beginning of the 2006 season. Oklahoma Co-defensive Coordinator and defensive backs coach Bobby Jack Wright was an assistant coach at Texas from 1986 to '97. OU also had two Austin natives on their roster this season, QB Hays McEachern and WR Fred Strong. McEachern's father was the Texas quarterback in 1977 and 1978 and his mother was a Longhorn cheerleader. With the two teams in the south division of the same conference, it is difficult for either team to win their half of the conference without winning this game although this did occur in the 2006 season. The winner of the game has a much greater chance to be the Big 12 South division champion and play in the Big 12 Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. The game often has national title implications as well. Since 1999, the winner in of this rivalry game has gone on to the BCS National Championship on 3 occasions, the Sooners in 2000 and 2004, and the Longhorns in 2005. Prior to the game, the sports line in Vegas casinos was 4 to 41/2 points with Texas the favorite. McCoy got his first win over a ranked team as well as his first come-from-behind victory when he threw 2 touchdown passes and led the Longhorns to a 28–10 win. He threw 11 completed passes in 18 attempts for a total of 108 passing, with no interceptions. The 2 touchdowns by McCoy gave him 12 touchdown passes for the season, tied for third with Longhorn passer James Brown in the list of most touchdowns by a freshman. Despite a prediction by the UT student newspaper, The win gave Texas its second win in a row vs Oklahoma and 17th straight conference win. Oklahoma outgained Texas 333 to 232 in total yards, but the Sooners turned the ball over five times to none by Texas. Four of Oklahoma's turnover occurred in the second half. Texas' Aaron Ross was credited with three of those turnovers, as he intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble for a touchdown. It was the first time since 1967 that Texas avoided making a turnover in the Red River Shootout. Oklahoma also suffered from penalties, committing 11 to the Longhorns' 3. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said after the game, "They made the plays and the turnovers, and we did not. Congratulations to them." The attendance for the game, 76,260,