Austin, Texas — Texas took care of its fiercest in-state rival and ensured at least one more week of bickering about the Bowl Championship Series.
Cedric Benson ran for 165 yards and a touchdown Friday, leading No. 6 Texas to a 26-13 victory over No. 22 Texas A&M, the Longhorns' fifth straight win over the Aggies.
Afterward, Texas coach Mack Brown made a passionate case for his team to win an at-large bid in the BCS.
"If you've got a vote, vote for us," Brown said, pleading directly to voters in the Associated Press writers poll. "I'm asking you to do that, and I'm asking everyone across the nation.
"This team deserves to be in the BCS. They deserve to go more than some teams that are being talked about."
The AP poll is one of the factors used to determine the BCS standings.
The victory could get the Longhorns (10-1 overall, 7-1 Big 12 Conference) their first BCS bid if they get a big enough boost in the standings to pass fourth-place California. Texas fans chanted "B-C-S!" after the game.
California, which only a week ago thought it had locked up a berth in the Rose Bowl, needs a win Dec. 4 at Southern Mississippi to fight off the Longhorns, who are fifth in the standings.
And another team out West, Boise State, could ruin the party for both of them. If Boise State creeps into the top six in the BCS, it would join Utah in the two at-large berths, knocking Texas and California out of the mix.
Texas coach Mack Brown, center, celebrates the Longhorns' 26-13 victory over Texas A&M with UT players Tim Crowder, left, and Stevie Lee. The Longhorns beat their in-state rivals Friday in Austin, Texas.
Quarterback Vince Young had 224 total yards and a touchdown run for the Longhorns. His counterpart, Reggie McNeal, passed for 247 yards and a touchdown for A&M (7-4, 5-3).
The teams traded touchdowns and missed extra points in a tight first half. Benson had 105 yards on 18 carries in the half, but one play on which he didn't get the ball proved costly for the Longhorns.
After driving 88 yards to the A&M one, Texas was on the verge of punching the ball into the end zone with less than 30 seconds left in the half. Instead of handing off to Benson, the 6-foot-5 Young tried to leap over the line of scrimmage.
Holding the ball in his right hand, he stretched for the goal line, and A&M's Justin Warren punched it loose. The ball bounced right to Jonte Buhl, who scooped it up and dashed 98 yards for a touchdown and a 13-6 Aggies lead at halftime.
The play stunned Texas, which thought Young had crossed the goal line -- although television replays showed he didn't.
Then things got really weird.
After forcing the Aggies to punt on the first possession of the third quarter, Texas' Michael Griffin blocked the kick, and Bobby Tatum recovered it for a TD.
But because the Longhorns' regular holder, wide receiver Tony Jeffery, left the game earlier because of a rib injury, backup QB Matt Nordgren was sent in, and he dropped the snap, causing Dusty Mangum to drive the kick along the ground.
The ensuing scrum ended with the Aggies' Jaxson Appel on top of the ball in the end zone, giving Texas a rare one-point safety that tied the game at 13.
"I'm a little embarrassed," Brown said. "I didn't know that was a rule."
Colorado 26, Nebraska 20
Lincoln, Neb. -- Colorado stayed alive in the Big 12 North race for another day and ended Nebraska's season in November for the first time since 1968.
The Buffaloes' victory sent the Cornhuskers to their first losing season in 43 years and snapped their NCAA-record streak of consecutive bowl appearances at 35.
"I'm really glad they're home for the holidays," Colorado defensive tackle Matt McChesney said. "They can sit and watch everybody else play. I hope it feels good."
Bobby Purify ran for 130 yards and a touchdown, and the Buffaloes intercepted Nebraska's Joe Dailey four times.
Now the Buffaloes (7-4, 4-4) need Missouri to win today at Iowa State to advance to the Big 12 championship game against Oklahoma on Dec. 4 in Kansas City, Mo.
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