Call it the Shootout on the South Plains. Big 12 football has become a weekly battle of gunslinging quarterbacks. Only two --Texas' Colt McCoy and Texas Tech's Graham Harrell -- are still undefeated.
That ends Saturday night in Lubbock when the No. 1 Longhorns (8-0) visit the No. 6 Red Raiders (8-0).
If last year's 59-43 Texas win is any measure of what to expect, it could get wild in West Texas. McCoy and Harrell combined for 785 yards of total offense and 11 touchdowns.
McCoy is the nation's No. 2 passer with 2,285 yards, 21 touchdowns and an uncanny completion rate of 81 percent. His stellar play over the last three weeks in victories over No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 14 Missouri and No. 9 Oklahoma State have made him the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy.
Harrell could make his own claim for the Heisman with a win that would put the Red Raiders in the national title hunt. He's riddled defenses for the last three years in coach Mike Leach's pass- and point-a-minute offense. This season he has 3,147 yards and 28 TDs.
His career numbers are staggering: He ranks fourth in NCAA history with 13,829 yards, and his 117 touchdown passes are tied for third with Hawaii's Timmy Chang (2000-2004).
