When Texas-OU play, turnovers are key

AUSTIN, Texas — The momentum swings of a Texas-Oklahoma game always are cutting, slicing through burnt-orange then to crimson at the drop of a football.

Or the pick of a poorly thrown pass.

It's no wonder the team that has forced the most turnovers in the past decade has come out as the victor nine times. Expect nothing different Saturday at the Cotton Bowl.

Merely think back to a year ago, when Oklahoma eased past Texas 28-21, in what proved to be the closest game of the decade.

The Sooners didn't suffer a turnover.

Conversely, the Longhorns had two critical ones, both involving tailback Jamaal Charles.

The first was a Charles fumble at the OU 4, when hard-charging Sooners linebacker Curtis Lofton punched the ball free as the tailback looked to have a clear path for the touchdown. The fumble came on the eighth play of Texas' opening drive of the second half. Without the fumble, the Longhorns likely would have broken a 14-14 tie.

The second turnover was an interception by quarterback Colt McCoy, who was looking to dump the ball to Charles as the Longhorns moved into scoring position. The ball glanced off Charles' fingertips and into the hands of Reggie Smith at the Sooners' 28-yard line, allowing Oklahoma to protect the 28-21 lead.

Neither turnover led to OU points. Each prevented Texas from scoring.

And with the up-tempo, no-huddle offenses used by both teams, a bungled scoring opportunity is huge.

"When you lose a couple of opportunities now," said Texas coach Mack Brown, "you're in trouble."

Coming into the game, both teams are taking care of the ball.

Oklahoma has yet to fumble. The Sooners quarterbacks have thrown four interceptions, three of them coming from starter Sam Bradford.

The Texas offense has three lost fumbles, but only one by a first-teamer, and three interceptions by McCoy.

The Longhorns running backs have yet to put the ball on the ground.

"It's a minimum in our (meeting) room to take care of the ball," said tailback Chris Ogbonnaya, the likely starter against the Sooners.

There was a push in August preseason camp on ball security issues, after the Longhorns fumbled 21 times, losing eight in 2007. Offensive coordinator Greg Davis encouraged even the trainers and managers to punch out a ball if someone was being too nonchalant with it in workouts.

Davis still posts photos of all examples he sees of sloppy ball handling.

Meanwhile, neither defense has been that effective at forcing the turnover issue.

It's a conundrum, considering the two defenses are among the best in the country at rushing the quarterback and making tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Such plays show aggression, and are a necessary part of the formula that leads to fumbles and bad passes.

Oklahoma and Texas are tied for 42nd in the country in forced fumbles. Both have five.

The Sooners have intercepted four passes, which ranks 73rd nationally. Texas has two picks — that ranks 109.

Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp was peeved following the Longhorns' 38-10 victory over Colorado because his unit forced only two turnovers, both fumbles. The needed pressure was there, with three sacks, four deflections, 11 hits on the quarterback and 14 pressures.

"I think I've said it before," Muschamp said Monday. "Sacks and turnovers are a lot alike. They'll keep coming."

No doubt, the winning team Saturday will be the beneficiary.

Suzanne Halliburton writes for the Austin American-Statesman.