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Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012

Record day for Texas' Shipley

By JIM VERTUNO
Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas — At the end of his big day, a group of Texas fans were chanting Jordan Shipley's name when he was pushed out of a group of Longhorns players, flashed a quick "Hook'em Horns" salute and jumped back into the pack.

For a guy who seldom likes to talk about himself, even he had to acknowledge the best day ever by a Longhorns receiver.

"That was fun," Shipley said. "I was trying to hide in the back but those linemen grabbed me and tossed me out in front of everyone."

Shipley caught 11 passes for a school-best 273 yards and a touchdown as No. 2 Texas shook off a slow start for a 35-3 win Saturday over Central Florida. His total yards smashed the previous school best of 242 set by Tony Jones against Pittsburgh in the 1987 Bluebonnet Bowl.

"He's the best receiver in the country," Texas receiver James Kirkendoll said. "There's nothing he can't do on the field."

Shipley's biggest moment on a day full of big catches was an 88-yard touchdown pass from Colt McCoy early in the fourth quarter on a drive that started at the 1.

Afterward, Texas coach Mack Brown joked he'd like to get another year of eligibility for his sixth-year senior.

"We'd like to get him a seventh," Brown said. "He just keeps playing so well."

McCoy was very close to a school passing mark as well. His 470 yards was just shy of current running backs coach Major Applewhite's 473 against Washington in the 2001 Holiday Bowl.

McCoy took his last snap with 9:13 to play. Texas coach Mack Brown briefly considered putting him back in to break the record, then worried it would be bad form didn't want to risk an injury.

"I just decided no, we've got some goals out here and neither of them are passing yards," Brown said.

The goals are much bigger than that: winning Big 12 and national championships. Texas remains in perfect position to chase both.

Texas is now 9-0 for the first time since 2005, the season Texas went 13-0 and won the national championship.

"Any time you can be part of a team that's undefeated, that's what I came back for," Shipley said.

UCFTex

Firstdowns1524

Rushes-yards38-7525-67

Passing76470

Comp-Att-Int10-19-033-42-1

ReturnYards814

Punts-Avg. 8-42.52-28.0

Fumbles-Lost0-01-0

Penalties-Yards1-56-53

Time of Possession31:1128:49

UCF030 0 — 3 Texas0147 14 — 35

Second Quarter

UCF—FG Cattoi 39, 13:00.

Tex—C.Johnson 20 run (Lawrence kick), 11:49.

Tex—C.Johnson 13 run (Lawrence kick), 5:29.

Third Quarter

Tex—Kirkendoll 14 pass from McCoy (Lawrence kick), 3:11.

Fourth Quarter

Tex—Shipley 88 pass from McCoy (Lawrence kick), 13:01.

Tex—Whittaker 6 run (Lawrence kick), 9:13.

A—101,003.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing—UCF, J.Davis 22-71, Guyton 1-11, Calabrese 15-(minus 7). Texas, C.Johnson 10-44, McCoy 8-13, Newton 1-6, Whittaker 5-3, Monroe 1-1.

Passing—UCF, Calabrese 10-19-0-76. Texas, McCoy 33-42-1-470.

Receiving—UCF, Guyton 5-35, Kay 2-22, Aiken 2-12, Ross 1-7. Texas, Shipley 11-273, M.Williams 5-67, Kirkendoll 5-40, Chiles 3-40, Goodwin 3-10, Whittaker 2-11, C.Johnson 2-10, G.Smith 1-12, Buckner 1-7.

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