By ROBERT CESSNAThe Oklahoma Sooners and Texas A&M Aggies would be bowl-eligible had each received just a little more production from their special teams last week.
Oklahoma missed three field goals in a 10-3 loss at Nebraska, while A&M missed a field goal and fumbled a punt return in a 35-34 loss at Colorado.
Special teams figures to be a huge factor in Saturday's game between the Big 12 South rivals at 6:10 p.m. at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. OU (5-4, 3-2) and A&M (5-4, 2-3) have been sporadic at best in the kicking game this season.
The Sooners, who have scored only 49 points in their losses, haven't hit a field goal beyond 39 yards, missing six attempts. Tress Way made a 28-yard field goal against Nebraska but missed from 42 and 46 yards and had a 45-yarder blocked. Way, who is 1-of-5 kicking field goals, has been competing against Jimmy Stevens, who is 11 of 13. All but one of their misses have been away from home.
"We bring them off the sideline when the offense is going through plays. We always have music blaring, and we have the defense yelling at them," OU head coach Bob Stoops said. "In the end, that's about all we can do. I can't get 80,000 people in an away stadium to go to practice. I don't think anyone would show up to watch us kick the ball. In the end, no matter what you simulate, you have to be able to respond in that atmosphere. Hopefully as they go forward they will be able to mature and be able to handle it."
A&M's Randy Bullock has hit a pair of 47-yard field goals this season and a 50-yarder, the program's longest since 2000. He's 9 of 12 but missed a 32-yarder in a 36-31 loss to Oklahoma State and missed a 48-yarder against Colorado.
Punting has been a bigger problem for the Aggies.
A&M is netting only 35.2 yards per punt, which ranks 71st nationally. The Aggies have switched punters, using true freshman Ryan Epperson the last three weeks in place of sophomore transfer Ken Wood.
The Aggies will be challenged by OU returners Dominique Franks and Ryan Broyles. Franks averages 17 yards per punt return, which is second in the country, and Broyles averages 13.8, which is 17th. Broyles had a 35-yard punt return in the final minute against Nebraska that gave the Sooners a chance to throw the ball into the end zone. Broyles also had 14- and 25-yard punt returns that put the Sooners in Nebraska territory, but neither led to points as OU missed a field goal and had a blocked field goal.
A&M also has a difference-maker in special teams with returner Cyrus Gray.
Gray had a 99-yard kickoff return against Colorado to earn Big 12 special teams player of the week. He also had a 45-yard return that led to a field goal.
"His speed had a lot to do with it, but he had good vision, good blocking -- we blocked [the touchdown return] very well," A&M head coach Mike Sherman said. "That was a highlight of the game, and it came right at the right time, too."
The sophomore also had a 98-yard kickoff return for a score against OU last year, though A&M lost 66-28.
"He's just got great speed and explosiveness," Stoops said. "You've got to do a great job covering and being in the spaces you have to be in and tackle well when you have the opportunity."
A&M was having an exceptional day covering kickoffs against Colorado until the final one. CU returned the short kick 26 yards to its 39-yard line, and four plays later, the Buffaloes scored the game-winner.
"We got them down inside the [30] with the exception of that last one," Sherman said. "That last one is one we really needed, so the consistency there had to hold up for us the whole extent of the game, which it didn't in that last one."
A&M's special teams prevented a miracle finish when Terrence Frederick fumbled trying to return a punt on the run.
"Even though it was late in the game, we still felt like we had the opportunity to at least get to a position to kick a field goal," Sherman said.
Sophomore Frederick returned the first punt of his career because Dustin Harris hurt his ankle earlier in the game. Sherman said Monday a decision on who will return punts would be made later in the week. Other Aggies who have returned a punt in their careers are junior Kenny Brown, senior Jordan Peterson, senior Jordan Pugh, sophomore Lionel Smith and sophomore Bradley Stephens.
TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL
* Saturday's game: Texas A&M (5-4, 2-3 in Big12) at Oklahoma (5-4, 3-2), 6:10 p.m.
* TV/radio: FSN-Ch. 25/WTAW, 1620 AM and Sirius Ch. 154
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