After suffering through a five-game losing streak, Texas finally got the big victory over Oklahoma for Mack Brown and in the process kept its undefeated season and national-title hopes alive.

For the coach dogged for being unable to win “The Big One,” that means a whole new string of games with added importance. After getting through the Oklahoma game undefeated for the first time since 1983, any loss for the Longhorns (5-0, 2-0 Big 12 Conference) would be devastating.

“This is the best team we have had in a number of years, and we are excited about moving from where we are forward,” Brown said after Texas’ 45-12 triumph.

But before the second-ranked Longhorns can start crafting Rose Bowl dreams, they have to get through the rest of the Big 12.

Next up for Texas is a showdown with Colorado, which slammed a Big 12 South foe for the second straight week to become the clear front-runner in the North. The Buffs (4-1, 2-0) jumped on Texas A&M for 21 quick points and led by as many as five touchdowns on the way to a 41-20 victory in Boulder.

And now, their meeting with Texas has potential to be an early preview of the conference championship game.

“I think that it is really important that we go in there with a little bit of a swagger and play with some confidence so we can go in there and make some things happen,” Colorado wide receiver Evan Judge said.

Beyond those front-runners, the rest of the league is disorder.

Texas Tech survived a scare at Nebraska to keep its undefeated start in order while spoiling the Cornhuskers’ 4-0 start. But it took a bit of a miracle. Only after Nebraska nose tackle Le Kevin Smith intercepted a Cody Hodges pass and then coughed it back up did the 15th-ranked Red Raiders manage to win on a last-minute score for the first time since 1998.

Baylor picked up its first-ever Big 12 road victory against the North’s preseason favorite, Iowa State. Bears players credited coach Guy Morriss’ halftime speech, after which Baylor outscored the Cyclones 13-0 on the way to victory.

“It wasn’t like go in and yell and scream at them,” Morriss said. “I felt like probably (the second half) would be the most pivotal half of football we may play this season. They knew what was at stake, and I just kind of challenged a little bit like you can either go down the sewer or you can rise up and win this football game and it will probably springboard us into the rest of the conference year.

“I guess they listened.”