04:57 AM CST on Saturday, November 26, 2005

By CHIP BROWN / The Dallas Morning News

COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M was trying to save face. Texas ended up having to save its season.

The second-ranked Longhorns, needing their starters in the fourth quarter for first time since playing Ohio State in September, didn't secure a 40-29 victory Friday at Kyle Field until David Pino kicked a 29-yard field goal with 2:22 left.

"A&M has a great defense," said Vince Young, who tied Bobby Layne's school record for career victories by a starting quarterback at UT with 28. "It was senior day for them, and there was a lot of emotion out there. All we did was stay poised and get the victory."

Texas (11-0, 8-0 Big 12) won its sixth straight against A&M and finished with its first undefeated regular season since 1983.

The Longhorns will face Colorado or Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship at noon on Dec. 3 at Reliant Stadium in Houston.

"Someone's going to pay for this next Saturday," said Texas defensive tackle Rod Wright, a Lombardi Award finalist who had a sack, a pass breakup and a forced fumble. "Practice is going to be intense this week because that wasn't us out there today."

The Aggies (5-6, 3-5) didn't have a losing season in 20 years before Dennis Franchione arrived as coach. Now, A&M's had two losing seasons in three years under Franchione, and his defensive coordinator, Carl Torbush, has come under fire.

The Aggies' defense never let up Friday, however, holding Young to 162 yards passing, including a 14-yard touchdown pass to Ahmard Hall, and only 19 yards rushing. Both of those totals were the second-worst of the season for Young.

Texas coach Mack Brown came in with the nation's second-best rushing offense. But it was A&M, led by redshirt freshman quarterback Stephen McGee in place of injured starter Reggie McNeal, outrushing Texas – 277 yards to 174 – and outgaining the Longhorns overall, 395-336. A&M also controlled the clock, holding the ball nearly 11 minutes longer than UT.

"If one team's been told they stink, and the other team's been told they're the best ever, you better watch out," Brown said. "That's when you get in trouble."

The Aggies led, 22-21, with 12:36 left in the third quarter and trailed by only eight – 37-29 – through most of the fourth quarter.

"I think everyone just got tired of people telling us how bad we were," said A&M senior safety Jaxson Appel, who tipped a pass that led to a first-quarter interception of Young.

"Our guys were stepping up and showing heart," said A&M defensive tackle Red Bryant, who had three tackles behind the line, including a 10-yard sack of Young.

Photos by MICHAEL MULVEY/DMN

Texas cornerback Cedric Griffin leaps into the end zone after picking up a blocked punt by Michael Griffin. The third-quarter score gave UT a 34-22 lead.

Both teams turned it over three times. But Texas was able to break open the game briefly after Michael Griffin, who had a heroic game with 21 tackles, blocked a punt that Cedric Griffin returned 11 yards for a touchdown.

"We needed that," said Michael Griffin, who now has a school-record five career blocked punts. The touchdown gave Texas a 34-22 lead with 5:45 left in the third quarter.

A&M pulled within 34-29 with 2:09 left in the third after McGee, the Aggies' leading rusher with 108 yards on 24 carries, ran in from 1 yard out for his second touchdown of the day.

"We played a lot of young guys, and they stepped up for us," said Franchione, who is 16-19 at A&M, referring to freshmen such as running back Javorskie Lane and tight end Martellus Bennett. "I think everyone got a glimpse of our youth, and we're excited about it."

E-mail chipbrown@dallasnews.com