The class of 2011 has seen some great moments in Texas sports during the four years that most students take to graduate. From the Hunter Lawrence kick heard around the nation to 45-35, there have been great games and memories that the students will remember for a long, long time.
But at the same time, there are even more moments, games and seasons that have taken place involving the Longhorns that have pissed off those who bleed orange and made the 40 Acres a somber place. These are the games that will be replayed for years on ESPN Classic but will never be re-aired once the Longhorn Network starts up. So without further ado, here are the bottom 11 for the class of 2011:
11. TCU celebrates on the Longhorn logo in center field at Disch-Falk Field
You don’t dance on the Longhorn. That’s a rule. Seeing the Horned Frogs run out to center field and celebrate on Bevo’s head leaves a bad taste in the mouths of Texas fans.
Texas was supposed to roll through the opening rounds en route to a second-straight trip to Omaha. The Horned Frogs split the first two games with Texas and then dominated the Longhorns in game three for their first trip to Omaha.
10. Wake Forest buzzer beater in opening round of 2010 NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
This was the most fitting ending to a season that once saw the Longhorns ranked as the best team in the nation. The Longhorns led by six, with a little more than a minute remaining in overtime. Then like it had throughout the entire season, free throws played the difference as two misses each by J’Covan Brown and Gary Johnson in the final minute led to the game-winning buzzer beater by Ish Smith to end Texas’ season.
9. Almost any game against Kansas State in the major two sports since 2007
Football: 0-3 since 2006
Men’s basketball: 1-3 including a current three-game losing streak
The Wildcats have had Mack Brown and Rick Barnes’ number since 2007 and in a way, have become more and more hated by Texas fans.
8. Three straight home football losses vs. UCLA, Baylor and Iowa State in 2011
The Longhorns were favored by a combined 44 points in those three games by the Vegas odds-makers. They lost by a combined 37 points. That just doesn’t happen … at least not to those three opponents. These are the games that when looking at the schedule prior to the season, one would think would be one easy blowout after another. A fourth straight home loss to Oklahoma State happened, but that was expected by then.
7. Men’s basketball gets crushed by Memphis in the 2008 Elite Eight
The Tigers rolled over the Longhorns in Houston to end Texas’ shot of at a Final Four appearance. Damion James, D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams (remember them?) combined to shoot 14-48 from the field, and the Tigers completely outplayed Texas for 40 minutes.
6. The Garrett Gilbert shovel pass in the 2009 BCS National Championship
Sorry I have to remind you about this. Who knows what the outcome would have been if the play never happened, and Texas went into halftime trailing 17-6 instead of 24-6? Recently, it’s been difficult avoiding that replay with Alabama’s Marcell Dareus intercepting Gilbert’s pass and continuing to run 28 yards through the sorriest three tackle attempts by Gilbert, Michael Huey and Kyle Hix.
5. LSU takes 2009 College World Series
LSU’s five-run sixth inning broke a 4-4 tie, and the Tigers went on to win the championship game 11-4. After the Longhorns let a three-run lead slip away in game one of the championship series, they left 12 runners on base in game three, which ended Texas’ season.
4. Cory Joseph’s five-second violation against Arizona in this season’s NCAA Tournament
This one is freshest in the minds of Texas fans. What makes this moment and game so frustrating was that the referees determined the result of the game. Everyone remembers what happened after the referee only counted four seconds but blew the whistle before a timeout could be called. After that, Derrick Williams converted on a three-point play, and the Longhorns lost.
3. Down goes Colt! Down goes Colt!
For the few plays that Colt McCoy was able to play in the 2009 BCS National Championship game, he did pretty well. The Longhorns had two first downs. Then came the big hit from Marcell Dareus, which didn’t look that big at the time but sidelined McCoy for the remainder of the game. Who knows what would have happened if McCoy hadn’t gotten hurt? That will be the question that Longhorn fans will hold over the world for the rest of their lives. And that’s the question that Bama fans will ignore for the rest of theirs.
2. Gilbert’s comeback falls short
The Longhorns needed to go 93 yards in 3:14. They got 10 after an Alabama holding penalty. But on the second play of the drive, Gilbert got in a little trouble, got sacked and fumbled the ball, where Alabama picked it up at the three-yard line. It was amazing that the Longhorns were able to even be in that opportunity without McCoy. But it was not meant to be.
1. Blake Gideon drop, Michael Crabtree catch
Wow, it’s been a painful four years!