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#8 Texas A&M versus Texas
Thursday, Nov. 25, 1993 Kickoff - 7:05 p.m.
Television - ESPN, Cable channel 32
Grudge Match '93
Cotton Bowl
up for grabs
By Julie Chelkowski
esher which 4
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ill game,
the Aggie
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The Battalion
A fire hotter and more fierce than Aggie Bonfire will ex
plode Thursday night when Texas A&M and the University
of Texas battle for the Cotton Bowl and state bragging
rights in a rivalry that has been burning for a 100 years.
Although the intensity of this rivalry has endured since
1893, several other factors will add to the fight this year.
The Cotton Bowl is the main thing on the line. For UT,
it's an all or nothing situation. With an Aggie loss, the
Longhorns would tie A&M for first place in the Southwest
his letter, Qii Conference and travel to the Cotton Bowl since the Long-
tudent, wrole horns have a better head-to-head record.
With a loss, the Aggies would still have a chance to go to
another bowl.
But A&M wants only cotton.
"It's Cotton Bowl or no bowl for us," A&M senior center
Chris Dausin said. "That's the attitude we're taking. We
don't want another bowl. We're going to the Cotton Bowl."
Dausin said if the team maintains the attitude they have
had throughout the season, a win on Thursday will not be a
he honor of su| problem. But, he said, that does not mean they are taking
archical systef the Horns lightly,
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"It's going to come down
to who wants it most - who's
going to be meaner, tougher,
nastier ... It's the biggest ri
valry that ever was."
— Chris Dausin,
A&M senior center
salute
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"Basically, weTl play smash mouth football," Dausin
said. "Just go out there with a bad ass attitude and totally
dominate. If we go in there with that attitude and that men
tality, I guarantee weTl do great.
"We're not underestimating Texas. We're going to take
them for real."
Texas' most effective weapons this season have included
sophomore receivers Mike Adams and Lovell Pinkney in
combination with the throwing power of freshman quarter
back Shea Morenz.
A&M senior cornerback Aaron Glenn said controlling
the two will be one of the deciding factors in the game.
"They have a talented crew of receivers," Glenn said.
Speed kills. If you take a guy with speed plus pretty good
lize, that's a perfect package. I respect (Adams) more than
xvell Pinkney, but both are very talented receivers.
"Texas is not afraid of anyone. They're going to go out
md throw the ball like Louisville did. They're going to go
out throwing the ball to both of them."
Another conflict, besides the traditional rivalry, will
ng World WatJplay havoc between players Thanksgiving Day. After
re and the# f\&M's 34-13 victory over UT last year in Austin, some
A&M players performed a victory dance on the Long-
lorns' field - an act which Longhorn players and fans did
lot appreciate.
"I think it was pretty immature for them to do that,"
lexas sophomore tackle Blake Brockermeyer said. "That
tfas just the way their team operates. There's nothing we
ould do about it because they won the game, but I thought
^||t was pretty disrespectful."
I Dausin agreed.
I "It was pretty much uncalled for," he said. "It was a
lad image for Texas A&M University, to stomp around
>n their field."
But Dausin also said he was determined to prevent the
-onghorns from getting revenge on Kyle Field.
"We're not going to take anything from Texas," Dausin
aid. "I know they've been talking a little smack and how
hey're going to dance on our field if they win this game,
o them, that's going to be a dream and that's all it's going
o come to because I guarantee they're not even get close to
O lancing on our field."
Regardless of the conditions, including the 21 points that
is favored by, the A&M -UT showdown is the biggest
f the season for the two teams.
,1 "We don't care what the line is," Dausin said. "This is
aally license ie X as. You can throw out all the records, you can throw out
ing a richpiverything that is important in relation to the Texas game,
creation oftbel "It's going to come down to who wants it most - who's
gold finished Song to be meaner, tougher, nastier. And I think we want
movemeii'l the most. To me it's an even match up. It's the biggest ri-
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A&M head coach R.C. Slocum said the players should
aside things such as rankings and the Cotton Bowl berth
bd concentrate on playing for the spirit of the rivalry.
"Who cares about all that stuff," he said. "(Those
tings) have nothing to do with this game. Why don't we
lay for snowcones? Just give all the players snowcones.
ney should be motivated enough to play in front of 70,00
eople and on national television."
"(That's) characteristic of rivalries like this. But both
!ams are going to be trying to win, both teams have a
tance to win."
The Battalion
Page 5
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in the whole
A&M deck stacked with three-back attack
By Michael Plumer
The Battalion
For once, the numbers do not lie.
Junior Greg Hill has 582 yards and six
touchdowns. Junior Rodney Thomas has
905 yards and 13 touchdowns. For good
measure, freshman Leeland McElroy has
597 yards rushing, two kickoff returns for
touchdowns, seven rushing scores and
four through the air.
Simply breathtaking.
Critics have suggested that A&M offen
sive coordinator Bob Toledo has some
times been guilty of having his head in the
clouds when determining how to use the
triumvirate. But those cynics were quiet
ed two weeks ago when all three were on
the field at the same time in the Aggies'
42-7 victory over Louisville.
"Actually, we did not do anything dif
ferent against Louisville," Toledo said.
"There were some new formations, but the
key is we had all three guys together. As a
team, we executed so well when they were
out there that it seemed like it was new."
Hill said the three-back attack is the
wave of the future for the Aggies.
"We confuse defenses because they can
not key on one back," Hill said. "It adds a
little trickery to the game which can only
help us. Each of us knows that when we
get our chance on the field we have to
make the best of it.
"Another thing is we do not lose con
centration, and we focus a lot harder.
Playing in short spurts allows us to stay
fresh, and in the fourth quarter the de
fense will be tired.
"But not us."
Dealing with the backs can leave oppos
ing defenses gasping for air. A&M senior
defensive end Eric England said he is glad
he is a teammate and not the opposition.
"If I played on another team, and I was
the defensive coordinator, I would be
scared of those three," England said. "The
things those guys do in practice and in
games are amazing.
"It makes our defense better because
we get to see those guys everyday."
In a situation like A&M has, there is al
ways the danger of a rift developing. But
all three backs said there is no danger of
that occurring.
"Whether it is business or football,
there is going to be competition,"
Thomas said. "We take the stance that
whatever we do benefits the team. That
is the main point.
"This is a team game, and we realize
that."
McElroy echoed Thomas' sentiments.
"I am part of the team as Greg and
Rodney are, and if we have problems,
then it would cause everybody to have
problems," McElroy said. "When Greg
came back, Rodney and I expected my
reps to go down, but we respected that.
Everything will be fine."
Hill said the special bond between the
three eases any potential conflicts.
"The type of friendship we have allows
us to be the best," Hill said. "When you
have got somebody supporting you, it
gives you a sense of not being on the same
level as the opponents."
Another area where the group wants to
pull away is in the nickname category.
Thanks to ESPN, the A&M trio has been
named - the Back Breakers.
"I liked that name a lot," Hill said.
"Opponents are going to get our best shot
in a game and when they do, we are going
to rip their spine out.
"Once we break their spirit, it is all
over."
100 Years of Maroon and Orange
By Mary Kujawa
The Battalion
Two fledgling football teams took the field
for a scrimmage game in Austin's Hyde Park in
1894. Those same two teams will take the field
for the 100th time when the Aggies and Long
horns meet in one of the oldest college football
rivalries.
At the time, the University of Texas Varsity
Squad (now the Longhorns) was only in its sec
ond season while the Texas Agricultural and
Mechanical College Farmers (now the Aggies)
was in its first season. The Aggies had only
played one game against Galveston Ball High
School before they scrimmaged against the
Longhorns.
ITrie Longhorns trounced the Aggies, 38-0, at
that first game which was the state's first inter
collegiate football game. The Longhorns
scored eight touchdowns and three conver
sions. Touchdowns were valued at only four
points while conversions were two points
apiece.
The game ended the Aggies season. They
did not field a team the following year. Al
though the Aggies resumed play in 1896, the
Aggies and Longhorns would not meet again
until 1898.
In those early years of the rivalry, Texas and
Angel Koti/The Battalion
A&M often played each other twice in the same
year and at various locations, including Austin,
San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. Of the first
21 games, none were played at College Station.
In 1900, A&M and Texas began playing a
Thanksgiving Day game.
The Longhorns continued to trounce the Ag
gies until 1902 when the Aggies' luck seemed
to be turning. In their first meeting that year,
the Aggies and Longhorns battled to a 0-0 tie.
At their second meeting, the Aggies claimed
their first victory against the Longhorns with a
11-0 score.
The Aggies would not beat the Longhorns
again until 1909 when A&M began a three-
game winning streak.
With the streak in tow, the Aggies traveled
to Houston in 1911 to meet the Longhorns at
the city's annual Fall Carnival. Although the
Aggies were favored to win, the Longhorns
came up as winners by a 6-0 score. Exuberant
fans spilled into the streets of Houston where it
is said that student brawls occurred.
The following day, the University of Texas
Athletic Council decided to break off athletic
relations with A&M. Several days later, the
Texas Athletic Council released a statement to
the press saying the break was the wisest
course to pursue based on the heated state of
opinion among students and alumni of both in
stitutions. Although no one incident was
blamed, the riots of 1908 and 1911 as well as ac
cusations of dirty play were all mentioned.
The Aggies and Longhorns did not play
each other for three years, which allowed old
wounds to heal. The formation of the South
west Conference in 1914 also helped reestablish
the ties between the two schools.
In 1915, the Longhorns and Aggies resumed
their series, and the Longhorns came to play on
Kyle Field for the first time. The Aggies sent a
message to Austin which said, "You won't win
at College Station."
Former A&M head coach Charley Moran
See Rivalry/Page 7