More Sports: HuskersHQ Front | Fonner Park | NASCAR | High School Archives

Longhorns looking for respect

LINCOLN -- Texas players must feel like the Rodney Dangerfield of college football this week as they prepare for the Big 12 Championship game with No. 3 Nebraska.

The Longhorns aren't getting any respect. Many members of the media already have penciled NU into the Fiesta Bowl, which has some Texas players shaking their heads.

"No one is giving us a chance to win, but it still comes down to playing the game," said Cedric Woodward, a senior defensive tackle. "It's wide open. If we play well, we have a chance to win; and if they play well, they have a chance to win. If both teams play well, it will be a good game, like it was the first time."

In the first game Oct. 23, the Longhorns came from behind to beat Nebraska 24-20. It was the third time in the last four years that the Longhorns have defeated the Huskers.

Still people doubted the Longhorns and said that the better team didn't win.

Junior defensive tackle Casey Hampton would disagree with those people.

"We won," Hampton said. "Anyone can think they are the better team, but if you lose it doesn't mean a thing."

Nebraska players have been relatively quiet before this match, unlike past games when they talked openly about revenge.

But Texas players know winning the Big 12 Championship is very important to the Huskers.

"They have a lot more on the line than we do, and the fact that we have beaten them before will intensify the emotion," All-Big 12 receiver Kwame Cavil said. "I know that Nebraska is a well-coached team and that they are going to come ready to play, but the fact that nobody on this team has lost to them is in the back of our minds.

"I think we have to beat them every time we play them to get the respect we deserve. Texas and Nebraska is a rivalry in itself."

Many Longhorn players feel that because NU-UT is a rivalry it will help Texas players get back up after losing an emotional game to Texas A&M; Nov. 26.

That is what Texas coach Mack Brown has said repeatedly this week. Brown and his players know that they can't be flat if they want to beat NU again.

"To beat team like that over and over is extremely hard," Cavil said. "You have to come with your 'A' game because they are going to come with their 'A' game. When two teams come into a game prepared like that, the team that makes the fewest mistakes will win."

If you looked strictly at turnovers, then Texas wouldn't even have to play the game. Nebraska has had a tendency to fumble the ball this year. Turnovers helped UT defeat NU the first time.

Despite beating NU three times in a row, Cavil said, Texas had a lot of respect for NU. Not too much though.

"What you want to do is respect every team you play, but not fear them," Cavil said. "I think we respect them a lot but do not fear Nebraska like other teams do. If you go into a game like that, you can play your best game."

---

Top Of This Page | Send This Story to a Friend

---

More Coverage