Brown Makes Case After Texas’ Victory

AUSTIN, Texas —  Add another voice to the bowl championship series debate.

After No. 6 Texas defeated rival Texas A&M;, 26-13, on Friday, Longhorn Coach Mack Brown made a case for his team to earn an at-large berth to a BCS game. But unless California loses in its finale Dec. 4 at Southern Mississippi, the Longhorns probably will have to settle for something less.

“If you’ve got a vote, vote for us,” Brown said to poll voters. “I’m asking you to do that and I’m asking everyone across the nation. This team deserves to be in the BCS. They deserve to go more than some teams that are being talked about.”

Brown is hoping that Texas’ victory over Texas A&M; will boost his team past No. 4 California and into its first BCS bowl. Texas, 10-1 and 7-1 in the Big 12, is fifth in the BCS standings. California is No. 4.

A loss to the Aggies (7-4, 5-3) would have ended any hopes for the Longhorns and given a boost to Boise State’s chances. The Broncos, who play today at Nevada, are No. 7 in the BCS rankings. Texas’ problem is that Utah, which finished its regular season at 11-0, and California currently have a grip on the two at-large berths to BCS games.

Texas’ fans certainly have taken up the cause, chanting “B-C-S” after the game, which was the Longhorns’ fifth consecutive victory over the Aggies.

Cedric Benson ran for 165 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Vince Young had 224 total yards and a touchdown run for the Longhorns. His counterpart, Reggie McNeal, passed for 247 yards and a touchdown for A&M.;

The teams traded touchdowns and missed extra-point attempts in a tight first half. Benson had 105 yards in 18 carries in the half, but one play on which he didn’t get the ball proved costly for the Longhorns.

After driving 88 yards to the A&M; one, Texas was on the verge of scoring with less than 30 seconds left in the half. Instead of handing off to Benson, the 6-foot-5 Young tried to leap over the line of scrimmage.

Holding the ball in his right hand, he stretched for the goal line and A&M;’s Justin Warren punched the ball loose. It bounced to Jonte Buhl, who dashed 98 yards for a touchdown and a 13-6 Texas A&M; lead.