By Jim Keller

Dallas, TX

Landry Jones is looking to lead his third-ranked Oklahoma Sooners up the next step in a quest for an eighth national championship. Case McCoy is just looking to help No. 11 Texas get back to national prominence and get out from beneath the shadow of his older brother.

The record-setting Jones, making his 30th career start, will oppose Colt McCoy's little brother, who is making just his third start, when the Big River Rivalry continues Saturday in front of 92,000 fans at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

Texas is 4-0 and playing its first ranked opponent of the season. So the stage is set for Case to do something his brother Colt - the winningest quarterback in college football history and the starting QB for the Cleveland Browns – did three times ... beat Oklahama.

Perhaps never in any other game has the passer efficiency rating been so misleading. Both Jones and McCoy boasts ratings of 164. But the Oklahoma signal caller, who was second in the nation last season in passing yards and TDs, has 1,221 career passes to just 38 for McCoy.

Jones, the school's all-time leader in passing yards (9,363), has completed 71.6 percent of his 155 passes this season for1,447 yards with 10 touchdowns against five interceptions. His 362.5 average in total offense ranks fourth in the country.

Led by Jones, the Sooners, who have droppedfrom first to third in the rankings over the last two weeks despite winningeach time, are averaging 42.5 points – 11th in the nation - and 555 yards per game – fourth best.

Jones threw for career highs of 425 yards and five touchdowns Saturday as Oklahoma racked up 655 yards en route to a 62-6 win against Ball State - the most points scored by Oklahoma since dropping 65 on Texas A&M in 2009.

"Landry has a huge future," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said of his Heisman candidate. "He's a long way from a finished product, and he's already a special quarterback."

While Landry is a prolific passer, the sophomore McCoy, who is sharing time with freshman David Ash, is known more for his ability to think on the run.

Brent Venables, Oklahoma's defensive coordinator, sees a lot of the older brother in Case, who doesn't possess a powerful arm but keeps plays alive by moving around the pocket and finding receivers down field.

"He's got 'it,'" Venable said. "It's easy to see. You hate it. It's like 'Oh my God, these guys.'"

Case has completed 26-of-37 passes in four games this season with two TDs and no interceptions. The Longhorns scored 86 points in his two starts – avenging losses from a season ago to UCLA and Iowa State on the road - a far cry from the 23.8-point average from a season ago in which the Longhorns finished an embarrassing 5-7, their first losing season since 1997.

It won't be easy for McCoy & Co. Oklahoma ranks 14th in the nation in scoring defense (15.3). They will have to stay away from defensive back Tony Jefferson, who intercepted three passes in a span of four throws against Ball State.

"They are ready for this," Texas coach Mack Brown said of his young QBs. "You never know what's going to happen in a game like this. But there's no doubt the pressure's also on them more than us because of that. I mean, they're supposed to win and we're getting better."

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops welcomes the challenge ... and the pressure.

"If there is pressure on us I welcome it," Stoops said. "We are more than capable of handling it. The pressure is there. Coming into this game, this is what you want. We want to be there getting after it. It's exciting coming into this atmosphere. It's exhilarating."

But only one quarterback will be leaving the field Saturday felling exhilarated.

 

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Landry Jones Looks to Lead Sooners Past Texas in Big River Rivalry