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COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M fans have moped around the last month muttering about coach Dennis Franchione, his one-dimensional offense and the long-forgotten days of the “Wrecking Crew.”

Well, I’m here to tell you somethin’ Ags. Put all those feelings aside Friday, hustle on down to Kyle Field, find a TV or radio and bring your 12th Man towel.

No. 13 Texas comes rolling into College Station for the annual showdown, and I have yet to meet an A&M fan who doesn’t want to “beat the hell out of t.u.”

“When the Aggies and the Horns hook it up at Kyle Field, it’s a real hard ball game,” A&M defensive coordinator Gary Darnell said. “There’s no pushing and shoving in this one. It’s going for your teeth. I understand that kind of stuff.”

This is a winnable game for A&M, despite being labeled a five-point underdog.

The Aggies (6-5, 3-4 Big 12) can upset the 13th-ranked Longhorns (9-2, 5-2) and ruin their Big 12 South title hopes. I’m convinced that Oklahoma State will beat a wounded Oklahoma team in the Bedlam game. A UT win coupled with an OSU win sends the Longhorns to San Antonio.

You can bet the Longhorns aren’t thinking about the Big 12 championship game on Friday. They’re thinking about last year’s home loss — 12-7.

“We got payback to go,” UT tight end Jermichael Finley said. “We gotta get our shine back. We’re going to go out there and beat `em. Last year was a bad feeling. Real bad.”

This game hinges on quarterbacks Stephen McGee and Colt McCoy.

Both players will execute some form of the zone read option. McGee is A&M’s leading rusher, but he’s also got Jorvorskie *** and Mike Goodson at his disposal. McCoy wants to show A&M fans that he’s tougher this season. He’s also got Jamaal Charles at his disposal. Charles is arguably the hottest running back in the country right now, having rushed for 644 yards in the last three games.

I’ll be curious to see how UT plays A&M’s zone read. I’m not convinced UT linebackers Robert Killebrew and Scott Derry have enough speed to shut off the perimeter completely. That could allow Goodson to find some creases and kick it into high gear.

If the Aggies don’t use ***, they have no business winning the game. The “J-Train” must get some touches in short-yardage situations and help control the clock to keep UT’s offense off the field.

Here’s a telling stat to consider. McCoy has completed 73.3 percent of his passes in the first quarter this season along with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. In the fourth quarter this season, he’s completed only 65.6 percent. Knock him around, make him uncomfortable, and good things can happen.

A much-anticipated A&M coaching change is coming, possibly as early as Saturday. But that’s Saturday. A&M fans should enjoy Friday first.

Q: Will we beat the “sips?” I have a funny feeling that we’re going to play well and beat the hell out of t.u.

Kelly, Horseshoe Bay, Texas

DAVIS: Now that’s the spirit. I think A&M will play well, maybe even play its best game of the season. But I just feel that Texas will eek out a victory late. Yes, I know that’s not what A&M fans want to read. But I picked Miami to win, too. UT has more to play for than A&M. The Aggies are playing for pride. I said this earlier this week in a DMN chat, and I’ll stick with it here — Texas wins, 24-17. If I truly felt A&M would win, I’d pick the Aggies.

Q: If A&M beats t.u., does Fran save his job?

Richard, Wylie, Texas

DAVIS: The only way a victory over Texas will save Dennis Franchione at this point is if A&M wins, 77-0. That score would mean a lot to A&M for various reasons (i.e. balance out the Oklahoma loss). But if A&M wins close, then it means nothing. Too many people inside and out of the athletic department believe Fran is gone no matter what happens on Friday.

Q: I’ve read some quotes from Baylor recruits about pulling their oral commitment from the Bears now that Guy Morriss has been fired. Do you think the same thing will happen at A&M when Fran gets the boot?

Mike, Class of `89, Albuquerque, N.M.

DAVIS: Some Baylor recruits have started waffling on their oral commitments in the wake of Morriss being fired. That’s why they’re called oral commitments. And that’s why, in just about every recruiting story, you read the following lines: “Oral commitments are non-binding.” Kids change their minds all the time for various reasons. That being said, I would think a smart recruit gave his pledge to the school, not Franchione. What if A&M makes a great hire? Would a kid de-commit then? If he’s smart, he won’t. I’m sure A&M might lose one or two commitments with a coaching change but not that many. The new coaching staff’s first priority should be to assure those already committed that their oral commitments will be honored.

Q: If we beat Texas, does that get us to Shreveport? That’s something positive at this point.

Angela, Flower Mound, Texas

DAVIS: Dry humor is always welcome in my inbox. Yes, a victory over Texas could push the Aggies into the PetroSun Independence Bowl against a lower-level SEC team. Heck, if the dominos fall right, A&M could get into the Insight Bowl. A trip to Phoenix in December never hurt anybody. In-N-Out Burger rocks! But it’s looking like A&M will be in the Independence or Texas Bowl, which is located in Houston. A coaching change throws everything into limbo. The Big 12 can make A&M go play a bowl to fulfill its contractual obligations. I’m guessing an interim coach will handle those duties.

Q: What are the Aggies going to do to cover up the fact that Alton Dixon can’t play against t.u.? I still think it’s a joke he has to sit out at all. I was there in Missouri and saw Chase Coffman giving Dixon the business.

Rick, Highland Park

DAVIS: Dixon, A&M’s regular starting strong safety, has to sit out the first half against Texas for punching Coffman in the back of the head at Missouri on Nov. 10. That’s according to the Big 12 fighting rules. Free safety Devin Gregg will shift to strong safety for the first half, and backup Stephen Hodge will start alongside Gregg. Hodge, a senior from Lake Highlands, has played in every game this season. Sophomore Chevar Bryson will back up Gregg and Hodge. Dixon has been one of A&M’s top defensive players this year. He’s fourth in tackles (70), recovered three fumbles and forced two more. Expect the A&M coaches to get him in there ASAP once the second half starts.

Q: I just read your Nov. 16 newsletter and had to comment about your preseason predictions. Your predictions may not have come to pass, but I can’t see that you could have predicted this season to turn out the way that it has. With the talent and experience, there was no other prediction to be made. I was with you. I was certain that the Ags would be 11-2 (with a bowl win), and Coach Fran would have made a huge impact on our program. I was certain that the Ags would begin to take steps to get to the next level with Coach Fran leading the way. With all due respect, I think Louis is off his rocker.

Jeff, Kingwood, Texas, Class of `88

DAVIS: This was in response to a letter last week by Louis who essentially made fun of me for picking A&M to go 11-2 this season and get into the AT&T Cotton Bowl. Glad to see people like Jeff didn’t think I was totally off my rocker. Yes, it’s been a frustrating season. I outlined how the season went wrong in a story in Wednesday’s newspaper. Basically, the team was too one-dimensional, the defense was too slow and the special teams gave the Aggies nothing. That’s why A&M is 6-5 going into the regular-season finale.

Q: I keep hearing Tommy Tuberville is at the top of the list for potential coaches. He does nothing for me. Did anyone watch the Arkansas-Auburn game? I also remember him turning down a penalty against Florida to punt instead of taking another opportunity to get a first down. I don’t want an idiot going for every 4th down he encounters – aka the Lubbock Pirate – but I would like someone that will go for a 4th down against OU trailing 28 to nothing.

Ford, Deep Ellum

DAVIS: Well, this may be a first — slamming a potential A&M coach before he’s even hired! Genius. Tuberville has never struck me as someone who goes over the edge, like Texas Tech’s Mike Leach. I think he’d be a solid hire for the Aggies, if that comes to pass.

Q: Texas A&M recruiting classes under Fran has been rated in the top ten each year, right? Then why the bad record? Players play hard for someone they respect first. In college athletics, the coach must demonstrate to his players that he cares. Watching him while he was at 'Bama, Fran didn't do that. Brian, you need to interview some of his former players at TCU, 'Bama, and New Mexico, and I believe you will hear not-so-good stories. I will be looking for the article.

Joseph

DAVIS: Well, not exactly. A&M’s first few classes under Franchione were highly rated. But Rivals.com ranked the 2006 class as the nation’s 27th best. The 2007 class was 43rd. That’s not great by any standards. Billy Chavis, Roger Holland and Von Miller are the only three freshmen from last year’s signing class that I feel will have a big impact as sophomores. I don’t see many other potential difference makers in that group. And as for what former players think, when A&M went to the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, he had former TCU running back LaDainian Tomlinson come speak to the team. I doubt that L.T. would have done something like that if he didn’t like Fran.

Q: You spoke a bit about rivalries in one of your recent posts. Do you think A&M will ever get the rivalry game back with LSU? I used to think that that game was our version of the OU-Texas game. It was a big rivalry back when I was in school.

Roman, Austin

DAVIS: Athletic director Bill Byrne has talked about his openness to play LSU again. But in this era where teams can play weak non-conference schedules and still get into the BCS title game, why should the Aggies do something like that? I personally like a marquee game every year, like A&M-Miami. Teams owe it to college football to play one game like that every year. It’s healthy for the game. I doubt LSU would go for this, but I’d like to see the Tigers and Aggies meet at the new Cowboys stadium in Arlington. That’d be a heck of a stage for those two teams and their fans.

Q: How was the new off-campus bonfire?

Terry, Burkesville, Ky.

DAVIS: I didn’t make it down to Hearne, Texas, for the unofficial Aggie bonfire on Tuesday night. The AP reported that 3,000 people showed up for the event. From the photos I saw, the stack didn’t look nearly as tall as it did when I attended the official Bonfire a few times in the early 1990s. I know the school doesn’t want to dishonor the memory of those 12 who were killed when the stack collapsed in 1999. But Bonfire has always seemed like a tradition worth keeping.