SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Texas is still haunted by Oklahoma, even when the Sooners lose.
The fifth-ranked Longhorns appeared to be a lock for their first BCS bowl berth during coach Mack Brown's six-year tenure until the Sooners were stunned by Kansas State in the Big 12 Conference championship.
That defeat knocked Texas (10-2) out of the BCS and back to the Holiday Bowl for the third time in four years. The highest-ranked team not in a BCS bowl, the Longhorns will take on Washington State in their sixth straight bowl appearance.
First-year Washington State mentor Bill Doba was named the co-Coach of the Year in the Pac-10 Conference with Southern California's Pete Carroll after leading the Cougars to a second-place finish.
Texas was one of the hottest teams in the country down the stretch, winning its final six games, including a 46-15 rout of Texas A&M in the regular-season finale. But only two teams from one conference can receive BCS bids. Oklahoma faces Louisiana State in the Sugar Bowl and Kansas State battles Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Cedric Benson has been on a tear, rushing for 919 yards and 13 touchdowns on 146 carries in the last five games. He finished the regular season with 1,277 yards, becoming only the third player in running back in Texas history to rush for 1,000 yards in three straight seasons.
Texas' offense got a boost when quarterback Vince Young was named the starter after the Longhorns' 65-13 loss to Oklahoma. Young earned Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors, passing and rushing for more than 1,000 yards. He is just the third freshman in NCAA history to accomplish that feat.
Roy Williams also excelled down the stretch, catching 16 passes for 311 yards in the last three games. He needs just 18 yards to become the first receiver in Longhorns' history with two 1,000-yard seasons.
Texas will be facing a Washington State team that is sixth nationally against the run and 19th in total defense.
Matt Kegel, who took over for Jason Gesser, proved durable, completing 200-of-362 passes for 2,744 yards with 19 TDS and 13 interceptions despite missing parts of the last three games due to an assortment of injuries.
However, the Cougars were turnover-prone in the second half of the season and rank just 100th in rushing. They split their last four games, including a 27-19 loss to Washington in the regular-season finale. Jonathan Smith is Washington State's leading rusher with 851 yards and nine TDs.
Texas won the two previous meetings with Washington State, 40-14 in 1954 and 41-8 in 1961.
