ESPN College Football

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Here are three keys for Texas if it hopes to pull its second upset at the Rose Bowl in four seasons and earn another Bowl Championship Series national title.

1. Producing yards on first down: The Longhorns have a better chance of achieving offensive success if they produce early in a series. Second-and-long and third-and-long will make the Crimson Tide’s defense much more difficult to crack. If Colt McCoy can make things happen on first down – particularly early in the game – it should boost the Longhorns' confidence and their chances at an unexpected victory.

2. Dominate special teams: The Longhorns had one of the nation’s most proficient special teams units all season. Alabama has struggled in kick coverages, ranking 116th nationally with an average of 25.7 yards per kick return, and have been blistered with two returns for touchdowns. With the likely return of D.J. Monroe to the kick return rotation, the Longhorns will add the No. 2 kick returner in the nation. Marquise Goodwin was strong while Monroe was suspended, and Jordan Shipley is a threat to score a touchdown every time he returns a punt. The Longhorns need to make several big plays in this phase of the game.

3. Protect Colt McCoy: The Longhorns have allowed 30 sacks this season, and nearly half came in tight victories over Oklahoma (four) and Nebraska (nine). If the Longhorns have hopes of claiming the national title, they must give McCoy enough time to pass and keep fearsome Alabama pass rushers like Marcell Dareus, Eryk Anders, Javier Arenas and Rolando McClain away from their senior quarterback. And it would be a good time for the center of Texas’ offense – guards Michael Huey and Charlie Tanner and center Chris Hall -- to keep massive defensive tackle Terrence Cody away from McCoy.

ARLINGTON, Texas – Colt McCoy could joke after the game about how much he saw of Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

“Yeah, we’re best friends,” McCoy said.

Suh had one of the great games in Big 12 championship game history, producing a career-best 4.5 sacks among his team-high 12 tackles -- seven of which were for a loss.

But it wasn’t enough as the Longhorns escaped with a wild 13-12 victory that cost the Cornhuskers their first chance to win a Big 12 title since 1999.

The massive 300-pound senior defensive tackle was a consistent force throughout the game. He slung McCoy around like a rag doll and dominated the interior of the Texas offensive line from the opening snap.

“He’s the staple of our defense,” Nebraska safety Matt O’Hanlon said. “He makes plays that not a lot of other guys could. So for us to have him in the trenches, you know, he just plays his butt off. He makes a lot of plays that no one else makes. So he definitely kept our defense in it.”

If a defensive player ever could have made a statement to win a Heisman Trophy, Suh’s game Saturday night looked like one. Texas guards Michael Huey and Charlie Tanner and center Chris Hall found it impossible keeping him out of the backfield all night long.

“I think he’s the best defensive player at his position in the country,” Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said. “If that means the Heisman Trophy, so be it.”

The finish left Suh subdued and disappointed.

“My initial emotion is that it was very unfortunate how things played out,” Suh said. “But I mean, this team played very, very hard and that’s what we all really do. Like our coach said, the chips fall where they may. Just go out and play as hard as you can.

“They’re going to handle the score, they’re going to do everything to put us in the right position as they did. And all we have to do is go out and play.”

Unfortunately for the Cornhuskers, one play remained at the end of the game. After the controversy on the next-to-last play, Suh was convinced the Cornhuskers had won and that the clock had expired.

“As far as I’m concerned, I thought the game was over, but obviously, it wasn’t,” Suh said.

Longhorn players and coaches were raving about Suh’s performance after the game.

“He’s the best defensive player we’ve played all year,” Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis said. “He and (Nebraska defensive tackle Jared) Crick are as good a pair as we’ve faced all year. They are so tough to handle because they really get after you.”

Suh came back for his senior season for an opportunity to play in conference championship games and improve his draft stock.

He obviously did both this season, finishing with 82 total tackles and 12 sacks. That total is the third most in Nebraska history and the most since linebacker Trev Alberts notched 15 in 1993.

It’s hard to believe many NFL teams could find a better player on the film than him tonight.

Here are five trends that merit watching in Saturday’s Big 12 championship game:

Can the North Division make this a game, for a change? The South Division has dominated this game, much like all aspects of cross-division play in recent seasons. Since Kansas State’s stunning upset victory over Oklahoma in 2003, the South Division teams have won the games by a combined margin of 233-51. During those five games, the North team has led for a total of 3 minutes and 22 seconds in the 300 minutes of game action. Nebraska’s defense should give it a puncher’s chance to be successful in the game. But Texas looks like the prototypical bully from the South Division that looks like it will be ready to jump on an opponent at the slightest sign of weakness.

Colt McCoy’s Heisman hopes: With the Alabama-Florida game being played earlier in the afternoon. McCoy should have a good idea who will be his prime Heisman opponent emerging from the SEC championship game. It won’t be easy as McCoy will be facing one of his biggest challenges of the season in terms of the rival defense. Nebraska ranks among the top 15 teams in the major team defensive statistical categories of rushing defense, pass efficiency defense, total defense and scoring defense. The Cornhuskers have allowed more than 21 points in a game only once this season and have averaged three sacks a game over their last five contests. McCoy will need a big statistical game to sway Heisman voters one last time.

The center of Nebraska’s defense: Ndamukong Suh and Jared Crick are the finest pair of defensive tackles in the conference. Suh likely is the best defensive player in the country. They will be backed up behind the line by starting middle linebacker Will Compton, a redshirt freshman. These players will need to dominate the game inside in their contest with Texas starting center Chris Hall and starting guards Charlie Tanner and Michael Huey. If the Nebraska defensive tackles and Compton can impose their will in the trenches, it will make life much more difficult for McCoy and the Longhorns.

Nebraska’s special teams need to be special: The Cornhuskers have dictated field position all season long thanks to punter Alex Henery and kickoff specialist Adi Kunalic. Henery is the most accomplished situational punter in the conference with 26 of his 65 punts pinning opponents inside their own 20-yard line. Eight of those kicks have landed inside the opponent’s 3-yard line. Kunalic leads the Big 12 with 40 percent of his kickoffs going through the end zone for touchbacks. If the Cornhuskers can dictate the special teams, they will be able to neutralize Texas kickoff return specialist Marquise Goodwin (24.1 average, one TD) and punt return specialist Jordan Shipley (13.3 yard per return average, two TDs). As difficult as it will be for the Cornhuskers to stick with Texas on offense and defense, they can’t allow any cheap touchdowns or wild changes in field position and expect to win.

Can Texas’ defense rebound? The Longhorns struggled through their worst performance of the season in their narrow victory over Texas A&M, allowing their most rushing yards, total yards and points of the season. Texas players said those memories have been blotted away as they prepare for the Cornhuskers. Nebraska’s offensive strategy should play more into Texas’ strengths that Texas A&M’s varied run-pass option attack. But it will be imperative for the Longhorns to forget about their recent defensive difficulties and bounce back with a big effort in the championship game.

It was the kind of play that delighted old-school Texas fans who are still a little wary about the team’s reliance on the spread offense.

So when Colt McCoy lined up directly under center last week against Baylor and then handed off to redshirt freshman Tre' Newton, it was a start. But when Newton sharply veered before producing a textbook cutback that finished off a scintillating touchdown run 45 yards later, it was like old times for the Orangebloods.

Maybe Cedric Benson, Ricky Williams or Earl Campbell weren’t coming back any time soon. But it still was a signal that the Longhorns hadn’t ditched their traditional running attack completely and could still move the ball on the ground when they needed to.

The installation of Cody Johnson as the starter and Newton as the speedy backup is indicative that Mack Brown has turned to two precocious but talented parts of his stable of backs for a late-season lift.

“We needed balance and we felt we could do a few things with Cody and Tre’,” Brown said. “They both stepped up. We feel our offense can be really good if we are balanced.”

With 224 yards rushing and 187 yards passing against the Bears, the Longhorns had more rushing yardage than passing yardage for only the second time all season.

“Basically, running the ball was our No. 1 concern,” said Johnson, who was the fourth different Longhorn to start at tailback this season. "Of course, we can still pass the ball, but we put a huge focus on running the ball and being more effective when we were out there. And I think the way we did it opened up a lot of eyes out there.”

Brown has yet to identify a featured back. But he appears to have growing comfort in the “Thunder and Lightning” tailback tandem of Johnson and Newton to perhaps alternate in that role.

Newton, who rushed for 80 yards, has been installed as the team’s primary backup heading into Saturday’s game against Kansas. It’s a signal, Brown said, that the team’s rushing attack appears “headed in the right direction.”

“Every time we’ve put Cody in, he’s made yards,” Brown told reporters earlier this week. “And when Tre’s in, he’s made yards, too.”

Running the ball had been a real concern for the Longhorns, who had produced only 297 rushing yards on 100 carries in their three previous games before playing Baylor.

A simplified playbook that relied on a handful of running plays helped spark the Longhorns to an impressive 6.4 yards-per-carry average against Baylor. It was their best performance against any conference foe this season.

Sure, the Bears came into the game ranked only 82nd nationally in rush defense, but it was still a strong sign of the return of the Longhorns’ ground attack.

Johnson had struggled with problems with his weight before finally rounding into shape over the last several weeks. His bullish running style appears to improve with the more carries he receives. He gained 109 yards after notching a career-best 19 carries last week.

“Backs I’ve been around like Ricky [Williams] and Cedric [Benson], they got better and better the more snaps they got,” Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis said. “They would see things, lather up and really get going. I think the same started happening for Cody after we got him going.”

Newton had been hobbled since sustaining a concussion in a victory against Colorado last month. After a recovery of several weeks, it appears he is nearing peak performance.

"It feels good being back," Newton said. "It's always frustrating when you can't help your team. You have to stay focused and just be ready to help out when you get your chance."

Together, their divergent talents provide a good combination in the Texas backfield.

“Cody is just a beast out there -- he’s so physical,” Texas guard Charlie Tanner said. “And Tre’ is awesome. You give him an extra second and he’s gone. He has a great burst and can just run by people if you give him a chance.”

The Texas offense will remain centered on McCoy and the passing game. But the development of Johnson and Newton gives the Longhorns hope of balance that had been missing much of the season.

“This shows the world we can actually run the ball,” Johnson said. “It’s not just the passing game. We can actually line up and run the ball. And now, they have to respect both the run and the pass when they play us.”

WACO, Texas -- Maybe it was just the joy of the moment. Or it might have been meant to punctuate a rewarding performance that had been missing all season.

Cody Johnson did a short dance after Texas’ 47-14 victory over Baylor that was as much a signal for other teams still standing for the Longhorns as excitement for what he had just accomplished.

“We were just messing,” Johnson said. “We were excited and we had fun in the situation. It was exciting for us to finally play like we did. And we can still do a lot more.”

It was amazing that the bullish sophomore had enough energy for much physical movement after the pounding he delivered to the Bears.

Johnson barreled for a career-best 109 yards on 19 carries and scored two short touchdown runs that were about as subtle as a pair of Vitali Klitschko body shots.

“Cody is just a beast when he gets going,” Texas guard Charlie Tanner said.

The Longhorns' big rushing day was part of the plan. Texas coaches shortened their playbook to about five runs they felt comfortable with. And they inserted Johnson for the first start of his career and installed speedy Tre’ Newton as the No. 2 back.

“We needed balance and we felt we could do a few things this week with Cody and Tre’,” Texas coach Mack Brown said. “They both stepped up. We feel our offense can be really good if we are balanced.”

The combination of speed and quickness helped propel the Longhorns to 202 rushing yards and an impressive 7.0 yards per carry average. Both figures were the best that Texas has produced in conference play and trailed only the Longhorns’ 304-yard effort against UTEP earlier this season.

“We can throw the ball, but to do what we want to do, our running game has got to continue to grow,” Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis said. “That was a big step today in the process of the team that can win either way.”

Johnson's big game signaled the return of the Longhorns’ running game missing most of the season. The Longhorns were 60th in the nation in rushing and had averaged only 146 yards per game. The struggles had grown more pronounced in recent weeks as the Longhorns had produced only 97 yards rushing per game in the last five weeks.

The Longhorns used the running game from the opening snap. Johnson was featured on three of the first four plays from scrimmage, including bruising back-to-back runs of 12 and 14 yards.

That fast start was important for Johnson, who struggled with his early conditioning after reporting back to practice this summer at well over 250 pounds. But after making a concerted effort to limit portions at mealtime and do away with his favorite fast food treats, he started feeling like the back that turned heads during the spring.

“I feel like I can run the ball better,” Johnson said. “I can move the ball. You drop 20 pounds you feel better. That’s how I’ve felt the last couple of weeks.”

And Newton added an element of speed that had been missing in recent weeks, adding 80 yards as he provided the kind of outside lift missing since his breakout game against Texas Tech.

Newton’s redshirt freshman season was interrupted for several weeks after he sustained a concussion against Colorado. He saw some limited action during the last three games, but not nearly as much as in Saturday’s game.

“It’s always frustrating when you can’t help your team out,” Newton said. “You just have to stay focused because when you want to come back we’re ready. I wanted to do what I could when they needed me.”

Together, the two young backs have provided hope that the Longhorns’ major offensive question can be answered during the next several weeks.

“We can run the ball as well as we can pass it,” Johnson said. “Our biggest focus was on running the ball and being more effective. And the way we did it opened some eyes out there.”

Obviously running the ball against Baylor is one thing and running against Nebraska in the Big 12 title game and Florida or Alabama in the national title game is an entirely different story.

But on Saturday -- at least for the Longhorns -- it was a big start.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

As Texas streaks to its second 9-0 start since 1983, it’s understandable that some are already comparing this year’s team to the other team that started that fast.

Texas’ 2005 national championship team is the benchmark for all of the other Texas teams coached by Mack Brown. And this team appears to be the closest to the national championship squad in many respects.

While Brown says such comparisons are premature, he does say his current team’s fast start makes for some inevitable comparisons.

	Brendan Maloney/US Presswire
	Colt McCoy and the Longhorns have drawn comparisons to the 2005 national championship team.

“I would think you could compare them because there’s been only one close game for this team and for that team in 2005,” Brown said. “It was the Ohio State game in 2005 and the Oklahoma game this year that was in question late in the ballgame.”

But in order to meet the challenge of matching the 2005 team, Colt McCoy’s team will have to match the finishing kick of Vince Young’s team.

“At this time, they’ve earned the right to be in conversation with the 2005 team,” Brown said. “But they haven’t earned the right to be considered as good because they have to finish like that bunch did.”

The 2005 national championship led the conference in 11 statistical categories; the current team leads it in five. The 2005 team was the nation’s leading scoring team and led the nation in pass efficiency. The current team is more defensively oriented as it leads the nation in rushing defense and scoring defense and ranks second in kickoff returns.

The 2005 title team ranked 10th or better in 10 of the 17 team statistical categories tracked by the NCAA. The 2009 team ranked 10th or better in eight of those team statistical groups.

Here's a position-by-position comparison of the two teams:

Quarterbacks: Both teams featured quarterbacks who were involved in the Heisman Trophy race. The 2005 team had Vince Young, a multi-purpose player who accounted for 3,036 passing yards and 26 touchdown passes. Most importantly, he provided leadership for a team that had never won a Big 12 title under Brown. McCoy redshirted on that team, earning the opportunity to soak up lessons watching Young’s leadership. He’s capping the most productive statistical career for a Texas quarterback by passing for 2,447 yards and 17 touchdowns with at least three games remaining -- not counting a potential Big 12 championship game and a bowl. And his leadership skills are comparable with Young’s in guiding his team to an undefeated season so far.

Edge: Even

Rushing game: The 2005 team relied on Young, who rushed for a team-high 1,050 yards and scored 12 touchdowns and also had a strong starter in Jamaal Charles and an outstanding change-of-pace player in Ramonce Taylor. That team produced 55 rushing touchdowns and had five different backs with eight rushing touchdowns or more. The current team’s rushing game might be its major weakness without a featured rushing threat, as no current back has rushed for more than 275 yards. Depending on game situations, the team has utilized any of three starters, but its most consistent producer has been Cody Johnson, who will become its fourth starter this week against Baylor.

	Mark J. Rebilas/US Presswire
	Vince Young quarterbacked the 2005 Texas team to the national title.

Edge: 2005 Texas

Receivers/Tight end: The 2005 team had a stacked collection of receivers led by top deep threat Billy Pittman and Limas Sweed. But the most consistent receiving threat for Young was tight end David Thomas, who produced 50 receptions, including a career-best 10 in the BCS title game victory over USC. But that team had no receiving threat to match Jordan Shipley, who has already produced 75 catches, four double-figure reception games and broken the school single-game receiving yardage record. Dan Buckner developed early into a receiving threat at flex end and Malcolm Williams, James Kirkendoll and John Chiles all have been strong in an offense that has lived by short passes. But Shipley has been the focal point of a passing game that features short, quick passes as its primary offensive weapon.

Edge: 2009 Texas

Offensive line: The 2005 team featured three-first team All-Big 12 picks in Justin Blalock, Jonathan Scott and Will Allen. Because of Young's mobility, that team allowed only 14 sacks and produced 5.9 yards per carry and 55 rushing touchdowns. The current team is nearly as strong with key players like Adam Ulatoski, Charlie Tanner and Chris Hall, who have currently combined for 99 career starts and should be peaking as the season continues. The current team is producing 3.9 yards per carry, 16 sacks and 20 rushing touchdowns.

Edge: 2005 Texas

Defensive line: The 2005 team featured first-team All-Big 12 players like Rodrique Wright and Tim Crowder and pass-rushing specialist Brian Robison, a converted linebacker who led the team with sacks. But that team didn’t feature anybody as proficient as Sergio Kindle or a run-stuffing tackle like Lamarr Houston. It’s the main reason the current Texas team leads the nation in rush defense (55.33 yards per game), total defense (230.78 yards per game) and ranks in the top 20 in both sacks and tackles for losses. The 2005 team was 39th nationally in sacks and 29th in tackles for losses.

Edge: 2009 Texas

Linebackers: The 2005 unit was at its weakest at linebacker where no players earned All-Big 12 first-team or second-team designation. Robert Killebrew was that team’s only player to earn honorable mention. The current team features an anchor in the middle in senior linebacker Roddrick Muckelroy, flanked by Keenan Robinson and Emmanuel Acho. Will Muschamp’s unit seldom uses three linebackers except in run-stuffing situations, preferring to use a nickel formation. But his current group still has the edge at linebacker over the championship team.

Edge: 2009 Texas

Secondary: The 2005 team might be one of the great college units of all time. That team featured the Thorpe Award winner in Michael Huff and another all-league player in Cedric Griffin. Huff, Cedric Griffin, Michael Griffin, Aaron Ross and Tarell Brown all were drafted in the NFL and had eventual pro careers. The unit was nearly impermeable as it broke up 85 passes and permitted only two teams to pass for more than 200 yards against them. The current group is young and skilled and might develop into as strong of a group with experience.

Earl Thomas has played like the best defensive back in the country this season with six interceptions, including two touchdown returns. Curtis Brown, Chykie Brown, Aaron Williams and Blake Gideon have already helped the defense combine for 16 interceptions. And the group is playing with swagger as the season continues.

The current group could match the eventual production of the 2005 team, but it still has to get there.

Edge: 2005 Texas

Special teams: Neither team had to punt very often, but Hunter Lawrence has a narrow edge over David Pino at kicker for his consistency and range. The biggest difference is in the return game. The current team features two threats with D.J. Monroe (two TDs, 36.5 yards kick return average) and Shipley (14.5 punt return average, two TDs), giving it an edge over Ramonce Taylor and Aaron Ross (14.7 punt return average, two TDs).

Edge: 2009 Texas

Coaching: With largely the same cast of coaches, the 2009 team appears to be better coached. In 2005, Brown was trying for his first Big 12 title and utilized defensive co-coordinators with Gene Chizik and Duane Akina. It often seemed that the individual talents of Young took over the game during that championship season. But this team features a better job by Greg Davis as he compensates for his team’s lack of a consistent running game by developing a crafty passing game utilizing quick short passes. And the defense has taken big steps this season in its second season under Muschamp.

Edge:2009 Texas

Intangibles: The 2005 team was trying to become Brown’s first Big 12 title team and played well throughout. It started with a dramatic comeback victory over Ohio State and continued with a run through the Big 12 that featured no victory less than 19 points. The 2005 team needed a comeback over Oklahoma State, but Young helped the team peak as the Longhorns scored at least 40 points in 12 games. The team rolled to victories of 62, 52 and 11 points in November before notching a record-breaking 70-3 triumph over Colorado in the Big 12 title game and the 41-38 BCS title game victory over USC.

This team hasn’t faced many tests, although it did handle Oklahoma in a 16-13 triumph that ranks as its closest margin. Other than that game, the 2009 Longhorns have rolled up at least 34 points in every game and allowed more than 20 points on only two occasions. But it still has its chance to finish strongly in November like the 2005 team did.

Edge: 2005 Texas

If they met: The 2005 team still would merit a slight edge, mainly because this team doesn’t have a transcendent talent like Young. But the current team is developing and could have a chance to match the championship with a strong finish.

Edge: 2005 Texas

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

Although it may have raised an eyebrow or two around the Texas football facilities, the Longhorns weren’t saying much about being dropped in the polls this week.

Despite a 24-point victory over Colorado, the Longhorns dropped behind Alabama in the AP poll on Sunday, behind No. 1 Florida.

“It’s something that was mentioned, but it’s not really a big deal,” Texas guard Charlie Tanner said. “Everything takes care of itself by the end of the season. If we win every game and try to get that Big 12 championship, we’ll be where we want to be.”

	John Albright/Icon SMI
	Mack Brown and the Longhorns aren't worried about falling a spot in the latest poll.

Truthfully, the Longhorns’ drop isn’t surprising. They haven’t faced the kind of challenge that would make national pollsters really stop and take notice.

And with all due respect to Louisiana-Monroe, Wyoming, Texas Tech and UTEP, the Longhorns haven’t been tested by nearly the schedule that both Florida and Alabama have navigated this season.

The Gators beat LSU on the road with their starting quarterback iffy coming into the game. Alabama convincingly whipped Virginia Tech in Atlanta in the season opener and won at Mississippi last week with a fearsome defensive effort.

Texas struggled with Colorado, which had earlier been humiliated in nationally televised losses to Colorado State and Toledo. It wasn’t a great selling point for the Longhorns when it was noted they were behind at halftime and need a late charge to subdue the Buffaloes, who came into the game 1-3.

“Anytime you win, it’s a great thing,” Tanner said. “One of the things we have at Texas is that we want to win very convincingly. We have to realize that winning in this conference is tough sometimes and we just have to embrace it.”

And that’s why this week’s game against Oklahoma is so important.

The Sooners and Longhorns resonate across college football as one of the major rivalries. The game has only become bigger because it has been the seminal battle for South Division supremacy.

“The good thing is that everybody who follows football in the nation will be watching this game at noon Eastern, 11 a.m. Central,” Texas coach Mack Brown said, sounding almost like a huckster for the broadcast. “You don’t have to care about either of these teams to be interested in watching this game.”

Brown remembered it being that way when he served as Barry Switzer’s offensive coordinator in 1984. But it wasn’t nearly as big when Brown arrived at Texas in 1998 and Bob Stoops arrived a year later.

In those days, Kansas State, Nebraska and Texas A&M were the dominant Big 12 programs.

“The OU game is back here where it should be,” Brown said. “When we got here, it really had lost its luster some as a national game. People were talking about it being on regional TV and I was in shock. For this not to be the game of the week in the nation was very disappointing to me after being at both schools.”

Stoops arrived the following season and won a national championship. That success has rekindled the rivalry where it is THE GAME in the country this week.

Texas has the chance to take advantage of that exposure with a big performance that will elevate them back into the mix with the Gators and Crimson Tide.

Still, there are enough concerns about the Longhorns to worry Brown.

Texas rushed for only 46 yards in 25 carries against Colorado. Both top running backs Vondrell McGee and Tre' Newton were dinged in that game and will be questionable during practice this week. Brown appears ready to rely on oft-injured Fozzy Whittaker as his primary back if necessary.

Take away a big game from scintillating wide receiver Jordan Shipley and an opportunistic game from Texas special games and the 38-14 margin of victory is much closer. The Longhorns capitalized on Colorado mistakes to return a blocked punt, a punt return and a 92-yard interception return by Earl Thomas for a touchdown. That kind of game would be great for your fantasy football team, but won’t sway too many pollsters.

“It was a weird game,” Texas quarterback Colt McCoy said. “When you have three non-offensive touchdowns, it really kinds of throws a loop to you. You can get in a groove and find that rhythm that you can normally find in a game. You can’t judge off that game because it’s weird.”

Fortunately for the Longhorns, the Oklahoma game couldn’t be coming along at a better time. Now, they need to take advantage of the opportunity to reclaim some of that missing national respect.