Well, Horns fans, looks like Mack Brown is safe, at least for now

With the Texas Longhorns, massive underdogs in the Red River Shootout (I remember when it had no title, pre-DrPepper hype) upending the Oklahoma Sooners in Dallas today, it looks like Longhorn coach Mack Brown is officially off the hot seat for the rest of the year.

My previous 5-7 projection automatically updates to a minimum of 6-6, with a reasonable shot at going at least 7-5 and making a trip to the postseason.

That said, will he recognize he got lucky, or whatever, this year? That he's still coaching a program that's been struggling for multiple successive years and probably would be better without him?

I doubt it. Mack sounds like a stubborn man, even by the standards of NCAA Division I football coaches. That includes the fact that his contract doesn't expire until the end of the decade and he's already indicated he expects to be "taken care of."

Until recently, speculation was he would step up to the athletic director's chair once its current occupant, DeLoss Dodds, steps down.

However, per news of earlier this week, there's just one problem (other than Mack's potential "I'm still a good coach" vein of stubbornness) with this scenario. And, that's that UT administration may not have Mack in its sights.

Well, if UT is hiring an outside search firm to look for Dodds' replacement, this scenario might not be so true.

Of course, spending the money on the search firm, and possibly having to buy Mack out if he won't retire and they won't name him AD, while cutting 500 jobs, shows the ridiculousness of the power of college football.

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Meanwhile, while I'm here, here's a quick hit look at the Big 12.

Baylor now looks to be the team to beat.

Oklahoma, which didn't look impressive against TCU, is in some sort of tie for second with Oklahoma State and Texas Tech right now. And, with the Horns, now 3-0 in district, they have to be considered at least near that mix now, too.

Instead of OU-Baylor being the hot game, it could be Baylor and the Longhorns. Or Baylor and the Cowboys.

Finally, I have to agree with Brent Musberger in the press box. Bob Stoops and staff called a poor offensive game. Why wasn't Bell running more from quarterback? And with that, plus the struggle against TCU a week ago, the second guessing can migrate from Austin to Norman. A pitiful offensive performance against a defense that had been getting maligned far and wide will draw that second guessing.