Prognostications

Can anyone do any better than Punxsutawney Phil when it comes to predictions? Lots of folks are trying to predict the outcome of tonight's huge battle between Ohio State and Texas. Coach Bando and Coach Rob have their opinions and their hopes, and here's a list of picks collected by Austin's daily newspaper, the American-Statesman. I'm curious to see if anyone nails the actual score:

STATESMAN STAFF

Cedric Golden: Texas 27, Ohio State 23: "No Vince? No problem."

Randy Riggs: Ohio State 21, Texas 20: "Payback time. Colt never saw anything like this at Jim Ned High, or even last week vs. North Texas."

John Bridges: Texas 23, Ohio State 21: "Soon enough, Tressel really will have to vote Texas No. 1."

John Maher: Texas 21, Ohio State 20: "Inexperienced Ohio State defense can't capitalize on inexperienced Texas quarterback."

Mike Leggett: Texas 27, Ohio State 21: "Texas is the home team."

Kevin Robbins: Texas 24, Ohio State 17: "Colt McCoy says he wants to have fun. A fourth-quarter scoring drive gives him all the happiness he could imagine."

Jason Whaley: Ohio State 30, Texas 21: "Without Tarell Brown, Texas will be seeing a lot of Ted Ginn's backside."

Alan Trubow: Ohio State 23, Texas 16: "Freshman quarterback. Freshman quarterback. Freshman quarterback. Freshman quarterback."

John Kelso: Texas 28, Ohio State 27: "Because it sounded good at the time."

Mark Rosner: Texas 24, Ohio State 21: "Homer columnist Bohls looking for opposition candidate, but a Buckeye pal says his team lacks enough defenders. Texas survives Brown-out in the secondary."

Rick Cantu: Texas 28, Ohio State 14: "Believe it or not, Texas is a better overall team without VY."

Suzanne Halliburton: Texas 25, Ohio State 17: My daddy always told me a great defense will beat a great offense, everytime.

AROUND THE BIG 12

Ryan Killian, Daily Texan: Ohio State 24, Texas 17: "McCoy won't lead Texas past Buckeye defense."

Tim Griffin, San Antonio Express-News: Ohio State 21, Texas 17: "Troy Smith's national coming-out party will be eerily similar to Vince Young's last season in Columbus."

Jimmy Burch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Ohio State 24, Texas 20: "Buckeyes' quarterback Troy Smith is this year's Vince Young, the nation's best big-game player. That makes Ohio State this year's winner in this high-stakes shootout."

John E. Hoover, Tulsa World: Texas 28, Ohio State 17: "Buckeye defense isn't close to last year's unit — or championship caliber."

Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News: Ohio State 28, Texas 24: "If Colt plays like he did vs. UNT, the score will be reversed."

Eric Ransom, Daily Texan: Texas 21, Ohio State, 14: "Texas will limit Troy Smith to mortal numbers."

B.G. Brooks, Rocky Mountain News: Ohio State 17, Texas 10: "Troy Smith ain't Vince Young, but for one night sharing the big stage with Ted Ginn, he's pretty good."

Steve Sipple, Lincoln Journal Star: Texas 27, Ohio State 24: "Down to the wire. I'm taking the team with the better defense."

Chip Brown, Dallas Morning News: Texas 24, Ohio State 14: "Colt McCoy becomes a Texas legend in his second game, and Gene Chizik shows why this is his last season in Austin."

Cody Hale, Daily Texan: Texas 20, Ohio State 14: "The UT defense will hold Ted Ginn enough and limit Troy Smith's rushing."

Jim Vertuno, Associated Press: Texas 24, Ohio State 21: "McCoy is shaky but Buckeyes can't stop Jamaal."

Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle: Texas 31, Ohio State 23: "Jim Tressel won't have to lie who's No. 1 after this one."

Bill Frisbie, Inside Texas: Texas 27, Ohio State 21: "There's a fine line in separating Texas from Ohio State — that's Texas' D-line."

William Wilkerson, Daily Texan: Texas 24, Ohio State 17: "D-line dominates."

Wendell Barnhouse, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Texas 21, Ohio State 17: "Jim Tressel finds out Texas and its defense really are No. 1."

Vahe Gregorian, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Texas 24, Ohio State 20: "Home-field advantage tips the scales for the Longhorns."

AROUND THE NATION

Ken Tysiac, Charlotte Observer: Ohio State 24, Texas 10: "This time, the Buckeyes have the big playmaker at quarterback."

Tony Barnhart, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Texas 24, Ohio State 21: "Longhorns rush for over 200 yards against a rebuilding Buckeye defense."

Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland Plain Dealer: Ohio State 31, Texas 24: "Again decided in the final three minutes, this time by a Troy Smith TD pass."

Jon Solomon, Birmingham News: Ohio State 24, Texas 20: "Jim Tressel's No. 1 pick is legit. Buckeyes have a little too much offense."

Scott Rabalais, The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La.: Texas 23, Ohio State 19: "McCoy and Sweed expose Buckeyes' defensive liabilities."

Tim May, Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State 27, Texas 17: "Last year, Texas had Vince Young. This year, Ohio State has Troy Smith."

Bob Holt, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Ohio State 28, Texas 21: "Troy Smith is now entrenched as the Buckeyes' starting quarterback and his experience will make the difference in getting a big road victory."

John Henderson, Denver Post: Texas 27, Ohio State 17: "If Texas stopped USC, the Longhorns can slow down Ohio State at home."

Mark Blaudschun, Boston Globe: Texas 21, Ohio State 17: "Longhorns will lose a game this season, but it won't be this one."

Bob Thomas, Florida Times-Union: Texas 24, Ohio State 17: "Longhorns have dimension Buckeyes don't — defense."

Jason Franchuk, Provo Daily Herald: Ohio State 21, Texas 20: "Somehow, the road team wins again."

Kelly Whiteside, USA Today: Texas 21, Ohio State 17: "Though Ohio State's offense performs as good as advertised, Texas' defense saves the day."

Ken Gordon, Columbus Dispatch: Texas, 31 Ohio State 28: "Young OSU defense gives up one too many plays."

Greg Archuleta, Albuquerque Journal: Texas 24, Ohio State 20: "Neither Troy Smith nor Ted Ginn Jr. have proven they are the leader Vince Young was for Texas."

Barker Davis, Washington Times: Texas 27, Ohio State 16: "'Horns' superiority in the trenches translates into victory."

Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star : Ohio State 24, Texas 21: "Buckeyes go ahead on a Smith TD pass with 2:37 remaining."

Dave Birkett, Oakland Press: Ohio State 24, Texas 17: "Expect a Heisman-caliber performance from Troy Smith."

Michael Vega, Boston Globe: Texas 34, Ohio State 21: "Garrett Wolfe goes for 285 against the Bucks, but Horns roll up even bigger numbers.''

Jeff Metcalfe, Arizona Republic: Texas 27, Ohio State 20: "Home field trumps loss of Tarell Brown."

Todd Jones, Columbus Dispatch: Texas 28, Ohio State 24: "Longhorns' running game and home crowd overcome lack of experience at quarterback."

Robert Gagliardi, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle: Texas 24, Ohio State 16: "Texas does enough offensively and Colt McCoy plays another solid game."