While I don't remember any "attack" on Smokey, I do remember the Aggies being able to ban Smokey from Kyle Field by claiming the concussion from Smokey was causing the water pipes in Kyle Field to burst. The Ags then brought in their field artillery that caused pipes in Snook to burst.
There was an incident before the 1977 game in the South end zone between the corp and the Cowboys & Spurs. The Corp tried to prevent Smokey & Bevo from being anywhere in the stadium. (In those days, visiting fans were in the lower bowl, Southeast corner.) The DPS was trying to force our people to move. I got in the middle of it and told the DPS Captain that Kyle Field was a State building at a State University, on State property, and he nor none of his Gestapo were going to remove nor prevent Smokey, Bevo, and least of all The Lone Star flag from walking into, around, or participating at Kyle Field. Fortunately, Dr Williams (president of A&M) arrived to save my *** and escort me to the locker room.
I had the privilege of attending the Aggie victory party after the game where Dr Williams and I killed a limited edition bottle of Chivas. FWIW, it was a great "victory party" since we won 57-28.
That pregame featured an outstanding pregame speech by Fred in which he briefly mentioned the confrontation outside, and then said, "the Aggies have already done all they know how to do - march, hut, and holler; now we'll do what we do best and that's kick their ***"[/QUOT
Earl clinched the Heisman that game with over 200 yards total offense and I believe he scored 4 touchdowns including a rare pass reception from Randy McEachern. I seem to recall that Lance Taylor (mb) got hurt and when we played ND in the Cotton Bowl they destroyed us running in between the tackles
In part because Taylor was missing. If we’d have won in Dallas we likely would have been voted number 1 in the nation.