Matt Parks Is Creator of The Website 45-35.com

Texas students and fans are planning an extensive and high-profile campaign to remind BCS voters about the merits of the Longhorns’ 45-35 victory over Oklahoma on Oct. 11.Included is a war chest of more than $4,500, part of which will be spent on printing and distribution of 20,000 signs for fans to wave during Thursday’s Texas-Texas A&M game in Austin. Other funds will be used to hire a pilot to fly over Stillwater, Okla. with a pro-Longhorns banner during Saturday’s live telecast of the ESPN College GameDay program.

Matt Parks, creator of the Website 45-35.com, is part of a group that has been collecting funds with the intent to raise awareness about Texas’ head-to-head victory over Oklahoma since voters put the Sooners (10-1, 6-1 in Big 12) ahead of the Longhorns (10-1, 6-1) in both of Sunday’s polls used, along with computer rankings, to set the BCS standings.

Parks said Tuesday that the orange cardboard signs will be 8 inches by 11 inches, with “45-35” emblazoned in white lettering. There will be no advertising or corporate logos. The intent, he said, is to pass them out before Thursday’s game against A&M in hopes they catch the attention of ESPN cameras and, in turn, BCS voters during the telecast.

“We have no intention of trying to shove anything down voters’ throats,” said Parks, a senior from Houston who is majoring in government. Instead, Parks said the group wants to “get the message out there” that head-to-head results should not be overlooked when weighing the merits of one college team against another. Especially the result that occurred in the Cotton Bowl on Oct. 11.

The school’s student newspaper, The Daily Texan, is running a full-page advertisement in today’s editions with the same “45-35” message and color scheme. Jalah Bridwell, the newspaper’s advertising director, said up to 30,000 copies of the ad could be distributed before Thursday’s kickoff. The decision, she said, was made in response to an “overwhelming” response from students who favored the idea.