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Saturday, October 24, 1998
No. 25 Raiders try to extend streak against
No. 8 Aggies
By MICHAEL A. LUTZ
Associated Press
COLLEGE STATION -- No. 25 Texas Tech's three-game winning streak
against No. 8 Texas A&M is a hot topic among the Aggies. The
Red Raiders wish the subject would go away.
"It really eats at you," A&M tight end Dan Campbell
said. "There are two teams I really want to beat, Texas and
then Tech. We definitely want to get that thorn out of our side."
The Aggies (6-1, 3-0) don't really need added motivation. They
are on a roll under quarterback Randy McCown, who has revitalized
the Aggies' offense with victories over Kansas, Nebraska and Baylor
since replacing Branndon Stewart.
The Aggies are the only unbeaten team in the Big 12 South games
and could take a strong grip on returning to the Big 12 championship
game with a victory over the Red Raiders (6-1, 3-1) on Saturday.
Still, the Aggies don't like the streak hanging over their
heads.
"They have given us a lot of trouble and that's one team
I haven't beaten," running back Dante Hall said. "And
the way they've beaten us is silly."
Last year's 16-13 Tech victory in Lubbock was decided with
19 seconds to play on a 47-yard field goal by Tony Rogers that
hit the left upright and bounced good.
"We came out of those games frustrated," R.C. Slocum
said. "I don't know that they've dominated us. They've beaten
us three games by a total of 13 points."
In other Top 25 games, it's No. 1 Ohio State at Northwestern,
No. 2 UCLA at California, Alabama at No. 3 Tennessee, Iowa State
at No. 4 Kansas State, No. 6 Florida State at No. 20 Georgia Tech,
No. 9 Wisconsin at Iowa, No. 11 Georgia at Kentucky, Southern
California at No. 12 Oregon, Miami at No. 13 West Virginia, Northeast
Louisiana at No. 14 Arizona, North Carolina State at No. 16 Virginia,
No. 17 Colorado at Kansas, Army at No. 18 Notre Dame, No. 22 Tulane
at Rutgers, No. 23 Virginia Tech at Alabama-Birmingham and No.
24 Mississippi State at LSU.
No. 5 Florida, No. 10 Penn State, No. 15 Arkansas and No. 21
Syracuse are idle Saturday.
In 1996, an 81-yard touchdown pass with six minutes to play
beat the Aggies 13-10 and in 1995 the Red Raiders knocked the
Aggies out of the AP rankings with a 14-7 victory, keyed on a
23-yard touchdown interception return by Zach Thomas with 30 seconds
to play.
As Tech Spike Dykes likes to say "we haven't beaten them
like a borrowed mule."
Dykes doesn't want to add any more inspiration to the Aggies.
The Raiders are coming off a 19-17 loss to Colorado.
"Some of our guys haven't been here that long and the
others already know it," Dykes said. "We don't care
what they say. Last year's score doesn't make much difference
in this football season."
McCown has opened up the Aggie offense with his scrambling
ability and his take-charge attitude. McCown, a junior, had his
best game in four career starts against Baylor last week, hitting
9 of 14 passes for 195 yards, giving balance to the Aggies running
attack.
Now he must try to dent the Red Raiders defense called "The
Swarm," which ranks 11th nationally against the run.
"We've got (receivers) Chris Taylor and Chris Cole and
Dante (Hall)," McCown said. "That gives us more weapons
than any time since I've been here."
The Aggies completed passes to nine receivers in their 35-14
victory over Baylor last week.
"I'm envious of what they have done," Dykes said.
"They've made great improvement each week. That's the mark
of good coaching. They are productive in every phase of the game.
It scares you to death."
The Red Raiders offensive line averages 322.8, anchored by
357-pound sophomore tackle Jonathan Gray.
Running back Ricky Williams has made good use of his massive
line to rush 1,168 yards for an average of 166.86 yards per game.
He ranks third in the nation in rushing and eighth in all-purpose
yards.
"They will play 100 percent the whole game," Campbell
said. "If you are not ready, they will beat you. They will
be in it in the fourth quarter because that's the way they play."
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