Coach Mack Brown Says Hurricane No Match for Texas

With Hurricane Rita closing in on the Texas coast and thousands of residents evacuating the area, University of Texas head coach Mack Brown made a bold and defiant statement Wednesday morning. Citing a total lack of balance and unpredictability, Brown slammed the imposing hurricane and went as far as saying it "stood absolutely no chance of keeping itself in the ball game."

"We're ranked #2 in the country for a reason," Brown continued, "and if these Hurricanes think they can just come in here and steamroll our boys, they've got another thing coming."

Analysts breaking down the match up aren't as convinced. The Hurricanes have fared well of late, ripping through the SEC with crushing victories over LSU, Auburn, Alabama and Florida. And while the Longhorn football program is certainly not to be toyed with, it seems unlikely that even Texas would be spared from the storm's wrath. "This is a dangerous situation," warned meteorologist Mike Tanurra. "I cannot stress enough the power and potential for devastation this Hurricane possesses. They should evacuate immediately. This is serious."

"You're damn right it is," countered coach Brown. "But we're not going nowhere. Did this weather fella catch the Ohio St. game? They were the #4 team in the country and we shut them out in the fourth quarter. We've got nothing to be afraid of."

Others aren't so sure. With the death toll in Louisiana escalating into the thousands and Rita being recently upgraded to a Level 5 Hurricane, those closest to the situation are calling Brown's defiance a suicide mission. LSU head coach Les Miles advised Brown to head north until the storm passes. "We're still recovering here," warned Miles. "The campus was destroyed, our stadium damaged and our students are still a little shell-shocked. He's making a big mistake."

"Who told you that, Miles?" responded coach Brown. "Well, what do you expect? They've only had one victory-and they just barely beat Arizona State. We're 3-0 and beat the Buckeyes. And I'll tell you something else. That Hurricane is all offense. When it gets one look at Vince Young, it's gonna be the one running away."

Landfall on the Texas coast is expected by Saturday. Whatever the outcome, this is sure to be an instant classic.