With 9:36 remaining in the game and down five to Oklahoma State, Texas decided it wasn’t time to panic just yet. Nine plays later, seven of which were runs, the Longhorns had reclaimed the lead 34-33.
But after a responsive Oklahoma State touchdown, Texas once again found itself down with just 2:34 remaining. Except this time coach Mack Brown put the ball in the hands of sophomore quarterback David Ash. And he came through.
Ash completed his final four passes of the game as No. 12 Texas marched 75 yards down the field in almost exactly two minutes to take the lead once again over Oklahoma State, 41-36. Did running back Joe Bergeron lose possession of the ball before he crossed the goal line for a two-yard touchdown? The officials said no, and the touchdown ended up as the final score of the game.
Blame it on the refs if you must -- officiating was noticeably bad -- but Texas walked away with a key road win Saturday night.
Despite a .500 record over the past two seasons, expectations continued to be high in Austin. But whereas the Longhorn defense was figured to be the raft holding Texas afloat, it’s been the offense and the development of Ash that’s been the biggest story in this first month of college football.
Ash played perhaps his best game to date with over 300 yards passing and three touchdowns against the Cowboys, but it was the final drive where he completed a necessary fourth-down conversion that finally erased all doubts about whether he could perform under pressure and be the offensive captain this program has lacked in recent years.
Texas’ defense has underperformed at times this season -- credit Oklahoma State’s offense as well -- but the Longhorns, who host No. 9 West Virginia and Heisman favorite Geno Smith next week, look far more cohesive than at any point in the last two seasons following the 2010 BCS championship appearance, especially in the run game.
It looks like everything that Brown has preached, everything that he’s changed, is coming together.