PREVIEW \ Cotton Bowl

No. 15 Tennessee (9-3)vs. No. 22 Texas A & amp;M (7-4)
Time: 11 a.m.
TV/radio: WYFX (17/62), WJW (8), WPGH (53), WBBW-AM (1240)
Coaches: Phillip Fulmer (122-31 in 13th year at Tennessee) and Dennis Franchione (11-12 in second year at A & amp;M).
Payout: Each school receives $3 million.
Bowl records: Tennessee is 23-21. Texas A & amp;M is 13-14.
Last bowl appearance: Tennessee lost to Clemson, 27-14, in last year's Peach Bowl. Texas A & amp;M beat TCU, 28-9, in the 2001 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl.
Series history: Tennessee leads, 1-0.
Last meeting: Tennessee won, 3-0, in the 1957 Gator Bowl.
Last game: Tennessee lost to Auburn, 38-28, in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 4. Texas A & amp;M lost at Texas, 26-13, on Nov. 26.
Stats that matter: Something has to give. The Vols are 1-4 in bowls since 1998 giving up 31 points per game in the losses. The Aggies are 1-8 in bowls since 1991 including four Cotton Bowl defeats.
Game facts: Coming off embarrassing Peach Bowl losses last two years, Fulmer needs a better result here. He'll have to do it with third-string QB Rick Clausen (658 yards passing, 4 TDs, 5 INTs). All-American OT Michael Munoz (shoulder surgery) also won't play. RB Gerald Riggs Jr. looked terrific in SEC title game, shredding Auburn for 182 yards, 2 TDs (including an 80-yarder) on just 11 carries. Shaky defense (88th in nation vs. pass, 236.0 ypg, 19 TDs given up, 15 INTs) has crumbled, yielding 104 points and 1,275 yards in the last 3 games. Versatile Aggies QB Reggie McNeal (six in the nation with 3,250 total offense, 13 TD passes, 8 TD runs, 3 INTs) could have field day. Turnaround from 4-8 last year has been keyed by taking care of ball as A & amp;M is fourth in nation in turnover ratio (22 forced, 8 given up). The Defense did have problems down stretch, giving up 128 points in 1-3 finish.
Scripps Howard