Texas A&M Aggies ©	Texas Longhorns
Played November 27, 1998 at Darryl K. Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium Austin, Texas

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Texas A&M ©	1	6	1	0	.857	3	0	0	1.000	3	0	0	1.000	0	1	0	.000
Texas	0

 

                          Previous Belt Meetings:       None

 

The 6^th ranked, 10-1 Texas A&M Aggies of coach R.C. Slocum traveled to Austin to meet the 7-3 Texas Longhorns of first-year coach Mack Brown.  Texas featured Heisman Trophy winning, All-American RB Ricky Williams & he showcased his talents in The Belt game.  The Longhorns' defense had been suspect throughout the year but they stepped up their play for their fierce rival.  Texas held Texas A&M to 13 yards rushing & 193 total yards but 2 Longhorns fumbles kept the game in doubt until the final moments.  After a furious Aggies' comeback, Texas needed a 24-yard field goal from PK Kris Stockton with 0:05 remaining as the Longhorns claimed the title with a 26-24 win.  Neither team managed a first down on their first two drives before the Longhorns started a drive at their own 43-yard line.  With Williams rushing for 42 of the 51 yards on the drive, Texas took a 3-0 lead when Stockton converted a 22-yard field goal attempt.  Another Texas A&M punt gave the Longhorns an 80-yard field but after Texas' QB Major Applewhite completed a pass to All-Big XII WR Wane McGarity at the Longhorns' 40-yard line, Williams electrified the crowd.  Williams broke loose over left tackle for a 60-yard touchdown run that not only put Texas ahead 10-0 but also made him the NCAA's all-time leading rusher breaking a record previously held by Pittsburgh's RB Tony Dorsett.  Williams' day was not all celebration as he fumbled on his next carry & Texas A&M's LB Cornelius Anthony recovered for the Aggies at the Longhorns' 19-yard line.  Texas A&M's QB Randy McCown threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to TE Derrick Spiller early in the 2^nd quarter as the Aggies closed to within a field goal at 10-7.  Texas responded with a 13-play, 58-yard drive but had to settle for a 24-yard field goal from Stockton for a 13-7 lead.  A 15-play, 47-yard drive late in the quarter with Applewhite throwing short passes & Williams offering punishing runs resulted in a 49-yard field goal from Stockton giving the Longhorns a 16-7 halftime lead.  Neither team was able to score in the 3^rd quarter but Texas continued to dominate statically driving into position for two field goal attempts.  Stockton missed both tries, 50 & 28 yards, wide to the right keeping the hopes for Texas A&M alive.  The Aggies' hopes seemed squashed when Williams lead an 8-play, 77-yard drive with 53 yards rushing.  Applewhite finished the drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to WR Kwame Cavil.  Trailing 23-7 with 9:46 to play, Texas A&M started their rally.  McCown completed a 55-yard pass to WR Chris Cole before the drive stalled & the Aggies got a 30-yard field goal by PK Russell Bynum making the score 23-10 with 8:29 left.  After another Williams fumble on the next play from scrimmage, McCown hit Spiller for a 17-yard touchdown making the score 23-17 with 7:39 to play.  The go-ahead score was set-up when Texas A&M's CB Jason Webster returned a punt 35 yards to the Texas 24-yard line.  McCown gave the Aggies the lead when he took a 4^th down option keeper into the end zone from a yard out giving Texas A&M a 24-23 lead with 2:20 left.  After the kickoff, Applewhite led an 11-play, 70-yard drive to the Aggies 7-yard line highlighted by a 25-yard pass to Cavil.  With 0:05 to play, Stockton hit the 24-yard field goal that gave the Longhorns their first Belt reign with a 26-24 win.  Williams finished with  259 yards rushing with his score & Applewhite finished with 232 yards passing with a touchdown as well as an interception.  For Texas A&M, McCown finished with 180 yards passing with 2 touchdowns but was sacked 6 times & Spiller added 51 yards receiving to his 2 touchdowns.  The Aggies finished the season 11-3; Big XII Champions, ranked 11^th nationally while the Longhorns finished 9-3 & ranked 15^th nationally.  Texas A&M has not played for The Belt again.