Freshman Ricky Williams scored two touchdowns against the nation's top defense Saturday and No. 9 Texas snapped No. 16 Texas A&M's 31-game home winning streak with a 16-6 victory that clinched the last Southwest Conference championship.
The Longhorns (10-1-1 overall, 7-0 SWC) will play in either the Orange or Sugar bowls while the Aggies (8-3, 5-2) get the consolation prize of meeting Michigan on Dec. 29 in the Alamo Bowl at San Antonio. The final bowl lineups will be announced today.Texas snapped a four-game losing streak to the Aggies and gave John Mackovic his first win in the series after three losses. It was the first Texas triumph at Kyle Field since 1983. A&M had won 10 of the last 11 games.
Both A&M and Texas join the Big 12 Conference next year and this was their last SWC meeting in a series that started in 1894.
Williams, who broke Earl Campbell's school rushing record for freshmen, scored on a 21-yard run in the first half, then produced 62 of the 79 yards in a critical third-quarter scoring drive. He bolted 44 yards and then tore off a 17-yard run before Williams scored from 3 yards out.
In the fourth period, Williams got 23 yards on a screen pass to position Texas for Phil Dawson's 26-yard field goal.
The 6-foot, 225-pound Williams, one of California's top high school running backs two years ago in San Diego, rushed 24 times for 163 yards. He has 990 yards rushing to Campbell's 928 in 1974.
The Longhorns led 6-0 after a first half of lost fumbles, interceptions, penalties, and stirring defense.
Texas finally cracked the Aggies defense, which had allowed only 244 yards per game, late in the second quarter, aided by a key pass interference penalty.
A 29-yard pass from James Brown to Justin McLemore got the 70-yard drive under way. Then cornerback Ray Mickens was flagged for interfering with receiver Mike Adams in the Aggies end zone.
The Longhorns then caught the Aggies in an all-out blitz as Williams escaped around right end behind the clearing block of Wane McGarity on a 21-yard toucbdown run. Texas blew the extra point attempt when Jay Humphrey made a bad snap.
Texas lost out on two other long-range scoring attempts when Dawson was wide right on kicks of 48 and 58 yards.
Texas A&M's best first-half threat was spoiled when Leeland McElroy fumbled after being hit by Stoney Clark and Taje Allen recovered at the Texas 22.
McElroy gained 145 yards on 29 carries but couldn't find the end zone. He also caught four passes for 84 yards. A&M had two promising drives stall at the Texas 4 and 5 yards and had to settle for field goals of 20 and 22 yards by Kyle Bryant.
The Texas defense produced six turnovers and was led by Tony Brackens, who caused two fumbles, and Cris Carter, who had two intercetpions.
A crowd of 76,221 watched the SWC goodbye game between the Aggies and Longhorns. It was the sixth-largest crowd in Kyle Field history.
Some of them got out of hand after the game with some minor fisticuffs before order was restored.