And when the most lopsided game between these border foes in decades was over, all first-year Razorbacks coach Bobby Petrino could do Saturday was collapse into a chair and sigh - hard.

“That’s a beating,” Petrino said.

It came at the hands of another near-perfect performance by McCoy, who put up five touchdowns and has Texas (4-0) coasting into its Big 12 Conference schedule after a 52-10 romp over Arkansas that ranked among the biggest blowouts ever in their historic rivalry.

The loss was the worst in the series since a 52-0 Texas win in 1916 and the fourth-most lopsided meeting between the schools.

It was an embarrassing rivalry debut for Petrino in a series famous for close games. In the previous 10 meetings between Texas and Arkansas, the average margin of victory was fewer than nine points.

But the Razorbacks (2-2) left Austin as another overmatched opponent for Texas, which has outscored opponents 198-36.

“This is the best we’ve played since the national title year,” said Texas senior offensive lineman Cedric Dockery, recalling the 2005 season. “It shows up on the scoreboard and in the win column.”

Junior star McCoy completed 17 of 19 passes for 185 yards and threw three touchdowns, pushing his season total to 14. He also ran for a game-high 84 yards and two scores, the most impressive a 35-yard bolt down the sideline before he stumbled in the end zone in the second quarter.

Officials reviewed the play to see if McCoy had stepped out of bounds before he went headfirst into the end zone, but the touchdown was upheld. It might have been the closest Arkansas came to stopping him all day.

McCoy, who broke the Texas record for passing touchdowns last week against Rice, has 65 in three seasons. The game also was the third time this year he has led the Longhorns in rushing.

“Colt is playing as well as any quarterback in the country,” Texas coach Mack Brown said. “It would be hard to imagine anyone playing better. Colt’s confidence is just oozing.”

Jordan Shipley caught two touchdown passes for Texas, Quan Cosby hauled in the other and freshman Aaron Williams returned an interception 81 yards for a score. Cody Johnson added a 1-yard TD plunge.

Arkansas, meanwhile, was overwhelmed in absorbing a second blowout in as many games to an AP Top 10 team. No. 8 Alabama crushed the Razorbacks by 35 points last week, and the road doesn’t get easier for Arkansas and Petrino.

The Razorbacks’ next game is against No. 4 Florida, coming off a home loss to Mississippi and former Arkansas coach Houston Nutt, an upset sure to further sour Razorbacks fans Saturday.

“I think we’re all getting sick of it,” Arkansas tight end D.J. Williams said. “It’s surprising because no one came into these games thinking we would lose like this.”

Petrino, whose wins have been close ones against Western Illinois and Louisiana-Monroe, stressed patience.

“Losing is hard. It takes a toll on you,” Petrino said. “You work this hard. You want to see results. Everyone wants to see results.”

The game was played two weeks after the threat of Hurricane Ike postponed the 77th meeting between the schools. Arkansas probably wished it was pushed back even more.

Texas came out of the game with its third 52-10 victory this season and held the Razorbacks to 191 yards. Casey Dick completed seven of 13 passes for 138 yards, and Michael Smith struggled to pick up 42 yards on 13 carries.

Arkansas didn’t reach the end zone until late in the fourth, when Antwain Robinson scooped up a fumble and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown.

The rout began early. McCoy completed eight of his first nine passes and led the Longhorns to scores on their first four possessions. By the end of the first quarter, Texas had 152 yards of offense. Arkansas had 9.

Cosby’s third touchdown of the year came on a 13-yard pass in which Arkansas was flagged for pass interference - another sign that McCoy could seemingly do no wrong.

“We did what we needed to do,” McCoy said of Texas cruising to wins in its first four games. “Our total mindset is on conference play.”

The Longhorns will play their Big 12 opener next week at Colorado before their pivotal meeting with No. 2 Oklahoma - and likely soon to be No. 1 - at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.