COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY BOWL REPORT : COTTON BOWL : There’s Apathy in Texas for This One

Texas A&M;’s third consecutive visit to the Cotton Bowl, its second in a row with Notre Dame as the opponent, is not inspiring the customary interest among characteristically rabid Aggie fans.

As of Friday, the rematch in the 71,456-seat facility was not a sellout. While the Irish sold their allotment of 11,902 tickets, the Aggies returned 2,000 of their 20,000.

“We really can’t figure out what factors are responsible,” Cotton Bowl Executive Director Rick Baker told the Dallas Morning News. “The economy might be a factor. There’s only so many entertainment dollars to go around.”

But Texas A&M; defensive end Chris Dausin said the real culprits are he and his teammates, who have not scored a touchdown in their last two Cotton Bowl appearances.

“I don’t blame our fans if they aren’t showing up,” Dausin said. “We haven’t been showing up for the last couple of years.”

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Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz said he can’t remember facing a team that led the nation in both punt returns and kickoff returns, as the Aggies did this season. But he could remember facing a returner who frightened him as much as Texas A&M;’s Aaron Glenn and Leeland McElroy.

“Yeah,” he said, “we thought (Curtis) Conway at SC was pretty good.”

Although McElroy returned three kickoffs for touchdowns this season, Holtz does not believe the freshman will play a particularly big role in today’s game.

“I would not expect McElroy to get the ball an awful lot when we kick off,” Holtz said.

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Missing mascot report: Reveille VI, a 4-month-old collie scheduled to make his debut today as the replacement for retiring Reveille V as Texas A&M;’s mascot, was stolen from his handler’s North Dallas home but was found Friday safe and sound near Lake Travis.

Travis County Sheriff’s Deputy Rick Dugger said a couple flagged him down about 1 p.m. after they saw the dog tied up to a sign near a marina.

“She was real friendly,” Dugger said. “She came right up to me and let me pet her. It didn’t seem like she had been mistreated.”

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Injury report: Notre Dame center Tim Ruddy, a second-team All-American, is out with an injured hip flexor muscle, and Irish All-American defensive back Bobby Taylor is questionable because of a sore hamstring. Texas A&M; defensive end Sam Adams, a finalist for the Lombardi Award, returned to practice Thursday after twisting his ankle earlier in the week and is expected to play.

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When Baylor Coach Chuck Reedy visited a Notre Dame practice this week, Texas A&M; players were furious, accusing him of conspiring with the enemy.

“To think that another coach in (the Southwest Conference) would be talking to Notre Dame about how to run on A&M; really upsets me,” Aggie linebacker Jason Atkinson said. “At least, that’s the rumor we’ve heard.”

Reedy called the controversy “laughable,” saying he was not asked for advice and did not offer any. Besides, as Holtz pointed out, it is uncertain how helpful Reedy could have been. Neither Baylor nor any other SWC team has beaten Texas A&M; in three years.

“I don’t think anybody would ask me how to get into movies or how to become Mr. America and build a better body, either,” Holtz said.