So by now you probably know that The University of Texas did not win the BCS Championship. I went to Austin for the big game because that's where I was in 2006 when we beat USC. I wanted to recreate everything because I might be a tad superstitious. On the fifth play of the game, Colt McCoy was knocked out of the game on what looked like a regular tackle. One of Alabama's linemen came in and hit (a clean hit) Colt in the "right" spot, on his back to the side of his armpit on his throwing arm. Everyone watching the game didn't know anything was wrong until after the next play. They took a timeout and when they came back we saw that Garrett Gilbert had been in the game. Like I said, it didn't seem like the hit was a bad hit but now we know that he had been hit in a nerve that caused him to lose feeling in his throwing arm.
So we put the entire weight of the state of Texas on the back of Garrett Gilbert, a freshman from right here in Austin. He through a couple of ridiculous interceptions which could've easily been avoided (the receivers were NOT catching the ball like they had been all season long). So the halftime score was 17-6 after a ridiculous interception taken back for a touchdown with only 17 seconds left (should not have happened). I told myself that the game was lost and there was no way that we were going to come back. After halftime, I think Alabama scored another TD on another turnover and I wanted to leave because it was going downhill fast. Well, Gilbert threw a 40 yd TD to Shipley and they ignited our defense and our offense. I think Alabama only gained 7 yards in the third quarter which was huge. With the score being 24-13, we started marching down the field. We were on the 24 yd line (I think) when Gilbert found Shipley wide open for a TD. The entire stadium and City of Austin went wild. Even more awesome was that we converted on the 2-point conversion. By this time, it was the fourth quarter with about 7 minutes to go. Our defense made a huge stop and we got the ball back on the 8 yard line in our own territory. After a few plays, Gilbert was sacked, ball recovered by Alabama and the rest is history.
So for the first time in nine tries, Alabama defeated Texas. Of course, I'm going to be bitter after this loss. Our emotions were on a rollercoaster; we started the game on such a huge high I thought we were going to run away with it (and probably would have had Colt not gotten hurt) but we didn't. We lost. It didn't take too long to realize that we didn't win with the help of all my friends who attend universities in the Southeastern Conference. Oh well, at least we made it there! We went undefeated and won the Big 12 Championship! In the past two years we've only lost two games! That's amazing!
It was an awkward situation for both the winning and losing team. I heard reports out of Pasadena that there wasn't much trash talking after the game because it was haunted by the injury to Colt McCoy and what could've been. I think both teams would have rather the injury not happen because you don't want to give the other team any room for excuses. But, sometimes things don't always work out in your favor and you just have to live with what God throws your way. The way that Colt, the team and the university (students) responded to this loss was unbelievable. The class and character shown by everyone affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin was tremendous. We took this loss, congratulated our opponents and moved on (I'm trying my hardest). It's situations like these that make me so proud of my school and so thankful that God allowed me to be apart of something so great and so unique. Even as an undergrad I felt like we were one big family and that's what I loved about the university. Yes, one big family, all 50K of us. If you have the opportunity to come to the University of Texas, do it. Trust me, you will not regret it. They say that high school is the best time of your life. I always chuckle and shake my head, "You must have went to some other college." I will never forget my time at the University of Texas and I cherish it! What starts here truly changes the world. Texas Fight.
P.S. I don't know if you know but UT has lost the last three national championships that we have been apart of. Two of these championships have been taken by SEC teams (baseball, football) and Penn State (volleyball). Oh yeah and I forgot that in tennis Georgia beat us in 2008 (ahh!). What's going on with us? We get to the big game and then we lose it after having opportunities to win (baseball and volleyball especially). I honestly believe that God is trying to show us some humility (far fetched, I know). As Texans, we are generally very arrogant and cocky. In 2004/2005, we had all the luck in the world! We were winning NCs left and right. Now? We've lost the last five NCs we had an opportunity to win. I look at this in a very optimistic light. I honestly believe God is showing us some crazy humility and in the end will grant us a couple of NCs and it will be glorious. Please don't think I'm crazy but I honestly believe that this will happen soon! It has to. God owes us a couple!
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