Are you ready to go all-in with this Texas football team?With five days to go until the fate of the Texas Longhorns for 2008 is likely determined, are you ready to push all of our chips on the table?Do you believe?If you’re hedging your bets a little, perhaps this will help calm your nerves: the Texas players believe. Perhaps it’s just a little thing that won’t amount to much in the end, but there’s no doubt that this group of Longhorns believes that they will beat Oklahoma.That has not always been the case. I can remember talking to a starter on the 2003 team and asking about the game-plan for that year’s OU game less than 48 hours from the opening kickoff.“I don’t know,” was the answer to my question.Stunned by his reply, I asked him, again, “What do you mean, you don’t know?”“I don’t know,” he replied in a curt manner before shrugging his shoulders, getting in his car and driving away. I could tell that afternoon that he was nervous about the game and that there certainly wasn’t any confidence oozing from him. I knew at that point, before I even got into the car and turned the ignition, that the Longhorns would be in trouble.I thought about it on the drive to Dallas. I thought about it on the drive to the Cotton Bowl. I thought about it as I walked to my seat that day.What did he mean that he didn’t know?Well, it became pretty clear once the game started. 65-13. Oh, that’s what he meant. So, here we are. The game is almost 100 hours away and I can’t tell you who is going to win this game. Frankly, I think this is the most evenly matched game between these two teams since 2001 and I’m not so certain that the style of play won’t be the same. Perhaps I don’t know much, but I do feel like I know this - this group of Longhorns will know exactly what the game-plan is on Saturday. If there’s one thing I feel pretty confident in about this team, it’ll be their readiness for this weekend’s game.Let’s look at the defense. The emergence on this side of the ball has been sudden. Week by week, Will Muschamp has added something to this side of the ball and as they enter the game on Saturday, they are as confident as dynamic as any defense that Texas has ever entered this rivalry with.Ever. Don’t bring up Leon Fuller or anyone else’s defenses. E-v-e-r. And the players know it.The players know that this is a type of defense that they’ve never brought to the table before. They also know without a shadow of a doubt that Muschamp will put together a game plan that will throw the Sooners off-balance. Over on the offensive side of the ball, the Longhorns have the luxury of having one of the best players on the field lining up for them at quarterback. The Longhorns might not have an offense that possesses a deep threat at receiver, any tight ends or any consistent running back, but they do have McCoy and he has the ability to make things happen. He has it and he also has an incredible chemistry with Jordan Shipley and Quan Cosby.Those three will make plays in this game. Overall on special teams, the Longhorns have been getting great player from their kickers, which will be huge in a game like this where the shifts in field position in this phase of the game can mean everything.This team is ready. This team is playing with a lot swagger. This team is primed. This team believes. So, are you ready to go all-in?If not, I don’t blame you, but here’s the good news - this team is ready to push everything they own onto the table and that hasn’t always been the case.No.2 - More thoughts on the Longhornsa) I’m not sure what to make of Chris Ogbonnaya’s performance on Saturday as it relates to projecting this position for the rest of the season. After the game the coaches seemed to indicate that they always knew Ogbonnaya had a bunch of 200-yard all-purpose games in his body, but I’m not buying that. As Ogbonnaya finishes his fifth season on the 40 Acres, I think we all know who he is and I think everyone can recognize that one of the classiest players that Mack Brown has ever had in Austin enjoyed a career night in Boulder. Will we see another performance like that before the season ends? It’s tough to say, but history would indicate that Saturday was an anomaly and not the beginning of a trend. In my opinion, this team desperately needs Fozzy Whittaker this weekend and then the rest of the parts at this position might really begin to compliment the offense pretty well. b) I just cannot figure out why Texas is unwilling to get some of these young receivers more involved in the passing game and I cannot fathom why the offense doesn’t take more shots down the field. For a team that lives and dies by its ability to work the short and intermediate passing games, you’d think they’d take some shots deep in an effort to keep the defense a little more honest. Are we really five weeks into the season and we don’t know of one player that might be ready to help out in the No.3 receiver role on Saturday? Ugh…c) Texas needs to get the ball to Jordan Shipley as much as possible against the Sooners.d) Colt probably needs to write this on the chalkboard 100 times this week: Don’t throw to the tight ends.e) On too many occasions on Saturday night the running backs were too deep in the backfield when the hole was opened up by their offensive line, especially when Cody Johnson was in the game. I watched a lot of those runs frame by frame and there were holes that were big enough to drive a Mack truck through and the backs just didn’t get to the holes quick enough. When you hear Mack say that the holes were there today, believe him.f) Hell of a game by Roy Miller. If Texas gets that out of him on Saturday, they’ll be very tough to beat.g) A healthy Brian Orakpo is bringing a very high level of play every single week.h) I thought Roddrick Muckelroy had the best game of his career.i) Chykie Brown is probably the best cornerback on the team right now.j) Blake Gideon is rock solid. I rarely know he’s on the field and that’s not a bad thing if you’re a true freshman safety. Also, it sure was nice to see Earl Thomas put his second consecutive good start under his belt. If he’d have struggled on Saturday, you’d probably be worrying a lot about that spot heading into the game, at least more than you already are.k) I don’t know what Ryan Bailey did to lose his job, but Hunter Lawrence isn’t going to let him have it back.l) UT’s return game on special teams is pretty boring.No.3 - Thoughts on the Sooners win over Baylora) Sam Bradford is really good. The McCoy/Bradford match-up might be the best this rivalry has ever seen. Can anyone think of one that is better?b) I don’t know how Manuel Johnson keeps getting wide open, but Texas will want to make sure he’s not down the field (open by 50 yards) all by himself. Mark that on things to do this week.c) The Oklahoma running game is in better shape heading into this game than Texas’ is. Don’t try to convince yourself otherwise.d) Darrell Wyatt was one hell of a talent evaluator when he was at Oklahoma. He told me that Johnson was going to be really good and I thought he was crazy for offering Joaquin Iglesias. Coach, if you’re reading this, you were right.e) I think Ryan Broyles is the guy that Texas needs to circle. When he’s going, this offense is nearly unstoppable.f) Travis Lewis is going to end up being one of Bob Stoops’ best finds in recruiting. He was a guy that played running back in high school and missed a ton of game time because of injuries, but he tested like a champ at various camps before his senior season and now that he’s playing defense for the Sooners, he’s emerged into one of the best young players in the Big 12. On top of that, I remember being a very nice kid. Nice story.g) Keenan Clayton looked like the player I always thought he’d be on Saturday. That was another of Wyatt’s kids. So was Adrian Peterson. So was Malcolm Kelly. Aren’t you glad he’s not in Norman any more?h) Ryan Reynolds is damn good. He nearly decapitated Robert Griffin on Saturday.i) I still think their secondary can be had.No.4 - Let’s talk about the rest of the Big 12A) Oklahoma State/Missouri might end up being the best game in the Big 12 on Saturday. Don’t sleep on the Cowboys because they might have the best running back and wide receiver in the conference. B) Missouri will never be the same when Chase Daniel leaves. It’ll be like Texas the two previous seasons without Vince Young, but worseC) That being said, they are hell on wheels right now.D) Impressive win by Texas Tech. I believe in them a little more today than I did on Friday.E) Iowa State looks better than Texas A&M.F) Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas State are bad football teams.Here’s my updated Big 12 Power Rankings (previous week in parenthesis): 1) Oklahoma (1)2) Texas (3)3) Missouri (2) 4) Oklahoma State (5)5) Texas Tech (6)6) Kansas (4)7) Colorado (7)8) Kansas State (8)9) Nebraska (9)10) Baylor (10)11) Iowa State (12) 12) Texas A&M (11)No.5 - If I had a top 10 vote that mattered…1. Oklahoma2. LSU3. Texas4. Missouri5. Alabama6. Penn State7. BYU8. USC9. Florida10. VanderbiltNo.6 - Post- Dallas/Cincinnati thoughtsA win is a win. Was it ugly? Yes. Do the Cowboys look a little out of sorts on offense? Yes.Was it a win? You betcha, and before anyone tries to make too big of a stink about the game, I don’t remember anyone hitting the panic button for the world champion NY Giants after they went to overtime with the same Bungles team that Dallas sometimes struggled with on Sunday.Just saying…I can’t believe the way Dallas made a point of trying to overrun the football. It was like they were trying to prove a point to the fans and media, instead of playing football and doing what they do best. I thought the team did a poor job of getting Tarrell Owens involved in the offense. They didn’t bring him motion much and he didn’t seem to run many crossing patters, until he finally broke free for the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter on a, you guessed it, a crossing route.The defense was just good, not better or worse. I’m not sure where the pass rush was during this game, but I was pretty pleased with the way the secondary played, despite not having Terence Newman, Roy Williams and Patrick Watkins. If the Cowboys don’t make the trade for Adam Jones in the off-season, I’m not sure they win on Sunday. I thought he was excellent, even if he does have Rod Babers hands.Overall, it was a good spot in the schedule for us to go through a loss of identity phase, but we need to get back to playing our game next weekend in Arizona because Kurt Warner is playing really good football. No.7 - More randomness from the second weekend in the NFLa) Washington is pretty damn good. b) I think Roy Williams is taking my advice and he’s starting to go out of his way to create a path out of Detroit. Again, if he turns into T.O. until he’s out the door, I think it’s justified. He has to do whatever he can to ensure they don’t franchise him.c) Kyle Orton was 24 of 34 for 334 yards and two touchdowns. Are you kidding me?d) Aaron Rodgers for MVP? Didn’t think so…e) Bill Parcells has something cooking in Miami. That team is starting to remind me of a poor man’s Tennessee Titans.f) Will Derrick Johnson have to play his entire career in Siberia?No.8 - No, I haven’t forgotten the Texans.I really don’t even know what to say. It was painful for me to watch, so I don’t even know how it could feel to be a Texans fan today.Only an Oilers fan would know, I suppose.That being said, Sage Rosenfels would be my starting quarterback next week.No.9 - If Texas wins on Saturday…Is Colt McCoy your new Heisman front-runner?No.10 - And finally…The Dodgers scare me.Signed,A Phillies fan that isn’t ready to drink the kool-aid. P.S. - Will one of you Longhorn fans let me have some of yours?