Aggies' demanding finish begins with Sooners

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) _ Texas A&M has won eight games for the first time in five years and has kept pace with Texas in the Big 12 South <br/><br/>And at least temporarily the Aggies have silenced

Friday, November 3rd 2006, 12:27 pm

By: News On 6

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) _ Texas A&M has won eight games for the first time in five years and has kept pace with Texas in the Big 12 South

And at least temporarily the Aggies have silenced Coach Dennis Franchione's many critics.

Now for the big finish.

The Number 22 Aggies host 18th-ranked Oklahoma at Kyle Field tomorrow. It's the first of three giant games that'll reveal if A&M has returned to the college football elite -- or is still a sputtering also-ran in its own conference.

After Saturday the Aggies play Nebraska before their traditional season finale against the Longhorns in Austin this year the day after Thanksgiving.

The Sooners lead the league in scoring defense at 15 points per game and total defense at 278 yards per game.

They've allowed an average of ten points and 77 rushing yards in their last five games and won four of them.

Coach Bob Stoops said the defense has played well more consistently in the latter part of the schedule.