COLLEGE FOOTBALL / BOWL REPORT : COTTON : Richardson: Aggies Young, but Good

Texas A&M; quarterback Bucky Richardson says Florida State is mistaken if it thinks it will be facing a young, inexperienced team in the Cotton Bowl on Wednesday. The ninth-ranked Aggies start three freshmen and eight sophomores. On the two-deep chart, there are 11 freshmen and 13 sophomores.

But Richardson, a fifth-year senior, dismisses the notion that the Aggies played above their heads in compiling a 10-1 record.

“I really don’t go along with that,” he said, “because they’re good football players. They’re just young. They haven’t had a chance to play a whole lot. They’re going to be great football players one day.”

Richardson knows about excelling as a youth. He was a freshman in 1988 when he led the Aggies past Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown and Notre Dame, 35-10, to win the Cotton’s MVP award.