Texas Pulls Away at the End, 21-7

COLLEGE STATION, Texas —  Texas finally got the wind and Cedric Benson going in the same direction.

Working with their backs to wind gusts up to 20 mph, the No. 5 Longhorns broke up a defensive struggle with Benson’s two fourth-quarter touchdown runs for a 21-7 victory over Texas A&M; on Friday.

The Longhorns (10-1, 7-1 Big 12) completed a 35-yard drive with Benson’s five-yard touchdown run with 7:22 left.

“In these kind of games whoever is toughest, longest wins,” Benson said. “The fourth quarter came around and it seemed to me they were backing off like they kind of just gave up.”

Benson added a 12-yard touchdown run with 1:15 remaining after the Aggies (7-4, 4-4) tried a desperation fourth-down pass from their own 19. It was intercepted by Everick Rawls and returned 15 yards to set up Benson’s score.

The largest crowd ever to see a football game in Texas, 87,555, was kept in suspense until the closing minutes when a 31-yard punt by A&M;’s Cody Scates into the wind gave the Longhorns their chance.

Benson’s string of 100-yard performances ended at five, but he gained 24 yards in the winning drive that kept the Longhorns’ hopes alive for a bowl championship series game.

“I think we have [done all we can] and I think everybody else thinks we have,” Texas Coach Mack Brown said. “What we’ve got to do is hope the system works for us.”