Longhorn Football

		THE TOP 10 GAMES IN TEXAS FOOTBALL HISTORY (That I was lucky enough to witness) by Jon DaSilva

January 4, 2006 - The BCS National Championship Game - Rose Bowl
#2 Texas 41 #1 USC 38

Easily the greatest of all time. I'm so fortunate to have had the chance to be there and witness the
game first hand. I'll never forget when Vince crossed the goal line on 4th and 5 with the National
Championship on the line. Still get chills just thinking about that perfect Southern California night.

December 7, 1996 - First Big XII Championship Game - TWA Dome - St Louis
Texas 37 #3 Nebraska 27

One of the great upsets in Longhorn history. Going in as 3 touchdown underdogs, Texas managed to
knock off a team that would win 3 National Championships in 4 years... the 1 they missed was
because of this game. I was on staff that year, and this win got me a championship ring and an all
expenses paid trip for 2 weeks to Tempe, AZ for the Fiesta Bowl.

November 10, 1990 - Memorial Stadium
Texas 45, #3 Houston 24

After several years of humility, Texas Football was trying to get back to national prominence. When
the #3 team in the nation came to town for an ESPN Saturday Night game, it was the most electric
atmosphere I had seen in Austin to that time. Unbelievable night as we completely dominated the
vaunted run and shoot offense and set the stage for the Shock the Nation Tour.

January 1, 2005 - Rose Bowl
#6 Texas 38 #13 Michigan 37

For me it was a long awaited dream match up of two of the most storied programs in all of college
football... and playing it in the Granddaddy of them all, the Rose Bowl was just perfect. To get to be
there to see it in person as Texas came from behind to win on the final play of the game only made it
that much sweeter. I didn't think it could get much better than this, until the next year.

September 10, 2005 - Memorial Stadium - Columbus, Ohio
#2 Texas 25 #4 Ohio State 22

The second long awaited match up of two storied programs in just 9 months. I didn't get to see this
one in person, but we had a watch party and celebrated every play... including a few dog piles after
Sweed's TD catch and the safety that sealed the win. It was the win that truly set up the season to
end in the showdown with USC 4 months later.

October 14, 1989 - Texas v OU - Cotton Bowl - Dallas, Texas
Texas 28 #15 Oklahoma 24

It had been an intolerable run of losses in the series, but it would be the first in a string of wins. When
Peter Gardere found Johnny Walker for the touchdown, it was one of the happiest moment in my
young life. It signaled a change in fortunes for Texas, who would go on to win the next 4 in a row,
although they would all be nail biters.

January 1, 1982 - Cotton Bowl - Dallas, Texas
#6 Texas 14 #3 Alabama 12

Another one of the classic match ups of two of the pillar programs of college football, and one of my
earliest true memories of Longhorn Football. Watching on TV, I saw one of my first favorite players,
Robert Brewer, take a QB draw right through the Bama defense for a 30 yard touchdown. Coming
back from 10 points down in the 4th quarter against the 3rd ranked team in the nation, it was a big win
for Texas, and one that led to a #2 ranking to end the season.

November 4, 2004 - Memorial Stadium
#6 Texas 56 #19 Oklahoma State 35

I remember sitting in the stands thinking that this can't be happening. Oklahoma State had somehow
jumped out to a 28-0 lead over Texas, and by halftime, it was 35-7. But Vince Young and the Horns
would stage an epic comeback. The second half was all Texas, as they rallied for 49 unanswered
points in route to the biggest comeback in school history.

December 2, 1995 - Kyle Field - College Station, Texas
#9 Texas 16 #16 Texas A&M 6

It was the final game of the SWC and it was for the last SWC Championship and a birth in the Sugar
Bowl. The Horns had lost 4 in a row to A&M and the Aggies were boasting the nation's longest home
winning streak at 31. It was an inspired bunch of outnumbered Longhorn fans that day at Kyle Field
that saw Texas bring down the curtain on the SWC by restoring the order one last time, with a win
over A&M and a Conference Championship.

#10

December 28, 2001 - Holiday Bowl - San Diego
#9 Texas 47 #21 Washington 43

At the time, it was the biggest comeback in school history. Down 19 points in the second half, the
Horns rallied to take the lead, only to see Washington take it back with under 2 minutes to play. But
Texas and Major Applewhite had one more drive left in them and took back the lead for good with
only 38 seconds remaining. It capped our first 11 wind season in almost 20 years.