01/04/TopStories/Bush-Calls.Mack.Brown.To.Congratulate.Longhorns-1308496.shtml | title=Bush calls Mack Brown to congratulate Longhorns | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | date=January 4, 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-27] On February 14, 2006, Bush did host the team and coaches at the White House.cite news| title=President Welcomes University of Texas Longhorns, 2005 NCAA Football Champions, to the White House | work=WhiteHouse.gov | publisher=Office of the President of the United States | url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/02/20060214.html | date=14 February 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-27] California GovernorArnold Schwarzenegger lost a bet withTexas Governor Rick Perry on the outcome and had to send Perry a basket of “California wines, fruit and other goodies”.cite news | url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2005_Dec_30/ai_n15978274 | title=California and Texas Governors Bet Prized Agricultural Products on Rose Bowl Outcome | work=FindArticles.com | publisher=Business Wire | date=December 30, 2005 | accessdate=2007-09-05] The food was donated to National Guard troops in Texas. [cite news | url=http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/press-release/1116/ | title=Governor Schwarzenegger and Texas Governor Rick Perry Place Friendly Wager Over Rose Bowl Game | work=CA.gov | publisher=Office of the Governor of California | date=December 30, 2005 | accessdate=2007-09-05] Both governors also offered autographed, handmade cowboy boots that were auctioned to benefit survivors ofHurricane Rita andHurricane Katrina . [cite news | url=http://keyetv.com/rosebowl/local_story_015225406.html | title=Perry Thanks Longhorns, Awards Governor's Cup | work=KEYETV.com | publisher=CBS | date=January 15, 2006 | accessdate=2007-09-05]Los Angeles MayorAntonio Villaraigosa , lost a bet with Austin MayorWill Wynn and had to send a basket of produce, such as avocados, from a local farmers' market; Wynn had bet Texas finest barbecue.cite news | title=Fans turn out early at Rose Bowl for national championship game |url=http://www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2006/01/04/RoseBowl2006/Fans-Turn.Out.Early.At.Rose.Bowl.For.National.Championship.Game-1308430-page2.shtml?norewrite200607130306&sourcedomain=www.dailytexanonline.com | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | date=2006-01-04 | accessdate=2006-07-13]Seconds after Texas beat Southern California 41-38, the university lit the UT tower orange, the traditional signal of victory on the campus. [cite news | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls05/news/story?id=2280931 | title=Tower lit orange as UT students celebrate title | work=ESPN | publisher=The Walt Disney Company | date=January 5, 2006 | accessdate=2007-08-28] Since this was a national championship, office lights were also left selectively lit in order to form a number "1" on all four sides of the tower (pictured). Texas students and fans spilled onto the streets of Austin and made their way to campus for an impromptu celebration. Though police were out in force, there were no reports of problems.cite news | url=http://www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2006/01/04/TopStories/Ut.Students.Erupt.In.Victory-1308419.shtml?norewrite200607130315&sourcedomain=www.dailytexanonline.com | title=UT students erupt in victory | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | author=McNamara, Jonathan | date=2006-01-04 | accessdate=2006-07-13] The school commissioned a painting titled "
The University of Texas National Championship 2005 " byOpie Otterstad to commemorate the win in the Rose Bowl and the National Championship.cite news | title=May 6-7 UT Championship Commemorative - Painting Unveiling | url=http://downtownaustin.com/newsarchive/2006_04_30_archive | work=DowntownAutin.com | publisher=Downtown Austin Alliance | date=6 May 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-26]Special editions of magazines and products featured the team. "
Dave Campbell's Texas Football " put out a 45,000-copy special issue titled "One for the Ages - Vince Young Leads Longhorns to the Fourth National Title". This issue included a column from Longhorn fanMatthew McConaughey as well as 15 pages of photos from the Rose Bowl. The cover featured Young kissing the "crystal football" national championship trophy.cite news | title = One for the Ages - Vince Young Leads Longhorns to the Fourth National Title | date = January 2001 | work=Dave Campbell's Texas Football | publisher=Host Communications Inc. | pages=3–90]Sports Illustrated held up their regular weekly edition to await the results of the Rose Bowl. They finally went to press with a cover showing Young diving into the end zone with the label "Superman ". Analysis inside the issue gave Young a large part of the credit for the win.cite news | title =Superman | work=Sports Illustrated | date = January 9, 2006 | publisher =Time Warner | pages=30–39] They also printed a special commemorative issue in the state of Texas with Young on the cover, shouting in triumph amidst a storm of multi-coloredconfetti after winning the game. Features in the special edition included a story on "Vince Young's Glory Days" by Tim Layden, as well as a story dissecting "How the" Rose Bowl "was won" by Austin Murphy. The issue was on sale alongside the regular edition of the magazine.General Mills produced a commemorative issueWheaties box featuring Mack Brown and a Texas Longhorns football helmet on the front. The commemorative packaging was sold nationwide. Texas is the first national college football champion to be featured since Nebraska was on the box in 1997.cite news | title=Longhorns get cereal bowl win: Wheaties cover | work=ESPN.com | publisher=The Walt Disney Company | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls05/news/story?id=2281303 | accessdate=2006-07-27]Individual players and coaches also received honors. "Vince Young Day" was proclaimed by Mayor Bill White in Houston,
Texas on January 10, 2006, to honor the Houston native. White said that Young is "an inspiration to all Houstonians, both young and old."cite news | url=http://www.houstontx.gov/mayor/gallery/vinceyoung.html | title=Vince Young Day in Houston, Texas - Jan. 10, 2006 | publisher=City of Houston | work=HoustonTx.gov | accessdate=2006-07-27] On January 15, 2006, 51,244 Texas fans gathered inDarrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium to celebrate the team and their victorious season.cite news |url=http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/news/stories/local/01/16utcelebration.html |title=Celebrating a championship, at last - More than 50,000 attend Longhorn celebration | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | date=2006-01-16 | accessdate=2006-07-13] Mack Brown was named the Paul "Bear" Bryant College Football Coach of the Year, as voted on by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Brown became the first winner of the award from UT sinceDarrell Royal in 1963.cite news | url=http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2006/01/18/RoseBowlTab/Head-Coach.Reaches.Summit-1434846.shtml |title=Head coach reaches summit - Fans looking at Brown in new light after national championship run | work=The Daily Texan | publisher=Texas Student Media | date=18 January 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-27 | author=Veyhl, Jake] The championship season lifted the reputation of Mack Brown and the offensive coordinator, Greg Davis. Davis was consistently criticized for over-conservative play-calling. After the championship win the criticism quieted down, but did not go away completely. As of 2007 sportswriters continue to debate whether Vince Young and the other talented UT players succeeded despite Davis or because of him. [cite news | url=http://texas.scout.com/2/628021.html | title=The Top Ten Controversies in Texas History | author=Lucksinger, Ross | work=Scout.com | publisher=College Football News | | date=March 19, 2007 | accessdate=2007-04-25] [cite news |url=http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/longhorns/11/03/3bohls.html | title=It's time to give credit to Greg Davis - Longhorns have best offensive coordinator in Big 12 | work=Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises | author=Bohls, Kirk | date=November 3, 2006 | accessdate=2007-01-17]Despite previous statements that he would return for his senior season, redshirt junior quarterback Vince Young announced that he would forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility and made himself eligible for the 2006
National Football League draft.cite news | url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/scorecard/01/13/truth.rumors.college/ | title=Truth and Rumors | work=Sports Illustrated | publisher=Time Warner | date=January 13, 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-13] TheTennessee Titans chose him as the third overalldraft pick . Besides Young, five other Longhorns from this championship team joined professional teams through the2006 NFL Draft -Michael Huff (number 7 overall),Cedric Griffin (number 48 overall), David Thomas (number 86 overall), Jonathan Scott (number 141 overall) andRodrique Wright (number 222 overall).cite news | url=http://nfl.com/draft/drafttracker/school/TX | title=Draft Tracker - Texas | work=NFL.com - Official website of the NFL | date=30 April 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-27] As a result, fullbackAhmard Hall was re-united with his former team-mate Vince Young in the NFL, playing for Tennessee.cite news | url=http://www.pfcritics.com/news101/FBAhmardHallJoinsVinceYoun.php | work=PFCritics.com | publisher=Pro Football Critics | title=FB Ahmard Hall Joins Vince Young | accessdate=2006-07-13] One year later, seven more members of this team were selected in the2007 NFL Draft - Michael Griffin (number 19 overall),Aaron Ross (number 20 overall),Justin Blalock (number 39 overall),Tim Crowder (number 56 overall),Brian Robison (number 102 overall),Tarell Brown (number 147 overall),Kasey Studdard (number 183 overall).cite news |url=http://insider.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft/tracker/school?id=2432&action=login&appRedirect=http%3A%2F%2Finsider.espn.go.com%2Fnfldraft%2Fdraft%2Ftracker%2Fschool%3Fid%3D2432 | title=NCAA Schools: TEXAS | work=ESPN | publisher=The Walt Disney Company | date=April 29, 2007 | accessdate=2007-05-01]Lyle Sendlein andSelvin Young were not drafted but signed with NFL teams as free agents.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=40&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=2797&change_well_id=2 | title=2007 NFL Draft | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2007-05-01] In the2008 NFL Draft , five more Longhorns from this team were selected: Limas Sweed (number 53rd overall), Jamaal Charles (number 73 overall), Jermichael Finley (number 91 overall),Tony Hills (number 130 overall), andFrank Okam (number 151 overall).cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=40&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=3780&change_well_id=2 | title=Five Longhorns chosen in 2008 NFL Draft | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | date=April 27, 2008 | accessdate=2008-05-10] In addition,Brandon Foster ,Marcus Griffin ,Nate Jones andDerek Lokey agreed to sign free-agent contracts with NFL teams.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=40&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=3781&change_well_id=2 | title=Four Longhorns to sign NFL free-agent contracts | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | date=April 28, 2008 | accessdate=2008-05-10]For the
fiscal year which ended in August 2005, just as the 2005 football season was starting, Texas was the nation's richest and most profitable football program, with revenue of $53.2 million, and a profit of $38.7 million. Following the national championship, for the 2005–2006 fiscal year, UT also led the nation in royalties from merchandise sales, setting a new national record at $8.2 million. These royalties went to the University as a whole, not specifically to the athletics programs. [cite news | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/2006-08-26-ncaa-merchandise_x.htm?POE=SPOISVA | title=Longhorns knock off Tar Heels to lead nation in merchandising revenue | work=USA Today | publisher=Gannett Company | date=August 26, 2006 | accessdate=2007-04-25] The team topped the merchandise rankings again for he 2006–2007 fiscal year.cite news|url=http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/longhorns/08/16/0816royalties.html|title=Texas repeats as national champion in merchandising| work=The Austin American-Statesman | publisher=Cox Enterprises |accessdate=2007-08-17|date=2007-08-16|author=Maher, John]The official website of UT football posted a special logo (pictured) proclaiming the Longhorns as the national champions. cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | title=National Champions | accessdate=2006-01-20] The logo featured the script "National Champions" centered prominently in the center, with "MACKBROWN-TEXASFOOTBALL.COM" in the lower left and "THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS LONGHORNS" in the lower right. In the background was an image of a rose, with a small Longhorn symbol appearing in front of the rose and between the two sections of the smaller print. In the upper right-hand side, the years "1963, 1969, 1970, 2005" appear, with the "2005" given special emphasis. These years correspond to the four consensus national championships won by the UT football team. The special logo was removed from the website's home page after a few months, but as of 2007 it is still found on certain portions of the site related to the 2005 season.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=40&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=1959&change_well_id=2 | title=2005 Schedule/Results | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30]
List of accomplishments
Longhorn players from both the offense and defense set records for their performance during the season or received national recognition and awards.
*Vince Young won theDavey O'Brien Award , presented annually to the quarterback adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. [cite news | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/awards?awardId=3 | title=Davey O'Brien Award | work=ESPN | publisher=The Walt Disney Company | accessdate=2007-02-20] Young also won theMaxwell Award , presented annually to the nation's top college football player as adjudged by a panel ofsportscaster s,sportswriter s, andNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)head coach es and the membership of theMaxwell Football Club . [cite news | url=http://www.maxwellfootballclub.org/content/awards/maxwell/2005/bio_young.htm | title=The Maxwell Award - College Player of the Year | work=MaxwellFootballClub.org | publisher=Maxwell Football Club | accessdate=2007-02-20] Furthermore, he won theManning Award , the only quarterback award which takes into account the athlete's performance in the bowl season, as opposed to being awarded at the end of regular season play. [cite news | url=http://www.allstatesugarbowl.com/manning.php?content=manning§ion=manning | title=Manning Award | work=AllStateSugarBowl.com | publisher=All State Sugar Bowl | accessdate=2007-02-21]
*Young had 1,050 rushing yards and 3,036 passing yards, making him the first player inNCAA Division I-A or I-AA history to rush for 1,000 yards and throw for 2,500 yards in a single season.cite news | url=http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/football_records_book/2006/2006_d1_football_records_book.pdf | title= 2006 Division I-A/I-AA Football Records Book | work=NCAA.org | publisher= National Collegiate Athletic Association | year=2006 | accessdate=2007-02-21|format=PDF]
*In 2007, ESPN compiled a list of the top 100 plays in college football history; Vince Young's game-winning toucdhown in the2006 Rose Bowl ranked number 5.cite news | title=Iconic moments for college football's time capsule | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=maisel_ivan&id=2915514# | work=ESPN.com | publisher=The Disney Company | date=June 25, 2007 | accessdate=2008-08-29]
*Michael Huff, Jonathan Scott, Rodrique Wright, and Vince Young were named to first team of the 2005 Associated PressAll-America n Team; Justin Blalock and Aaron Harris were named to the third team. [cite news | url=http://www.nationalchamps.net/2005/awards/AA_ap.htm | title=AP All-American team | work=NationalChamps.net | publisher= National Collegiate Athletic Association | accessdate=2007-02-20]
*Michael Huff won theJim Thorpe Award , presented annually to the top defensive back in college football as adjudged by theJim Thorpe Association . [cite news | url=http://www.jimthorpeassoc.org/Awards/JTAPastWinners.html | title=The Jim Thorpe Award - Past Winners | work=JimThorpeAssoc.org | publisher=Jim Thorpe Association | accessdate=2007-02-20]The team also set school and NCAA records and received accolades.
*UT completed the ninth perfect season in the history of Longhorn football,cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=36&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=1349&change_well_id=2 | title=University of Texas - all time records | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-12-05] and the first undefeated season since 1969.
*This season marked the first football championship by any university in Texas since the 1970 UT championship season.cite news | url=http://www.ncaa.org/champadmin/ia_football_past_champs.html | title=Past Division I-A Football National Champions | work=NCAA.org | publisher= National Collegiate Athletic Association | accessdate=2006-12-31]
*The Longhorns finished the season as the only unbeaten team in the nation, going 13–0 overall.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/06_records_3_big12.pdf | format =PDF | title=All Time Big-12 Standings | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-06-26] Texas won 13 games in a season for the first time in school history.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=&url_article_id=1877&change_well_id=2 | title=Rose Bowl Game Notes | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-12-31] As of 2007, only 2 teams have ever won more games (14) in a single NCAA Division I-A football season: Brigham Young in 1996 and Ohio State University in 2002. Fourteen other teams have scored 13 wins in a season.
*With the conclusion of the 2005 season, UT posted five consecutive ten-win seasons and eight consecutive nine-win campaigns for the first time in school history (though seasons are generally longer than in the past).
*Texas' 652 points are aNCAA Division I record for points scored in a season. The previous record was 624 points scored by Nebraska in 1983. Their 50.2 points per game set a new school record.
*The Horns set two new school records for total yardage. The first was a new single-season total-yardage record with 6,657, passing the previous record of 5,709 set in 2003. Of the 6,657 yards, 556 yards were earned in the Rose Bowl. The second record was most total yards per game at 512.1. They also set a school single-season record for yards per rushing play with 5.9.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/records_season_statistics.pdf | title=Season Statistics (1953-2006) | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | format=PDF | publisher=University of Texas & Host Interactive | year=2007 | accessdate=2007-08-29]
*In total yards per play, 2005 stands second on the UT record list with 7.07. The record for most yards per play is held by the 1993 team with 7.44.
*With 5 rushing touchdowns scored in the Rose Bowl, Texas scored 55 for the season, setting a new single-season school record. The old record of 52 touchdowns was set in 1969 and equaled in 1970.cite news | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/doc_lib/records_team.pdf | title=Team Records | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | format=PDF | accessdate=2007-02-21]
*On January 25, 2006, theUnited States Senate bestowed another honor on the team when SenatorKay Bailey Hutchison presented Senate Resolution 352 commending the team for winning their fourth national championship.cite news | url=http://www.senate.gov/~hutchison/speec485.htm | title=Senate Resolution 352 - Commending the University of Texas at Austin Longhorns Football Team for Winning the 2005 Bowl Championship Series National Championship | work=Congressional Record | publisher=United States Senate | date=25 January 2006 | accessdate=2006-07-30]Notes and references
*cite news |url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=40&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=1959&change_well_id=2 | title=Official website of UT football - 2005 National Champions | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2006-07-30
*cite news| title=2005 Bowl Championship Series Standings | url=http://www.bcsfootball.org/files/bcs-2005.pdf | format = PDF | work=BCSFootball.org | publisher = The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, Inc | accessdate=2006-07-30
*cite news | title=2005 UT Cumulative Season Statistics | url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/teamstat.htm | work=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com | publisher= University of Texas & Host Interactive | accessdate=2007-04-01
*cite news | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls05/bowls?game=rose | title=2006 Rose Bowl analysis | work=ESPN | publisher=The Walt Disney Company | date=6 January 2006 | accessdate=2007-08-07Further reading
*"Longhorns' Perfect Drive: Texas' 2005 National Championship Season" Sports Publishing (January 15, 2006) ISBN 1-596701-16-1
*"Sports Illustrated CFB Texas" # Time Inc. Magazine Company (January 9, 2006) ISBN 1-580607-62-4
*"Sports Illustrated College Football Championship Commemorative Issue 2006" The Time Inc. Magazine Company (January 6, 2006) ISBN 1-580607-58-6
*"Texas Pride: Longhorn Glory Shines Through an Unforgettable Championship Season" Triumph Books (January 31, 2006) ISBN 1-572438-76-2External links
* [http://www.texasfansite.com Texas Fan Site]
*cite news |url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=40&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=1959&change_well_id=2 | title=Official website of UT football - 2005 National Champions | accessdate=2006-12-12
*cite news | url=http://www.utexasclan.com/hornfans/TheHornsSound.wmv | title=The Horns Sound: 2005 Texas Longhorns Football Season Highlights Video | author="Thelonious Monkey" | format=WMV | accessdate=2006-12-12
*cite news | url=http://www.utexasclan.com/photos/videos.php | title=2005 Texas Longhorns Football Highlights | work=UTexasClan.com | publisher=UTexas Clan Publishing | accessdate=2006-12-12
*cite news | url=http://www.hornhub.com | title=Texas Longhorns Football Links | work=HornHub.com | accessdate=2006-12-12
*cite news | url=http://www.big12sports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/010506aaa.html | title=Photo Gallery | publisher=Big 12 Conference | work=Big12Sports.com | accessdate=2006-12-12
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