Texas QB McCoy has record for most wins, but a losing record against rival A&M

By Jim Vertuno, AP
Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Texas QB has losing record against rival A&M

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas quarterback Colt McCoy doesn’t have many losses

Two in particular, though, are pretty galling to the NCAA record-holder for wins by a starting quarterback.

McCoy has a losing record against rival Texas A&M. It’s a blemish he’d like to erase when the No. 3 Longhorns (11-0, 7-0 Big 12) and Aggies (6-5, 3-4) play Thanksgiving night.

“I think it’s a great opportunity, but I want to win every game,” McCoy said. “It’s going to be tough. They’re going to fight.”

McCoy is 1-2 against Texas A&M and 0-2 against Kansas State. Those are the only teams with winning records against the senior who is 43-7 in his career.

McCoy was a freshman in 2006 when Texas lost to A&M 12-7. He had been injured with a pinched nerve in his neck and shoulder two weeks earlier in a loss at Kansas State, and came back to play against the Aggies in a game that could have won the Big 12 South.

He really wasn’t ready to return to the field, but the Texas coaches felt they didn’t have much choice. Freshman Jevan Snead was the backup, had played little and it was widely assumed he would transfer, which he did later, to Mississippi.

McCoy started fine. He was 5 of 5 passing on the Longhorns’ opening drive but got weaker as the game wore on. He completed just 10 more passes and threw three interceptions.

“We shouldn’t have played him that day, in retrospect,” coach Mack Brown said.

After Texas fell behind late in the fourth quarter, a hard hit aggravated the injury and he was carted off the field. Some Aggies fans have taunted him with the nickname “Cart McCry” ever since.

“I don’t think about that,” McCoy said. “I put that behind me.”

The consecutive losses to end the season knocked the Longhorns out of the Big 12 title championship game. It was a shocking fall for a team that still had a load of talented players from the 2005 national championship team.

The loss also snapped a streak of six consecutive wins over the Aggies.

In 2007, the Longhorns started 0-2 in conference play before rallying with five straight wins. They still had had an outside shot at the South division title when they drove to College Station.

Texas A&M jumped to a 17-0 lead. McCoy had three turnovers and was sacked four times.

Texas lost 38-30.

“I remember we had a shot at the Big 12, ” McCoy said, “and we went over there and blew it.”

McCoy finally beat A&M last season, passing for 311 yards in a 49-9 victory in Austin. It was payback for the losses and insults as Texas posted the largest margin of victory in the rivalry since a 48-0 Texas win in 1898.

Longhorns fans love McCoy’s three wins over Oklahoma. His Fiesta Bowl win over Ohio State last season was revenge for a 2006 loss, the first of his career.

He doesn’t have a Big 12 title and a win Thursday night won’t get him that. But it would settle some personal business.

McCoy won’t get another crack at Kansas State but he can leave Texas with an even record against the Aggies.

“This is a new year and a new team,” McCoy said. “Obviously, we haven’t taken care of business as we would have like to in the past. This is huge for us.”

And for him.

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