Numbers are against A&M beating OU
By: Brad Cox
Issue date: 11/7/08 Section: Sports
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The Sooners have won five of the previous eight Big 12 championships, have a national championship in two title games and have played in a bowl game in each of Stoops' nine seasons.
During that span, Texas A&M has gone through three coaches, posted a 61-48 record, 36-36 in the Big 12, appeared in six bowl games, winning one, and is 1-8 against the Sooners.
Saturday the Aggies will meet No. 4 Oklahoma at Kyle Field in hopes of a repeat performance of A&M's upset victory over then No. 1 Sooners in 2002.
"This would be a very special moment if we could beat this team," said A&M Head Coach Mike Sherman. "Certainly it's a formidable task, but these things do happen."
After all, it has happened before. Before Sherman and before Dennis Franchione, R.C. Slocum led the Aggies to a 30-26 win against Oklahoma in 2002 in a nationally televised game.
Going into the 2002 meeting the Aggies were 5-4. Going into the 2008 meeting A&M is 4-5. In 2002, the Aggies were 2-3 in conference play. In 2008, A&M is 2-3 in conference play.
Slocum's last season at the helm was 2002. Sherman is in his first season as head coach.
In the 2002 game, freshman quarterback Reggie McNeal came off the bench to throw 191 yards for four touchdowns to lead the Aggies. In 2008, sophomore quarterback Jerrod Johnson came off the bench to lead A&M to victory over New Mexico. Johnson, who has thrown for 1,967 yards and 18 touchdowns, still leads the Aggies.
"Their quarterback Jerrod Johnson is playing well and he is getting better and more comfortable," Stoops said. "He makes good decisions and really limits his mistakes."
The Oklahoma offense, which was averaging 39 points per game in 2002, is ranked No. 2 nationally in 2008, scoring an average of 49.8 points per game.
The game against the Sooners is the final home game of the 2008 season for the Aggies. Kyle Field, which once boasted a 55-4-1 record during the 1990s, has not been as intimidating with its 37-21 record since 2000.
"If you get caught looking into the stands, that can mess you up," said Oklahoma senior receiver Quentin Chaney. "So you have to stay focused."
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