Longhorns hook big win against top-ranked Sooners

DALLAS — The second half had been an afterthought for No. 1 Oklahoma this season.

It became the Sooners' undoing.

Texas refused to disappear as all the other Oklahoma opponents had this season, responding every time for a 45-35 win. In the process, the fifth-ranked Longhorns inserted themselves into the national-championship conversation.

The 80 combined points were a record for the 103-game series, as offensive records fell like dominoes before a record crowd of 92,182 Saturday at the expanded Cotton Bowl.

"It's OU-Texas," Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo said. "What else can you say? It's the Cotton Bowl. It doesn't get much bigger than that."

Texas (6-0, 2-0 Big 12) manufactured an upset victory behind quarterback Colt McCoy. Oklahoma counterpart Sam Bradford might have possessed the more impressive numbers, with 387 yards passing and five touchdown passes — both series records — as Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp opted for a four-man pass rush. But after scoring on its first possession of the second half, Oklahoma (5-1, 1-1) managed only one more touchdown.

McCoy engineered the victory with 308 yards total offense, finding favorite receivers Jordan Shipley and Quan Cosby, buying time and checking down to his secondary receivers.

"A lot of credit goes to [McCoy's] game preparation," Shipley said of his friend and roommate. "He works harder than anybody I've seen."

Despite five straight victories to open the season, Texas had remained a mystery.

"We had not played a team as good as Oklahoma," Brown said. "You never know how your team is going to respond to adversity, getting behind especially on this stage. And they answered it today."

No play may have impacted the outcome more than a failed fake punt.

Texas had pulled within 28-27 in the third quarter. Facing fourth-and-six at his own 48, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops called for a fake. Punter Mike Knall was pulled down a foot short of a first down by Curtis Brown.

"I felt it had a chance to give us some momentum," said Stoops, who has now lost three of the last four meetings with Texas after five straight wins (2000-04).

Texas took a 30-28 lead on a 28-yard field goal by Hunter Lawrence on the next possession. After Bradford threw his fifth TD pass, to Manuel Johnson, Texas put together drives of 74 and 80 yards in the fourth quarter.