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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 26, 1996)
Page 7 Tuesday • November 26, 1996 rIts. o. 103 /lee A/hen: F ber 29, 1996 off ire: Darr^lemorial Stadium las (National) KORA 98.3 FM leads 65-32-5 6 at Kyle Field Televii dio: m cries R( ;t Year: Texas Longhorns (6-4,5-2 vs. Big 12) with a victory: they win the Big 12 South title outright and earn a trip to the conference championship game. lorns look to build on breakthrough victory By Ross Hecox exas in bolt | The Battalion Aggies killed | startingagi I When the University of Texas defeated this season, lexas A&M to conclude Southwest Confer- , in the Big:: | nce play last season, the Longhorns 5-2 Big 12) [napped a four-game losing streak to their costly mistai’ archrival. The feat not only stopped a mA&Msenta | iaroon streak over burnt orange, but it also qHook place on A&M’s hallowed stomping |rounds of Kyle Field — a place where the iggies had won 31 straight games. 1 That would seem to brighten the Longhorns’ Irospects in 1996, especially since several cur- lent T exas players took part in last year’s victory. I “For a while, we never could quit# get over [he hump (of beating A&M),” Texas Head loach John Mackovic said. “Last year, we ^^Irere able to understand how to do it. We ^Jave some players who played in that game, is rank No ■hey know what it took to win.” se(206.4yM James Brown, Bryant Westbrook, Mike planning cmdams, Ricky Williams, Pat Fitzgerald and Chris ack of the:||kins are some of the present Longhorns who .1 ypg). pnow how to beat A&M. 1 And this time around, Texas has the bome- ield advantage. G AGGIES.f:! Several factors seem to give the Longhorns ;w games,; tie more ligi mt We used ,ve can bee e mental it. me out foct.' ee football,: hing one ct an edge, but defensive nose guard Chris Akins knows past performances and favorable odds have little bearing on who will win state brag ging rights this year. “We gained a lot of confidence from play ing and beating [the Aggies] on Kyle Field,” Akins said. “But they’re going to be hungrier this time because we beat them. The rivalry is what it should be. It brings out the best in both of us,” Texas (6-4,15-2 in Big 12 Conference) has not met presegfson expectations. Losses to Notre Dame Sept„2l, and Colorado Oct. 26 were near victories. But their 30-27 loss to the University of Oklahoma Oct. 12 most signifies their disap pointing season. I The Soonefs warl behind by 11 points, but a touchdown run from the two-yard line in over time sealed the victory for the 22-point under dogs. If not for Oklahoma’s comeback win, Texas would be a lock lor the Big 12 Champi onship Game in St. Louis. Now, the Longhorns must defeat A&M. "We have to win to go to St. Louis,” Longhorn tight end Pat Fitzgerald slid. “To go or not to go is i^torfthjis game] gets d | wn to -” See Longhorns, Page 9 J...A \ Aggies, Longhorns suffer similar bruises, growing pains in Big 12 South By Matt Mitchell The Battalion W hen the Aggies and Long horns renew their storied rivalry Friday, it will mark the culmination of an inaugural Big 12 season that began with promise for both teams. The two archrivals bear a certain resemblance to one another that goes beyond the spirit ed and influential alumni and the fiercely spirited student bodies. Both Texas and A&M, along with Baylor and Texas Tech, were eager to make a splash in the first year of the heralded Big 12 Conference. Sneered at by certain former Big 8 schools for not being up to par with the competition, all four reftigees of the former Southwest Conference felt they had something to prove. But after a promising 3-0 start, Baylor stumbled to a 1-7 finish, prompting the firing of Head Coach Chuck Reedy. Tech fared a little better, finishing the season at 7-4 while maintaining hopes of a South Division championship. Texas, meanwhile, entered the year with the high expectations that accompany a high national ranking, something Aggie fans know all too well. The Longhorns boasted a pow erful offense, a hard-hitting sec ondary rated by many as the best in the country, and a schedule that would allow them to prove their mettle against some of the best competition in the land. But after a promising start, the steers suffered last-minute setbacks against Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Colorado, and were completely out played in a loss at Virginia. For a vet eran team laden with talent, these fourth-quarter collapses proved be wildering. With its confidence shak en, Texas never fully recovered. A&M also began the season with high expectations, but the Aggies’ youthful inexperience proved to be their downfall in sev eral early games before they re bounded down the stretch. Al though differences between A&M and Texas exist, A&M senior out side linebacker Keith Mitchell sees little difference in the efforts of the two teams. See Implications, Page 8 iiors d be will be so i~y time > 100 pertf Especiall! s one so Toe knowii L s is the lo sis my k z» return tli i es in o snd itv trr a trai mt to pro'’ on the Texas rivalry nal collegiate game: m because it still hadn’t dawned on me that it’s going to be thinking that this could be my last go out in style, e loss last year with them running on our field •ecial.” — Keith Mitchell, outside linebacker Id be my last time out. I’m going to got out there ember about my college career. Texas, so I definitely want to go out with a win. oil' len you have that, you don’t need any more mo- heated battle.” — Calvin Collins, center dill ave _ell out of in. Ever) re gom: ide UneU to go out and play hard because we can’t 've can win.” —Albert Connell, wide receiver the type of game where both teams get up for to beat Texas as bad as we can. harder knowing this could be the end of gi Urch Compiled by Jamie Burch LONDON $225 Paris Frankfurt Madrid Amsterdam Rome $225 $265 $275 $275 $295 FWffiS ARE EACH WAV FROM HOUSTON SASE> ON A AOUNDTBP PUR CHASE. Fakes do not wouds feoeraj. taxes or PFCs totaung SETWEEN S3-S4S, ON OESHNATION OR DEPARTURE CHARGES RAO EXREOIV TO FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS. FARES ABOVE A*£ VAUOfSOM Nov. 1 TO DEC IS AND YOU CAN STAY FOR A TEAR. W£ HAVE STDDB'roYOUTH TICKETS FOR $375 ROUNOTRP TO ANYWHERE N THE U.S.A! WE CAN GET A EURAHJPASS TO YOU IN ONE DAY VIA FED Ex. CALL US TODAY! 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