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 Saturday, October 6, 2001
Simms has to prove he can win under pressure
By Terry Bowden
Special to ABC Sports Online
Bowden's Weekly Chat Show
There's not a bigger game in the country this Saturday than down in Dallas in the Red River Shootout between No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 5 Texas. It's the first time since 1985 that both teams head into this inter-state rivalry undefeated.
Everything these teams want to accomplish this season is riding on this game. The winner is likely to play for the Big 12 championship and be in the running for the Rose Bowl. And whatever the loser ends up with was definitely not on their wish list.
Here are the keys to the game:
1. How will Chris Simms perform in a big game?
|  | | Chris Simms averaged less than 3 yards per attempt last year against OU. |
This is the first time Chris Simms will start a game for Texas with as much pressure as this one. Without a doubt, he has gotten better each week. And last week, Texas Tech saw how good he really can be.
Now we'll find out if Simms can be a great quarterback against a defense that will be all over him. It will also be important to see how he handles the mental aspect of the game, knowing how crucial this game is and knowing that Texas' success rests squarely on his shoulders. Simms' performance will depend on how quickly he finds his open receivers, how seldom he takes an unnecessary sack and how often he throws a foolish interception.
His talented wide receivers -- Roy Williams and B.J. Johnson -- have the responsibility of sticking it in the end zone after the catch.
I would ask these same questions about Oklahoma Nate Hybl, but after I saw him get hit in the mouth over and over again by Kansas State and just keep throwing touchdown passes, any questions about Hybl have been answered. Unless last week was a fluke, he will play big in a tough game.
2. Which defenses will show up?
I don't know how many times I have said over the years that you win championships with defense. Both these teams have the ability to give those performances. However, you have to ask yourself which defense will show up.
Will Oklahoma come with a defense that won the national championship, or will the Sooners bring the 11 that gave up 446 yards and 37 points to Kansas State last week? My guess is that Oklahoma will make some improvements.
The key for the Sooners is to force Texas into a one-dimensional game. To do that, they must shut down the running game completely. It would force Simms into more long-yardage throwing situations and more chances for him to make critical mistakes.
For Texas, which defense will show up? The one that showed up for last year's Red River Shootout or the one that played so well last week against Texas Tech?
|  | | Nate Hybl stood strong under Kansas State's pressure and led Oklahoma to its 17th straight win. |
Tech coach Mike Leach installed Oklahoma's offense during Bob Stoops' first year in Norman as the Sooners' offensive coordinator. As much as Oklahoma has worked to add the running game to its original form, it is still deeply rooted in a Mike Leach passing attack. Considering that Oklahoma only had nine yards rushing last week, Texas Tech's offense may be a lot more like Oklahoma's than Oklahoma would want to admit.
The fact is Texas played various forms of zone coverage against the Red Raiders and held them to seven points. After watching film all week of Kansas State trying to blitz six and playing man coverage without a free safety, and giving up three touchdown passes of more than 60 yards, I doubt we will see the Longhorns use that approach much.
There are three ways to stop a spread offense.
You can blitz six and play man coverage without a free safety, which will guarantee you a free hit on the quarterback, but nobody backing up in centerfield.
You can bring five, which keeps the offense from double-teaming anybody and play man coverage with a free safety deep enough to keep catches from becoming touchdowns.
You can rush three or four and play everyone else back in zone, forcing the offense to complete short passes and run the ball. Then you have to hope that you out-execute them.
My guess is Texas will opt out for playing zone.
3. Does Texas believe it can win?
I am not close enough to the situation, but I have coached in big games before. I have to wonder if deep down, do the Texas players really believe that they are going to beat Oklahoma? I am not talking about wanting to beat Oklahoma or would like to beat Oklahoma, but deep down in their hearts know that they are going to beat Oklahoma.
I say this because last year, in this game, when they were thought to have a good chance to win, they were destroyed. Oklahoma scored on its first five drives and has not lost a game since.
Football is a game of attitude -- believing in yourself, believing so much you are going to win the game that it causes you to do the things necessary to win the game. We know for a fact that the Oklahoma Sooners have this attitude. I just have to wonder if the Longhorns do, too.
4. Can Mack Brown win the big one?
It doesn't matter how many games Mack Brown wins, but because he recruits so well and because he is at a traditional powerhouse, the Longhorn fans will not be satisfied until he wins, first, the conference championship and then a national championship. Until he does it, everyone will question if he can.
The fact is very few coaches get their team in position to be a champion in the first place. I don't know if Texas will win this game. Bob Stoops is 8-0 against top 10 teams as the head coach at Oklahoma.
Personally, I would put Mack Brown at about where my father was 20 years ago, or where Tom Osborne was before he won the first of his national championships. They were a couple of guys who knew how to coach, but couldn't win the big one. Their time came, and so will Mack Brown's.
Terry Bowden was the head coach at Salem College, Samford University and Auburn University. He is ABC's college football studio analyst and contributes regularly for ABC Sports Online.
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 Nate Hybl hangs in the pocket and finds Antwone Savage for a 75-yard touchdown (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Oklahoma's Antwone Savage finds Hunter Wall on the QB-throwback for a 33-yard TD (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Antwone Savage scores on the 64-yard strike from Nate Hybl (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Ell Roberson is hit while making the pitch and OU's Roy Williams returns the fumble 18 yards for the score (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Ell Roberson connects with Ricky Lloyd for six, then executes the two-point conversion with time running down (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Ell Roberson weaves his way for a 22-yard touchdown on the QB keeper (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Jon McGraw comes up from the safety position and delivers a crushing hit (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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