Texas A&M; Gains Cotton Bowl With 20-13 Win Over Texas

Freshman quarterback Bucky Richardson came off the bench to score the winning touchdown with 4:33 to play Thursday night as Texas A&M; rallied for a 20-13 victory over Texas, giving the Aggies their third straight Southwest Conference title and the host berth in the Cotton Bowl.

The Aggies (9-2), who lost to Ohio State last season and beat Auburn two years ago in the Cotton Bowl, will face Notre Dame in the New Year’s Day game.

The Longhorns (6-5) will go to the Bluebonnet Bowl against Pittsburgh on New Year’s Eve.

Richardson replaced injured Craig Stump with 9:03 to go and ran 19 yards to the Texas 46 on his second play.

Keith Woodside, who scored on a 90-yard run in the second quarter, then ran 24 yards to the Longhorn 19. An 11-yard run by Matt Gurley set up Richardson’s game-winner from 7 yards out.

Texas safety Gerard Senegal recovered his second fumble in the third quarter, setting up a 35-yard field goal by Wayne Clements that gave the Longhorns a 13-10 lead with 6:46 to go in the period.

But the Aggies tied it, 13-13, with 10:57 to play on Scott Slater’s 47-yard field goal after a 23-yard punt by Texas’ Bobby Lilljedahl gave A&M; good field position.

The teams were tied, 10-10, at the half after trading two long-range touchdown runs and a pair of field goals.

Stump fumbled on the second play of the game at the Aggie 30, and the Longhorns capitalized for a 47-yard field goal by Clements.

That lead stood until late in the second quarter, when Woodside broke off a block by Lewis Cheek and followed the blocking of Percy Waddle 90 yards for a touchdown.

Texas answered seconds later with Eric Metcalf’s 50-yard touchdown run. Metcalf broke through the middle, cut to his left and outran defensive back Gary Jones to the end zone.

The Aggies made it 10-10 with 56 seconds remaining in the half on Slater’s 53-yard field goal.