The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Bill Little commentary: The final four
11.08.2013 | Football, Bill Little Commentary
It is hard to believe that a season which began on Aug. 31 has ticked its way through two thirds of the season.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Texas is down to its final four games of the regular season, and right now the most important is Saturday's meeting with West Virginia. Because that's the game that stands between the Longhorns and the "fourth quarter."
It is hard to believe that a season which began on August 31 has ticked its way through two thirds of the season. Even harder, however, is the unimaginable finish which the Big 12 Conference seems to have in store.
Contenders are playing contenders down the stretch in this league chase, and it is already a nightmare for prognosticators who have wagered a guess as to the outcome.
Mack Brown has always said "they will remember November," and it would appear he is right. And, they may even remember early December as well. But the fact is, you cannot get to tomorrow without going through today, and that's where the trip to West Virginia comes into play for Texas.
The Longhorns -- with their classy "storm trooper white" uniforms, have put together a remarkable road record in Big 12 competition under Brown. This one is unique in that Texas is making its first trip to West Virginia since the Mountaineers became members of the Big 12 Conference last season.
The 'Horns are riding a five game winning streak and are tied with Baylor for the lead in the Big 12. Those two teams actually do play in the final game of the season on December 7, but between now and then both teams have a sack full of work to do.
It begins for Texas with the venture into new territory.
The meter is running on the season. The road trip to Morgantown and the December trip to Waco are bookends sandwiching two home games with Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. You can play with the numbers any way that you will…get past West Virginia and two of your final three games are at home.
The challenge, however, is that West Virginia is fighting to salvage a season. A win in overtime last weekend at TCU invigorated what had been a dissatisfying season for the Mountaineers. Still, a 3-1 home record contains a highlight victory over league pre-season favorite Oklahoma State.
Texas will be trying to maintain its impressive run of late. The defense has been the surprise of the league since conference play began, and the offense has been a strong combination of a running game and effective passing.
Now, Texas gets to take its show on the road once again. The 'Horns won their showdown with Oklahoma in Dallas, and then withstood a three-hour rain delay in Fort Worth to beat TCU. After 42 long days, they finally got to play at home last Saturday, and whisked past winless (in league play) Kansas.
In the movie, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," we have spoken often of the line where the heroes find themselves pursued and the line "who are those guys?" is one of the classics of all of film.
That is the question the Big 12, and to a growing extent, the American college football landscape is asking. Texas, after a 1-2 start, is suddenly a player on the scene again.
Saturday in Morgantown, they will try to keep that going. They have made it to the "Final Four." Now, they will try to get unscathed into the "Fourth Quarter" -- as a 12 game regular season heads surprisingly into the home stretch.