Yearly, Texas and Texas A&M give faculty soccer specialists cause to imagine within the recruiting rankings. The Lonestar State sustains so many applications outdoors of its two bell cows that the idea is the colleges with first dibs must be perennial nationwide title contenders. Then you definitely watch them play, and it makes you surprise how a state so obsessive about soccer is that this dangerous at it.
The Longhorns had been fortunate to outlive a ferocious rally from Kansas State after Wildcat coach Chris Kleiman opted to go for the win on fourth and purpose from the four-yard line in OT and failed. Will Howard’s ultimate try got here in a second of desperation, and UT escaped, 33-30.
The Aggies weren’t so lucky, lacking a game-tying discipline purpose on the whistle that might’ve despatched the competition to time beyond regulation. As an alternative, No. 10 Ole Miss hung onto the win, 38-35, and its high 10 rating heading into Georgia week. Now, Jimbo Fisher’s workforce is 5-4, and boosters in School Station should shell out $125 million in complete buyouts if they need out of their take care of Fisher and his very costly employees.
We’ll get to that in a second, however I simply need to ask UT followers one thing actual fast: Do you suppose Steve Sarkisian is the man? The Longhorns practically gagged up a 20-point lead at dwelling in opposition to a workforce with a evident expertise hole. This solely a pair weeks faraway from letting Houston overcome a 21-point deficit, and needing one other pink zone cease to keep away from time beyond regulation.
After the debut of the School Soccer Playoff rankings this week, Sark stored touting his workforce’s win over Alabama as the perfect win within the nation, and I simply needed somebody to ask him about Houston. And even the Oklahoma sport, that they’d no enterprise shedding. If not for Kansas State botching an additional level and a game-tying discipline purpose (from extra-point vary) within the fourth quarter, their playoff hopes can be kaput.
It doesn’t matter that the Longhorns’ ought to roll by the remainder of convention play. I don’t know if it’s profound conceitedness, however I’m beginning to assume that’s the case, as a result of there’s no different rationalization.
So far as A&M is anxious, Fisher’s workforce is laughably gifted, even by SEC requirements, but fails to execute primary rules each fourth play. Sure, Max Johnson is the son of a sport supervisor in each approach attainable, however there have been a number of second halves this season that Mark Sanchez’s unborn baby may’ve guided the Aggies to wins.
That’s to not make excuses for Fisher, as a result of he conjures up confidence in speaking heads solely. All I’m mentioning is Texas A&M in some way “examined” Alabama, Tennessee, Miami, and now Ole Miss with out actually making them sweat. (Lane Kiffin positively was sweating Saturday, however that’s as a result of he’s not present on confession, and talks a lot trash to Fisher that he would’ve wanted a go away of absence had they misplaced.)
I can not stress how a lot I’m going to benefit from the Texas-Texas A&M reunion subsequent season. These two deserve it. They’re mirror disappointments whose weekly flirtation with greatness and catastrophe is simply matched by one another.
