Texas Goes Out Meekly

SAN DIEGO â€”  If Bevo, the mascot of the Texas Longhorns, could talk, surely he would complain about the crummy retirement party provided by his longtime employers.

Before a crowd of 61,102 at Qualcomm Stadium, 15th-ranked Washington State dominated the fifth-ranked Longhorns with a relentless passing attack and pinpoint punting for a 28-20 victory Tuesday in the 26th edition of the Holiday Bowl.

The Cougars’ much-injured quarterback Matt Kegel completed 18 of 32 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. Cougar punter Kyle Basler put four punts within the five-yard line.

“We made a lot of mistakes and they made a lot of plays,� said Texas Coach Mack Brown. “Nothing went right for us tonight.�

Both teams finished 10-3. For Washington State, it was the third straight 10-victory season, a school record. Texas was thwarted in its try for its third straight 11-victory season, which would have been a school record.

“You never want to lose your last game, particularly when you wear a Texas uniform,� said Longhorn senior Roy Williams, who caught nine passes for 97 yards and one touchdown.

It was also the last game for the craggy-looking steer called Bevo: Next season a younger, friskier animal will take the name and role that dates to the early days of Longhorn football. Longhorn fans waved signs wishing the steer a happy retirement.

Bevo, who has his own fan club and Web site, was kept out of sight for most of the game, lest he be spooked by the halftime fireworks show.

Also mostly a no-show were other things associated with Texas football: an explosive offense, a defense that led the Big 12 in sacks, and a calm, methodical approach by the coach.

There were signs throughout that the Longhorn wheels were wobbling: a quick switch of quarterbacks from Vince Young to backup Chance Mock; an offside penalty on a crucial play; a warning by referees for the Texas bench to pipe down; and finally a holding penalty in the end zone that gave the Cougars a safety and a 28-13 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

After narrowing Washington’s lead, the Longhorns’ last serious drive sputtered when a Mock fumble was recovered on the Washington 36 by linebacker Will Derting.

Cougar receiver Sammy Moore was named most valuable player with two catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns and four punt returns for 68 yards, including a 51-yard return to set up a third-quarter touchdown. Longhorn quarterbacks were sacked seven times.

Washington State players said they were not intimidated by the Longhorns’ bringing 21 more players to the game than the Cougars.

“When you line up, it’s not 93 to 72, it’s one on one,� said Cougar defensive end D.D. Acholonu, who sacked Mock on the Texas 38 to end the game and send Bevo into Longhorn history.