12 BIG 12
TEXAS A&M AGGIES
Old rivalry resumes at Cowboys Stadium
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill, right, pulls in a 58-yard past UAB's Chase Daniel during the second quarter of their game at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, last Saturday. The Aggies won 56-19.
By Brad Cox The Battallion
COLLEGE STATION, Texas The last time the Texas A&M football team went hog hunting, most of the current Aggie squad was less than four years old.
In the old Southwest Conference days, Arkansas and A&M shared one of the more bitter rivalries outside of the A&M-Texas and Oklahoma-Texas games.
The Razorbacks controlled the series for many years, earning a 38-24-3 all-time advantage, but the Aggies got the last laugh with a 13-3 win in 1991 at Kyle Field.
The next season, Arkansas joined the Southeastern Conference and went 17 seasons without a game against A&M.
That drought ends Saturday when the two teams meet at the largest dodged stadium in the world, Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
"They were always great contests, whether we played over there or played here," A&M head coach Mike Sherman said about the historic rivalry. "They were usually low-scoring games. A lot of times they were defensive efforts from what I remember."
The lack of history with the current A&M roster might be a benefit going into such a
high-profile game.
Junior quarterback Jerrod Johnson, who leads the top offense in the nation in total yards, said he's just looking at it as another game.
"Of course it's going to be exciting to be in the Cowboys Stadium," Johnson said. "Of course Arkansas is going to be really good, an SEC powerhouse, but I'm just looking at it as another game, just another opponent we have to play."
Against UAB, Johnson became the first quarterback in school history to rush for three touchdowns and pass for three touchdowns in the same game.
A big part of the Aggies' production has been from freshmen, both true and redshirt.
Johnson paces A&M with 961 passing yards and nine touchdowns. He is the team's second-leading rusher with 196 yards and four touchdowns.
Players like receivers Uzoma Nwachukwu and Brandal Jackson and running back Christine Michael have contributed almost 300 offensive yards and five touchdowns.
"The sooner you can put them on the field, the faster they grow up and mature," Sherman said. "So the opportunity exists here, as a young football team, to be able to play those guys."
OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS
Cowboys use bye week to prepare for Texas A&M
By Stefan Nolet Daily O'Collegian
STILLWATER, Okla. — The Oklahoma State football team lacked a few of its All-Americans against Grambling State.
Luckily for the Cowboys, receiver Dez Bryant, running back Kendall Hunter and cornerback Perrish Cox weren't needed as the Cowboys won 56-6 last week against GSU.
The next time the Cowboys play, it won't be in the friendly atmosphere of Boone Pickens Stadium, against an FCS opponent — it will be at hostile Kyle Field, against conference rival Texas A&M.
The Cowboys' next opponent and venue could be a different story.
The good news for the Cowboys is their matchup with the Aggies is not until next Saturday, so Bryant, Hunter, Cox and anyone else with minor injuries now have an extra week to heal up before the next game.
Senior quarterback Zac Robinson said this is the perfect time in the season for the
"This is a great time for the bye (week)." Robinson said. "We have some unfortunate injuries, but guys have stepped up and made some plays."
team to get a bye week.
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy said he is glad the Cowboys have a bye week so players have a break but he also expects the players to continue to work hard during practices.
Texas A&M is 3-0 at this point in the season, having also beat Utah State 38-30 and New Mexico State 41-6. The Aggies are averaging 574.3 yards of offense per game.
Gundy gave credit to second-year coach Mike Sherman for turning the Texas A&M program around after finishing 4-8 this past season.
"There's a real fine line there," Gundy said. "We certainly need the open week to rest our football team."
Gundy said even though the off week will be good for his team to heal up, they can't take their preparations for A&M lightly.
TEXAS LONGHORNS
McCoy, Longhorns rolling during string of upsets
By Michael Sherfield Daily Texan
AUSTIN, Texas — In a season that has so far been turned on its head by upsets, the Texas football team did its best to restore order to its part of the college football world Saturday afternoon.
No. 2 Texas looked every bit like a National Championship contender from beginning to end of a 64-7 blowout win over UTEP at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, while quarterback Colt McCoy finally rediscovered his Heisman-favorite form.
He was all smiles on the sideline as the Texas offense rolled from there, starting with a 91-yard return from D.J. Monroe on the ensuing kickoff as the Longhorns reeled off 57 consecutive points.
Texas showed only a blip of its early game struggles this season when McCoy threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown that tied the game at 7-7 early in the first quarter.
["McCoy] had a real breakthrough last week in the second half;" said Texas head coach Mack Brown. "He had a whole different demeanor all week. He had a few drops. ... Didn't bother him today. It looked like the Colt of old."
McCoy got his numbers, finishing 28-for-35, despite three drops by wide receivers, including one in the end zone by James Kirkendoll, with 286 yards and three touchdowns. McCoy threw two passes to sophomore Dan Buckner, including a spectacular one-handed grab over a covering linebacker in the end zone, and another to Jordan Shipley before the break. Shipley finished with 10 catches for 122 yards and 73 yards on three punt returns.
After suffering through slow starts against Texas Tech and Wyoming that forced big second-half performances, McCoy was on the sidelines midway through the third quarter against UTEP, his job done for the day.
"We put up 64 points, so it was a good day," McCoy said. "We really wanted to start strong out of the gate, and we did that for sure."
THE WAVE OCTOBER2, 2009
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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