For Texas A&M;, Cotton Drought Is Finally Over

Texas A&M; has a long, storied tradition. Unfortunately for the Aggies, most of the stories have punch lines, and the tradition has been losing.

But for the first time since 1967, Texas A&M; will represent the Southwest Conference in the Cotton Bowl. For once, the joke wasn’t on the Aggies Thursday night at Kyle Field but on the Texas Longhorns, who lost, 42-10.

This was the 92nd game between these two universities in a series that began in 1894. But it was the first time since 1943 that they had played each other for the conference championship. The Aggies usually have been out of contention by Thanksgiving.

Born that year was Texas A&M; Coach Jackie Sherrill, who turned 42 Thursday.

Sherrill’s arrival in College Station four years ago from the University of Pittsburgh was controversial because of his $276,000-a-year salary, which made him higher-paid than any other person on campus, including the president.

After Sherrill’s first three seasons here, Aggie fans were beginning to wonder whether the university was getting its money’s worth. His 16-16-1 record included no bowl games.

But the Aggies were 8-2 before Thursday night and guaranteed a bowl bid. While the winner of this game earned an automatic berth in the Cotton Bowl against Auburn, the Bluebonnet Bowl had agreed to invite the loser to meet Air Force.

That proved to be Texas, which finished the regular season 8-3.

“We were definitely the second-best team out there tonight,” Texas Coach Fred Akers said.

That was apparent by the end of the third quarter, when the Aggies had a 28-0 lead.

The Longhorns ended the shutout on the first play of the fourth quarter, when Jeff Ward kicked a 57-yard field goal. The Longhorns then recovered an onside kick and drove 46 yards for their only touchdown.

But that was only a twitch. The Texas offense died in the first quarter, when the Longhorns had a first down at the Texas A&M; four and couldn’t score. Tailback Edwin Simmons was dropped for a one-yard loss from the one on fourth down.

“I think they lost their confidence then,” Aggie linebacker Johnny Holland said. “When a team’s on the four-yard line and can’t score in four plays, that takes a lot out of them.”

After taking the ball at their two, the Aggies had to punt but got the biggest break of the game when Texas’ Eric Metcalf, son of former NFL running back Terry Metcalf, fumbled.

The Aggies recovered at the Texas 12 and scored a touchdown three plays later to take a 7-0 lead with 11:20 remaining in the second quarter.

Metcalf’s fumble was the second of six Texas turnovers, including four pass interceptions. The Aggies also sacked Texas quarterbacks six times for 51 yards in losses.

The Aggies drove 78 yards in 12 plays on their first possession of the second half for a 14-0 lead. But they didn’t have to drive more than 44 yards for any of their other five touchdowns.

“The score looks like we dominated more than we did,” Texas A&M; offensive tackle Doug Williams said. “They had a good defensive game plan. That defensive coordinator (David McWilliams) has a good coconut. But we got them in a hole that they couldn’t dig out of.”

Most of the damage to the Texas defense was done by the Aggies’ interchangeable fullbacks, Anthony Toney and Roger Vick.

Toney is a senior from Salinas, Calif., who signed with San Jose State out of high school, went to junior college and then signed with Illinois before landing at Texas A&M.;

Vick carried 19 times for 92 yards. Toney had 79 yards in 21 carries.

“Toney and Vick gave everything they had,” Williams said. “They’ll be sore for a week.”

Toney gave credit where credit was due, to the Aggies’ defense.

“It was our defense that won the game,” he said. “Texas couldn’t do anything against our defense tonight. We missed a few scoring opportunities, but the defense just kept giving them to us.”

This was the second straight season that the Aggies have embarrassed the Longhorns, winning 37-12 in Austin last season.

That was the second of three straight losses for Texas at the end of last season, leading to speculation that Akers would be fired if the Longhorns didn’t improve this season.

Even though they were predicted to finish fourth or fifth in the SWC, they had lost only one conference game before Thursday night and had a chance to earn their second Cotton Bowl berth in three seasons.

Still, there was speculation in a Houston newspaper this week that Akers wouldn’t be retained if Texas lost to the Aggies, despite a seven-year record that is better than any other coach in SWC history except the one compiled by Darrell Royal.

If Sherrill felt compassion for Akers, he didn’t show it by continuing to call passes after the Aggies had a 35-10 lead in the fourth quarter.

Neither did the Texas A&M; fans feel compassion for Akers. One sign at Kyle Field read: “Texas’ Akers Don’t Grow Cotton.”