Southwest Roundup : Murray Helps Aggies to Wild 39-35 Win; SMU Band Is Flagged

Texas A&M; quarterback Kevin Murray threw three touchdown passes, including one to running back Keith Woodside on a 34-yard play with 1:48 remaining to give the Aggies a wild 39-35 victory over Southern Methodist in a Southwest Conference game Saturday at Irving, Tex.

The win keeps the 10th-ranked Aggies, 7-1 overall, atop the SWC at 5-0. SMU, playing before a homecoming crowd of 58,125 in Texas Stadium, is 5-3 and 4-2.

The game had a bit of everything, including an unsportsmanlike penalty against the SMU band for playing too loudly when the Aggies were calling signals. The 15-yard penalty came with 18 seconds left and Texas A&M; running out the clock.

“It will go down in history as one of the greatest games played in this conference or any other conference,” Texas A&M; Coach Jackie Sherrill said.

Of Murray, Sherrill said: “There’s not a finer quarterback in the country. Everybody talks about Vinny Testaverde at Miami, but Kevin has had a great season.”

SMU went ahead, 35-32, with 7:33 to play after Ron Morris ran 23 yards for a touchdown. But Murray, who had passed to Woodside for a 50-yard touchdown play earlier in the fourth quarter, brought the Aggies back with the 34-yarder to Woodside.

Murray completed 17 of 34 passes for 278 yards, and SMU’s Bobby Watters completed 17 of 30 for 173 yards in the game in which the lead changed seven times.

Texas Tech 23, Texas 21--David McWilliams, who was Fred Akers’ defensive coordinator at Texas before becoming Tech’s coach this season, got the game ball after the Red Raiders’ victory over the Longhorns at Lubbock, Tex.

“This game meant a whole lot to me--it was very emotional,” McWilliams said.

Kicker Scott Segrist provided the winning margin with three second-half field goals, and Tyrone Thurman provided an early spark with a 96-yard punt return the first time Tech touched the ball.

Texas (3-4, 2-2) is off to its worst start since 1966. Texas Tech is 5-3 and 3-2.

Arkansas 45, Rice 14--Quarterback Greg Thomas passed for 152 yards in the first quarter and teamed with Donnie Centers on a 77-yard pass play touchdown as the 13th-ranked Razorbacks won at Fayetteville, Ark.

Thomas, who had completed only 7 of 14 passes since injuring his wrist against Texas Tech three weeks ago, finished with 7 of 12 for 177 yards as Arkansas improved to 7-1 and 4-1. Rice is 2-6 and 1-5.

TCU 30, Houston 14--Freshman Falanda Newton returned an interception 85 yards for a touchdown to break open a close game and lead the Horned Frogs to victory at Houston.

The Horned Frogs, who ended a 14-game SWC losing streak, are 3-5 and 1-4. Houston is 1-7 and 0-5.