By Bruce CampbellStaff Writer
DALLAS -- Oklahoma couldn't play the ifs-and-buts game after taking a 45-12 whipping from arch-rival Texas in the Cotton Bowl Saturday -- their first loss to the Longhorns in six years.
Texas out-gained the Sooners 444-171 in scoring the most points by a Longhorn team in the 100-year history of the series.
Sooner fans might have asked what would have happened had a Zach Latimer interception not been called back by a pass interference penalty with the Sooners trailing only 14-6.
OU would have had a first down at the Texas 30. Instead, the Longhorns had a first down at the Sooner 46. They ended up with a 37-yard field goal by David Pino.
"That was the real breaking point,'' said Sooner coach Bob Stoops.
Stoops said he did not question the call of the officials. The officials told Stoops they didn't see the number of the player who committed the foul. The Texas play-by-play sheet listed linebacker Clint Ingram as the culprit.
Texas further shocked OU when Vince Young connected with Billy Pittman for a 64-yard touchdown pass with just 17 seconds left to take a comfortable 24-6 lead.
Texas coach Mack Brown said the Longhorns were in control of the game before the Young to Pittman play. The timing of it gave UT extra security going into halftime with an 18-point lead.
"It did send a message,'' Brown said. "It was an important score. It put us up by three scores, which is a huge difference."'
The Young-to-Pittman pass told the story of the Sooners' day. The defense made its share of plays, but broke down at the wrong time.
In the first half the Longhorns had 299 yards on 37 plays. Almost half of that (144) came on Texas' two touchdowns -- an 80-yard run by Jamaal Charles with 1:18 left in the first quarter, and the Young-to-Pittman pass play.
"We did play well most of the time,'' said OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables, "but we can't give up big plays like that."'
Charles broke several tackles before spinning free and out-running the Sooner defense to the end zone.
"I'll give all the credit to Jamaal Charles,'' Venables said, "but we have shown that we are better than that."'
A broken coverage, Venables said, was responsible for Pittman being wide open.
Young threw a career-high three touchdown passes, throwing a 15-yard strike to Ramonce Taylor in the first quarter and a 27-yard pass to Pittman with 5:26 left in the third period.
"I'm staying more relaxed and I'm more prepared,'' Young said. "Oklahoma has a great defense. They threw several things at us. If you're not prepared for it, you're not going to do anything."'
The junior quarterback, who was 0-2 previously against OU, was held to 45 yards rushing on 17 carries.
The Longhorns were shut out by the Sooners a year ago.
"I've been telling you guys all along that I'm a passer,'' Young said.
While the Longhorn receivers were making plays, the Sooners weren't.
OU was unable to take full advantage of field position.
B.J. Wolfe forced Charles to fumble at the Longhorn 26 with Texas ahead 7-3. OU stalled at the nine.
The Sooners were six of 18 in third-down conversions. The 171 yards (77 yards rushing and 94 passing) were OU's lowest yardage output of the season.
While Young was 14 of 27 for 241 yards, OU redshirt freshman Rhett Bomar was 12 of 33 for 94 yards. He was sacked three times. Stoops said a lack of protection was the biggest reason for OU's ineffectiveness.
"When we did protect him, we didn't convert our opportunities,'' Stoops said.
One other reason was the absence of Adrian Peterson, who was nursing a bad ankle. Peterson, who rushed for 225 yards against Texas last year, had 10 yards on three carries and didn't play the second half.
Peterson didn't start, Stoops said, because of the lack of snaps he had in practice this week.
"He wasn't making the cuts he was used to making,'' Stoops said. "We knew there was a chance he may not play."'
Offensive coordinator Chuck Long said Peterson's absence did put more pressure on Bomar. Bomar wasn't sure if Peterson would have made a major difference.
"I'm sure (Peterson) would have played well,'' Bomar said, "but it's different this year than it was last year. We're a lot younger."'
