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-bloodedField goal by walk-on kicker caps UT's rally
By JIMMY BURCH
Star-Telegram STAFF WRITER
GETTY IMAGES/BRIAN BAHR
Backup kicker Ryan Bailey, left, celebrates with Henry Melton after hitting the winner.
More photosLINCOLN, Neb. -- Only the snowflakes were falling faster than Texas' odds of mounting a comeback in the waning moments Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Needing one more first down to slam the door on a stunning upset of the fifth-ranked Longhorns, Nebraska got the necessary yardage on a third-down play but fumbled in the process. Texas recovered, rallied and wound up celebrating when walk-on kicker Ryan Bailey nailed the first field-goal attempt of his college career: a 22-yarder with 23 seconds remaining.
Bailey's kick gave Texas a 22-20 victory over No. 17 Nebraska and allowed the Longhorns (7-1, 4-0 Big 12) to escape with their national title hopes intact despite missing two field goals, having a point-after conversion blocked and squandering a 16-7 lead in the fourth quarter.
To consider Bailey the unlikeliest of Longhorns heroes on a day of unexpected plot twists would be an understatement. He wound up playing only because starter Greg Johnson injured his kicking leg after making a fourth-quarter field goal.
But Bailey, an Austin native who was added to Texas' travel squad two weeks ago, wound up making the game-deciding play during a fourth quarter filled with opportunities for both teams.
"It's like a movie," said quarterback Colt McCoy, who threw for 220 yards and led Texas' 39-yard drive to the game-winning kick. "You can't script it any better than that."
For Bailey, who said he began the day thinking he was "just along for the ride," matters changed when Johnson pulled a muscle in his kicking leg while extending the Longhorns' lead to 19-14 on a 22-yard field goal with 6:33 remaining.
The Huskers (6-2, 3-1) took the ensuing kickoff and marched 65 yards for the go-ahead touchdown, capping the drive with a 25-yard halfback pass from Marlon Lucky to Nate Swift. A failed 2-point conversion left Nebraska on top 20-19.
But the Longhorns' offense punted, and the defense used up the team's allotted timeouts, putting Nebraska in position to salt away the game if it could convert a third-and-third play with 2:23 remaining.
On the sidelines, cornerback Aaron Ross said, "We talked about how someone had to make a play... it was now or never."
Ross made the play, forcing a fumble after a completion to receiver Terrence Nunn that Texas safety Marcus Griffin covered at the Huskers' 44-yard line. It proved to be the first of three game-turning snaps down the stretch.
The second came when McCoy found receiver Quan Cosby, who fumbled at the Nebraska 22 after a 14-yard gain. Longhorns offensive guard Kasey Studdard wound up with the ball, extending the drive.
"My heart stopped for a second," Cosby said, reflecting on the fumble. "As soon as I saw Kasey got it, I gave him a big hug."
Eventually, the biggest hugs came five plays later and were spent on Bailey. As Bailey prepared to attempt his first collegiate field goal in sub-freezing temperatures, in front of a stadium-record crowd of 85,187 that included former Texas quarterback Vince Young, Texas coach Mack Brown offered encouragement.
"I told him, 'You're the luckiest guy in the world. You get to be a hero on your first kick,'" Brown said, adapting the speech he gave to former kicker Dusty Mangum before a last-second, game-winning field goal to beat Michigan in the 2005 Rose Bowl. "It took Dusty four years to put himself in that position."
Moments later, Bailey silenced the red sea in the north end zone. But the victory wasn't secure until the Longhorns' survived consecutive Hail Mary passes into the end zone. The last came with no time on the clock from the Texas 41, after the game was extended by a roughing-the-passer penalty on Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo.
"Everyone feels like we had the game and we let it slip away," Nebraska safety Andrew Shanle said.
For Bailey, who'd never made a game-winning kick at any level, the joy -- and surprise -- was unprecedented.
"It's the best thing ever," Bailey said. "My friends always joked around with me about something like this happening, but I always laughed it off. I never thought it would actually happen. Now, it has. It's really a dream."
texassports.com
THE HIT Aaron Ross forces the key turnover with a hit on Terrence Nunn. Marcus Griffin recovers the fumble at the Huskers' 44 to set up Texas for the winning drive.
THE SAVE Receiver Quan Cosby's fumble at the Nebraska 22 after a 14-yard gain is alertly covered by Longhorns guard Kasey Studdard to keep the final drive alive.
THE KICK Walk-on kicker Ryan Bailey, forced to take the kick after starter Greg Johnson is injured, is perfect on his first collegiate field-goal attempt, a 22-yarder with 23 seconds left.
PASSING GRADE
In his first road test, Texas redshirt freshman QB Colt McCoy made some key plays:
Big pass: Under pressure, McCoy hit Limas Sweed with a 55-yard TD pass in the second quarter to increase Texas' lead to 16-7.
Taking momentum: Nebraska closed to 16-14 at the start of the fourth quarter, but McCoy led a 15-play, 77-yard drive that lasted 8:06 and resulted in a field goal. He had an 8-yard scramble on third-and-6 to keep the drive alive.
Last drive: From Nebraska's 44, McCoy hit Quan Cosby with two passes for 22 yards to start the game-winning drive.
IN THE KNOW
BREAKDOWN
Why Texas won: After squandering a fourth-quarter lead, the Longhorns forced a turnover with 2:17 remaining and moved 39 yards for the game-winning field goal.
Why Nebraska lost: The Huskers' third turnover of the day came at the worst possible moment, setting up Texas for a short-field scoring drive that decided an otherwise evenly played game.
Notable
Texas is 6-1 against Nebraska since joining the Big 12, including a 3-0 mark in Lincoln.
Texas DT Derek Lokey left the game in the second quarter with a lower left leg injury and did not return. LB Robert Killebrew departed in the third quarter with a knee injury and did not return.
Texas DE Brian Robison did not start and saw limited duty after tweaking his right ankle in pregame warmups.
Three Texas defenders returned to the starting lineup after missing last week's Baylor game with injuries: DT Frank Okam, CB Tarell Brown, S Marcus Griffin.
Before injuring his leg, Texas K Greg Johnson missed two FGs and had a PAT blocked, breaking a streak of 68 consecutive conversions.
Texas has forced 13 turnovers in its past three games.
Up next: Texas at Texas Tech,
6 p.m. Saturday; Nebraska at Oklahoma State, 2:30 p.m. Saturday
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jimmy Burch, 817-390-7760 jburch@star-telegram.com
By JIMMY BURCH
Star-Telegram STAFF WRITER
GETTY IMAGES/BRIAN BAHR
Backup kicker Ryan Bailey, left, celebrates with Henry Melton after hitting the winner.
More photosLINCOLN, Neb. -- Only the snowflakes were falling faster than Texas' odds of mounting a comeback in the waning moments Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Needing one more first down to slam the door on a stunning upset of the fifth-ranked Longhorns, Nebraska got the necessary yardage on a third-down play but fumbled in the process. Texas recovered, rallied and wound up celebrating when walk-on kicker Ryan Bailey nailed the first field-goal attempt of his college career: a 22-yarder with 23 seconds remaining.
Bailey's kick gave Texas a 22-20 victory over No. 17 Nebraska and allowed the Longhorns (7-1, 4-0 Big 12) to escape with their national title hopes intact despite missing two field goals, having a point-after conversion blocked and squandering a 16-7 lead in the fourth quarter.
To consider Bailey the unlikeliest of Longhorns heroes on a day of unexpected plot twists would be an understatement. He wound up playing only because starter Greg Johnson injured his kicking leg after making a fourth-quarter field goal.
But Bailey, an Austin native who was added to Texas' travel squad two weeks ago, wound up making the game-deciding play during a fourth quarter filled with opportunities for both teams.
"It's like a movie," said quarterback Colt McCoy, who threw for 220 yards and led Texas' 39-yard drive to the game-winning kick. "You can't script it any better than that."
For Bailey, who said he began the day thinking he was "just along for the ride," matters changed when Johnson pulled a muscle in his kicking leg while extending the Longhorns' lead to 19-14 on a 22-yard field goal with 6:33 remaining.
The Huskers (6-2, 3-1) took the ensuing kickoff and marched 65 yards for the go-ahead touchdown, capping the drive with a 25-yard halfback pass from Marlon Lucky to Nate Swift. A failed 2-point conversion left Nebraska on top 20-19.
But the Longhorns' offense punted, and the defense used up the team's allotted timeouts, putting Nebraska in position to salt away the game if it could convert a third-and-third play with 2:23 remaining.
On the sidelines, cornerback Aaron Ross said, "We talked about how someone had to make a play... it was now or never."
Ross made the play, forcing a fumble after a completion to receiver Terrence Nunn that Texas safety Marcus Griffin covered at the Huskers' 44-yard line. It proved to be the first of three game-turning snaps down the stretch.
The second came when McCoy found receiver Quan Cosby, who fumbled at the Nebraska 22 after a 14-yard gain. Longhorns offensive guard Kasey Studdard wound up with the ball, extending the drive.
"My heart stopped for a second," Cosby said, reflecting on the fumble. "As soon as I saw Kasey got it, I gave him a big hug."
Eventually, the biggest hugs came five plays later and were spent on Bailey. As Bailey prepared to attempt his first collegiate field goal in sub-freezing temperatures, in front of a stadium-record crowd of 85,187 that included former Texas quarterback Vince Young, Texas coach Mack Brown offered encouragement.
"I told him, 'You're the luckiest guy in the world. You get to be a hero on your first kick,'" Brown said, adapting the speech he gave to former kicker Dusty Mangum before a last-second, game-winning field goal to beat Michigan in the 2005 Rose Bowl. "It took Dusty four years to put himself in that position."
Moments later, Bailey silenced the red sea in the north end zone. But the victory wasn't secure until the Longhorns' survived consecutive Hail Mary passes into the end zone. The last came with no time on the clock from the Texas 41, after the game was extended by a roughing-the-passer penalty on Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo.
"Everyone feels like we had the game and we let it slip away," Nebraska safety Andrew Shanle said.
For Bailey, who'd never made a game-winning kick at any level, the joy -- and surprise -- was unprecedented.
"It's the best thing ever," Bailey said. "My friends always joked around with me about something like this happening, but I always laughed it off. I never thought it would actually happen. Now, it has. It's really a dream."
texassports.com
THE HIT Aaron Ross forces the key turnover with a hit on Terrence Nunn. Marcus Griffin recovers the fumble at the Huskers' 44 to set up Texas for the winning drive.
THE SAVE Receiver Quan Cosby's fumble at the Nebraska 22 after a 14-yard gain is alertly covered by Longhorns guard Kasey Studdard to keep the final drive alive.
THE KICK Walk-on kicker Ryan Bailey, forced to take the kick after starter Greg Johnson is injured, is perfect on his first collegiate field-goal attempt, a 22-yarder with 23 seconds left.
PASSING GRADE
In his first road test, Texas redshirt freshman QB Colt McCoy made some key plays:
Big pass: Under pressure, McCoy hit Limas Sweed with a 55-yard TD pass in the second quarter to increase Texas' lead to 16-7.
Taking momentum: Nebraska closed to 16-14 at the start of the fourth quarter, but McCoy led a 15-play, 77-yard drive that lasted 8:06 and resulted in a field goal. He had an 8-yard scramble on third-and-6 to keep the drive alive.
Last drive: From Nebraska's 44, McCoy hit Quan Cosby with two passes for 22 yards to start the game-winning drive.
IN THE KNOW
BREAKDOWN
Why Texas won: After squandering a fourth-quarter lead, the Longhorns forced a turnover with 2:17 remaining and moved 39 yards for the game-winning field goal.
Why Nebraska lost: The Huskers' third turnover of the day came at the worst possible moment, setting up Texas for a short-field scoring drive that decided an otherwise evenly played game.
Notable
Texas is 6-1 against Nebraska since joining the Big 12, including a 3-0 mark in Lincoln.
Texas DT Derek Lokey left the game in the second quarter with a lower left leg injury and did not return. LB Robert Killebrew departed in the third quarter with a knee injury and did not return.
Texas DE Brian Robison did not start and saw limited duty after tweaking his right ankle in pregame warmups.
Three Texas defenders returned to the starting lineup after missing last week's Baylor game with injuries: DT Frank Okam, CB Tarell Brown, S Marcus Griffin.
Before injuring his leg, Texas K Greg Johnson missed two FGs and had a PAT blocked, breaking a streak of 68 consecutive conversions.
Texas has forced 13 turnovers in its past three games.
Up next: Texas at Texas Tech,
6 p.m. Saturday; Nebraska at Oklahoma State, 2:30 p.m. Saturday
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jimmy Burch, 817-390-7760 jburch@star-telegram.com
