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Friday, November 28, 1997

Aggies-Longhorns renew traditional rivalry

By MICHAEL A. LUTZ / AP Sports Writer

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) -- After Friday, No. 15 Texas A&M will advance to the Big 12 championship game, the Texas Longhorns will enter an off-season of discontent and UT coach John Mackovic's future will become clear.

The Aggies (8-2, 5-2) will play in the Big 12 title game against No. 2 Nebraska regardless of the outcome of the 10 a.m. Friday kickoff at Kyle Field. But they'd like to take the outright Big 12 South title with them instead of a three-way tie with Oklahoma State and Texas Tech if they lose.

The Longhorns (4-6, 2-5), the defending Big 12 champs, will try to salvage a season gone sour but even a victory over the Aggies may not save Mackovic's job.

The 104th meeting of the Longhorns vs. the Aggies ties for third among NCAA Division I rivals for the most games played between two teams.

"I would rather go 1-10 and beat A&M than go 10-1 and lose to A&M," Texas center Ryan Fiebiger said. "I want to go out winning this game and have the bragging rights for the rest of my life."

The feelings run just as deep in Aggieland.

"A lot of people think we're out for revenge (for last year's 51-15 loss) but in a game like this, revenge is not a factor," Aggie guard Steve McKinney said. "They want to beat us and we want to beat them no matter what the last game's score was."

Texas quarterback James Brown will play his final college game.

"This will be my last game here at Texas and you always want to go out on a winning note," Brown said. "A&M knows we're not a double-digit underdogs. They know it's going to be a game."

It could be Mackovic's last game with the Longhorns, too.

The school's athletic council met Tuesday amid speculation that Mackovic would be dismissed at the end of the season. Mackovic has declined to discuss his job security. The Aggies are his immediate problem.

A&M, recovered from last year's disappointing 6-6 finish, has balanced its offensive attack with the emergence of Branndon Stewart as the quarterback everyone expected him to be last year after he transferred from Tennessee.

In the last four games, Stewart has completed 62 percent of his passes and has a string of 114 attempts without an interception.

"The big thing I'm doing this year is making fewer mistakes," Stewart said. "I thought I played pretty well last year but this year I'm not turning the ball over and I know more what I'm doing."

The Aggies also have Sirr Parker (747 rushing yards) and Dante Hall (850) to maintain the Aggies' running attack.

"This is one of the most fiercely competitive rivalries in the country," Mackovic said. "We will fight as hard as we can, and when that day's over, you live with it for an entire year. It means a lot to fans, players and alums."

The Longhorns have Brown, who put on a courageous performance in beating the Aggies at Kyle Field two years ago, and led last year's trouncing of the Aggies in Austin.

And, Texas has Ricky Williams, the nation's leading rusher, who needs just 35 yards to surpass Heisman Trophy winner Earl Campbell for the Texas single-season rushing record. Campbell set the mark of 1,744 in 1977, his Heisman season.

"Hopefully we can do a good job blocking and get Ricky his yardage on Friday and he'll end up leading the nation in rushing and scoring, too," Fiebiger said. "It's something we definitely take pride in."