CBS SportsLine wire reports
Sept. 26, 1998

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Their bowl aspirations already jeopardized by a forfeit caused by an ineligible running back, No. 17 Texas A&M took to the air to resurrect its mired offense.

Chris

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Cole caught six passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns Saturday night as the Aggies shook off the distraction with a 28-9 victory over North Texas. Two of his TDs came on throws by backup quarterback Randy McCown.

A&M coach R.C. Slocum, who benched starting quarterback Branndon Stewart in the second quarter, wasn't celebrating.

"I thought we were very sloppy. We've got a whole lot of work to get done to get ready to play in the Big 12," he said.

Texas A&M improved to 3-1, although their Sept. 12 victory over Louisiana Tech essentially doesn't count toward the seven they need for bowl consideration. A registrar's error allowed fullback D'Andre Hardeman to play in that game when he shouldn't have, the school said Wednesday.

WITHOUT THE BULLISH HARDEMAN'S blocking and inside running, the Aggies must rely on freshman Ja'Mar Toombs and little-used former walk-on Will Simpson for the rest of the season.

Dante Hall and the Aggies ran past, over and through North Texas. (AP)

The underdog Eagles (0-4) zeroed in on A&M's traditionally potent running game and kept the Aggies largely in check, though they still racked up 185 yards on 40 carries.

"We were in a situation where we were set to defend the run and they seemed to hit us with play-action passes," North Texas coach Darrell Dickey said.

Stewart found Cole for a 60-yard score on the Aggies' first play from scrimmage, then misfired on 6-of-9 the rest of the way. North Texas trailed just 7-3 when McCown entered the game with 2:39 left in the first half.

McCown marched the Aggies from their 20 to the North Texas 35, from where he found Cole for another touchdown with 37 seconds left.

McCown and Cole stayed hot in the third quarter when they hooked up for a 52-yard scoring strike, allowing Cole to tie the school record for TD catches in a game.

"THE COACHES TOLD ME to be ready to play this week," McCown said. "Chris Cole was outstanding tonight."