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Texas A&M relishes underdog role
Posted: Sunday December 27, 1998 05:54 PM
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Everyone from analysts to oddsmakers agrees -- Texas A&M should enjoy the French Quarter, see the sights and have a happy holiday but shouldn't count on beating Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. Oh, yeah? As far as the Aggies are concerned, that's just a lot of trash talk and they're not listening. "We're not just happy to be at the Sugar Bowl," said wide receiver Chris Cole. "We deserve to be here, and we came here to win." Texas A&M (11-2), which lost to Florida State in its opener and to Texas in the next-to-last game of the season, was a surprise pick for the Sugar Bowl. The Aggies' stunning 36-33 victory in double overtime against then No. 3 ranked and unbeaten Kansas State made them the Big 12 champions for the first time and gave them an automatic Bowl Championship Series berth. "That victory gave our team a big emotional lift," A&M coach R.C. Slocum said "Beating an undefeated team gave us a lot of confidence." But despite that win and being in the Top 10 all season, oddsmakers say the Aggies' confidence is misplaced. A&M is a 12-point underdog to No. 3 Ohio State (10-1). "We came in here knowing what we have to do," said A&M quarterback Branndon Stewart, whose remarkable performance helped spark the victory over Kansas State. "We believe in ourselves, and that's what counts." Ohio State shared the Big 10 title with Michigan and Wisconsin, but the Badgers received a spot in the Rose Bowl based on the "last-to-go" tiebreaker. Ohio State was the preseason No. 1 and ranked No. 1 in the polls for 10 straight weeks before being upset by Michigan State. That loss also cost the Buckeyes their No. 1 ranking in the BCS standings. "We know how good they are," said A&M linebacker Dat Nguyen. "We have a lot of respect for them. But no one should count us out. We've got a lot of good players on our team and we want to finish off the season with a win. Why not? Nobody thought we'd beat Kansas State either." The Buckeyes lead A&M in almost every statistical category. They have eight players on the all-Big 10 first team and 14 overall. Quarterback Joe Germaine was the league coaches' pick for player of the year and cornerback Antoine Winfield won the Thorpe award, which goes to the nation's top defensive back. Ohio State also beat four ranked teams this season. On the other hand, the Buckeyes lost 31-14 to Florida State in last year's Sugar Bowl. And Coach John Cooper is 2-7 in bowl games. That history gives Texas A&M a "great opportunity to show everybody we're a force in the country," Cole said. "After Kansas State, we feel like we have a chance to beat any team we play. Ohio State's a great team, no doubt, but they're going to have to buckle up their chin straps against us."
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