 "Photo: Patrick Clayton")
Texas A&M Head Coach Mike Sherman does not have any boxing matches queued up to inspire his team to beat undefeated archrival Texas on Thursday.
"We've gone through the boxing matches," Sherman said. "I've run out of radio clips. We've done that a couple times, but no we don't have anything for this one."
Sherman showed the 1974 fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, known as the "Rumble in the Jungle," to the Aggies the night before they defeated Texas Tech 52-30 on Oct. 24 in Lubbock.
Sherman said he's keeping his plans to inspire the team a secret, though he's running out of things to use.
"It's a shorter week so my creativity is on a bit of a standstill," Sherman said. "It better be dang good because this is going to be a big game, obviously."
The Longhorns are coming into the annual Lone Star Showdown game with an 11-0 record and are one of few teams still in the running for a spot in the BCS National Championship game.
A&M, on the other hand, has had what coaches and players called an up and down season. Highlights include the win against Tech and lowlights include a 62-14 loss at Kansas State.
"Our guys are very excited about the challenge," Sherman said. "This is Rocky Balboa versus Apollo Creed. It's one of those types of deals, where we have a chance to play against a top-notch team that certainly has not stumbled one time this year."
At 6-5 overall, the Aggies are eligible to be selected for a bowl game but are not guaranteed to be chosen to play in one of the few remaining openings. An Aggie victory on Thursday would help its bowl prospects.
So if the hatred of a 115-year rivalry wasn't enough, the game has extra meaning for each team.
"Every game is important, but since the seniors have been eligible, we've been 2-1 against Texas, and I would like to end 3-1," senior lineman Michael Shumard said. "There's no better way to leave Kyle Field, and thank the fans for all they've done."
The Aggies will wear a reminder of the 1999 collapse of Bonfire on their helmets Saturday. The Texas A&M logo is covered with a memorial ribbon with the years 1999-2009 written on it, and the number 12 is on the back of the helmet to memorialize the 12 Aggies that died.
The game will coincide with the release of the documentary "The Burning Desire," which is about A&M's game against Texas in 1999, a 20-16 win.
With the Bonfire Memorial on their helmets, a potential bowl game on the horizon, and the Thanksgiving night lights on Kyle Field, the team will be playing to win their third game against the Longhorns in four years.
"There aren't too many experiences in college football like this," junior quarterback Jerrod Johnson said. "There are not too many times where you get to play against these guys. There's maybe four or five years, and it's over. I'm down to my second to last one and I'm looking forward to it."
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