ROSE-COLORED PASSES (and runs), VOL. I

by Larry Carlson for  https://texaslsn.org

Aaron Rodgers is still seething that Texas was even IN the Rose Bowl played on the first day of 2005. Mack Brown had successfully lobbied for his Longhorns, the second-place finisher in the Big XII’s South division.

UT, not Rodgers’ California Golden Bears, would be the at-large team landing a berth in “the Granddaddy of ’em all.”

The Texas brand apparently meant more to the committee than did the performance of the school known in the hippie riots/peace & love days as “Berserkeley.”

It’s easy now to look back at the Texas-Michigan Rose Bowl 2005 (following the 10-1 ’04 season) and detect the foreshadowing. Vince Young and Pasadena go together like kisses and mistletoe.  The redshirt sophomore QB served notice that he could absolutely take over a big, big game.  He was a Marvel comic book hero, come to life.

Any true burnt orange-blooded UT fan remembers that Dusty Mangum nailed the game-winning 37-yard field goal as the clock expired, providing Texas with a 38-37 victory and Mangum with a free bar tab for life.

The Wolverines led most of the way, thanks to Chad Henne and his four touchdown passes.  But VY did him one better. Vince rang up four TD runs — one of them a 60-yarder — and threw a TD pass to David Thomas.  With 192 yards on the ground and 180 by air, Young would go on to capture MVP honors.  

From the time when the Blue & Maize took a 28-21 lead in the third quarter, the two teams scored in ping-pong style. Michigan. Texas.  Michigan.  Texas.  Michigan. Texas.  One key, though.  The Wolverines’ last three scores were all field goals.  Texas only settled once for three points.

It was enough. And VY and Co. would return for another bouquet of roses.