Texas A&M
Baylor
(#21) Texas A&M 38, Baylor 10
Nov 08, 1997 | Football
November 08, 1997
No matter what happens the rest of this season, Texas A&M officially laid last year to rest in front of 64,006 fans at Kyle Field on Saturday. The Aggies' solid 38-10 win over Baylor made A&M eligible for a bowl game, guaranteeing that this holiday season will be filled with far more joy in Aggieland.
But with two games left in the regular season and the Big 12 South title still up for grabs, A&M coach R.C. Slocum suggested that the Aggies have much bigger fish to fry before they solidify their holiday itinerary.
It's not necessarily the thought that counts when it comes to bowl games. Size matters. So does payout, publicity and prestige. The Aggies want them all.
The Aggies are a step closer to appearing in the big game - a matchup with No. 1 Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship game. At 7-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play, A&M remains tied with Oklahoma State and Texas Tech for first place in the Big 12 South. And since A&M beat OSU and Tech removed itself from contention because of pending NCAA probation problems, the Aggies control their own destiny in the South. Win the next two games against Oklahoma and Texas, and the Aggies will be vying for a Big 12 title.
On Saturday, virtually every sign pointed toward a potentially exciting time for the Aggies in the Alamo City. Oklahoma and Texas were typically brutal in losses to OSU and Texas Tech, respectively. Nebraska, while improving to 9-0, needed a miraculous, "you've got to be kidding" catch on the final play of regulation to beat Missouri in overtime, proving that the Cornhuskers are far from invincible.
Most importantly to A&M fans, however, the Aggies displayed a remarkably balanced offensive attack that kept the Bears (2-7, 1-5) guessing all day.
A&M running backs Dante Hall (12 carries for 96 yards) and Sirr Parker (9 for 71) made Baylor defenders look foolish. The Aggies' receiving corps, led by Chris Cole (5 catches for 63 yards) and Derrick Spiller (3 for 70), was outstanding. And junior quarterback Branndon Stewart was simply sensational.
In the last two games against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, Stewart has enjoyed stretches of excellence. But on Saturday against Baylor, he was consistently brilliant.
It should be noted that, for the first time since the Kansas State game, Stewart was replaced by sophomore Randy McCown. But this time, it was only because Stewart was so spectacular. By the time McCown entered the game late in the fourth quarter, the Aggies had a 28-point lead and Stewart has shredded the Bears' porous defense for 231 yards passing and three touchdowns.
The way Stewart played (18-of-25, no INTs) may keep even the Cornhuskers tossing and turning at night. Displaying excellent composure and consistency, Stewart threw bullets when he needed to and lobs when he had to, preventing Baylor from even making a game of it.
Just before he left the game in the fourth quarter, Stewart showed just how far he has come since the Kansas State game three weeks ago. On first-and-goal from the 8, Stewart rolled left to find no receivers open. So, he inched toward the line of scrimmage, drawing the defenders to him. Just be before he was drilled, Stewart calmly tossed a perfect pass to Spiller in the end zone. Touchdown. Simple, yet sensational.
Going back to the last two drives of regulation against OSU, Stewart is now 27-of-38 for 367 yards and four TDs in his last five quarters of play. And he hasn't thrown an interception since the first quarter of Colorado game.
Of course, Stewart is the first to acknowledge that he has had plenty of help from his supporting cast on Saturday. The running game was outstanding, although it came against a Baylor defense that was ranked 110th nationally against the run. And the receivers were just as impressive.
Spiller, for example, set the tone for the second half on the first play of the third quarter. He snatched a pass away from two Baylor defenders and then proceeded to break four tackles as he motored down the sideline, energizing the home bench and the crowd.
Three plays later, Stewart and Cole connected on another great play. On fourth and 4 from the BU 27, Stewart drilled a perfect strike to Cole on a quick slant, and Cole coasted into the endzone for a 24-3 lead with less than two minutes gone in the second half.
Offensively, the Aggies simply had it all going. And they got it going right from the start, scoring on their first offensive possession of the game and building a 17-3 lead.
Defensively, the Aggies were not as impressive, giving up 369 yards of total offense to the Bears. An alarming percentage of those yards were the result of poor tackling by the A&M defense.
