COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The third-ranked Texas Longhorns still have their undefeated record and BCS national championship hopes intact.
But the Longhorns found themselves in a much tougher than expected shootout with rival Texas A&M before pulling away for a 49-39 win Thursday night at Kyle Field in their regular-season finale to keep their dreams alive. Texas, which finished 12-0, 8-0 in Big 12, is a win away from a likely BCS national title bid provided the Longhorns make it past Nebraska in next week's Big 12 Championship Game.
The mystery surrounding Dan Hawkins' immediate future at Colorado has been resolved.
Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn announced Thursday morning that the embattled coach will return for his fifth season in 2010 despite four losing seasons. Speculation had mounted in recent weeks as the Colorado Buffaloes spiral at 3-8 – their third non-bowl season in four years.
For a game that used evoke so much emotion on either side and often divided homes and friendships down the middle, this Texas-Texas A&M rivalry has strangely morphed into that just-another-game feel.
Maybe it's the fact the Aggies haven't seriously challenged for the Big 12 South championship this decade, while the Longhorns have seemingly been part of the division title conversation most seasons. Perhaps, it's because Oklahoma, in most years, has been the most dominant team in the South so Texas has directed its energy toward toppling the Sooners in their annual Red River Rivalry Game every October.
Some would might even suggest Texas Tech and --gasp -- Oklahoma State have become greater rivals to the Longhorns than A&M.
Leave it to Texas Tech coach Mike Leach to come up with a brutal assessment of the issues surrounding Kansas coach Mark Mangino and the allegations last week he has been both physically and mentally abusing his players.
Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins has launched an investigation into Mangino's actions after one of his players reported that the head coach poked him during a walk-through practice a couple weeks ago. Since then, several former players have come forth to discuss Mangino's alleged abusive behavior and sometimes mean-spirited verbal attacks.
Leach has never been guilty of playing the politically correct game and he certainly didn't disappoint during this week's Big 12 football coaches call when the subject turned to the storm Mangino is facing.
Colorado coach Dan Hawkins has been adamant the past few seasons that having his son, Cody Hawkins, play quarterback for the Buffaloes was no different than other recruit.
Hawkins did a complete turnaround during Monday's weekly press conference, saying if he had to do it all over again he would not have recruited his own son.
"Not for him, no. Nope. Not at all," Hawkins said. "It's not fair to him. Here is a guy who is trying to do his best to win games and to help his team and does everything right, he's a good student and he's getting killed on Facebook and getting killed on his cell phone.
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy says he expects senior quarterback Zac Robinson to return to the starting lineup for the 11th-ranked Cowboys during Saturday's critical regular-season finale against rival Oklahoma.
Robinson missed Thursday night's win over Colorado after sustaining injuries to his head and shoulder in a victory over Texas Tech the previous week. But Gundy said during Monday's Big 12 football coaches teleconference that Robinson began throwing over the weekend and that he would return to practice Monday afternoon. Gundy normally does not discuss injuries which means Robinson could or could not play.
AUSTIN, Texas --- Embattled Kansas coach Mark Mangino's week got off to a rocky start and it didn't get any better as the Jayhawks rolled to their sixth straight defeat Saturday night, falling 51-20 to the second-ranked Texas Longhorns on the road.
On Monday, Mangino found out athletic director Lew Perkins has launched an investigation into allegations the eight-year head coach has been verbally and physically abusive to some of his players after linebacker Arist Wright reported Mangino for poking him in the chest last Friday. Several former players have come forth to discuss the often mean-spirited abuse Mangino often fired their way.
AUSTIN, Texas -- Usually one the most straight-laced and reserved of the Texas Longhorns, senior quarterback Colt McCoy finally stopped to take it all in late Saturday night.
AUSTIN, Texas -- For 21 University of Texas seniors, Saturday night was their last time playing at Texas Memorial Stadium. So they made it a night to remember.
The second-ranked Longhorns overpowered Kansas en route to a 51-20 victory that cemented them as the Big 12 South division champions and sealed senior quarterback Colt McCoy's place as college football's all-time winningest quarterback with 43 career wins.
But the Texas Longhorns, who are well positioned for their first BCS national championship game bid since 2005, still have quite a bit of business to finish. They will have to get past rival Texas A&M on Thanksgiving night and then North division champ Nebraska in the Big 12 title game.
Which is the greatest Texas Longhorns quarterback of all time? Young led the Texas Longhorns to a season of perfection and the BCS national title in 2005 as a junior. McCoy, a four-year starter at Texas, has a chance tonight to become college football's all-time winningest quarterback with 43 wins should the second-ranked Longhorns make it past Kansas here at Texas Memorial Stadium.
Leave it to 
Colorado coach 
Oklahoma State coach 
AUSTIN, Texas --- Embattled Kansas coach 
AUSTIN, 
AUSTIN, Texas -- Okay, so let the debate began.
