Texas A&M beats No. 1 Alabama 41-38 on last-play field goal

By Kristie Rieken

AP Sports activities Author

Higher education STATION, Texas Seth Smaller made a 28-property discipline goal as time expired and Texas A&M shocked top-rated Alabama 41-38 on Saturday night to stop the Crimson Tide’s successful streak at 19 online games.

Defending national winner Alabama (5-1, two-1 Southeastern Conference) experienced scored 21 straight points — capped by a TD reception and two-stage conversion grab by Jameson Williams — to consider a 38-31 direct with 5 minutes to go.

Texas A&M (four-two, 1-two) tied it at 38 when Zach Calzada connected with Ainias Smith for a twenty five-property touchdown strike with a few minutes left. Calzada was strike as he threw the strike and experienced to be aided off the discipline but returned for the next push immediately after a stop by to the clinical tent.

Calzada returned immediately after the Aggies pressured a punt to orchestrate the successful push, highlighted by a 17-property pass to Isaiah Spiller prior to Smaller concluded it off to mail fans streaming on to the discipline to celebrate.

“I’m proud of our fellas,” Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher claimed. “We made performs at vital situations.”

Calzada threw for 285 yards and a few touchdowns, as the former backup played like a star. Devon Achane returned a kickoff 96 yards for a TD in the 3rd quarter and A&M’s protection received immediately after Bryce Young all night.

“This is a good earn,” Achane claimed. “It displays us that we’re able of executing good factors.”

Smith concluded with 85 yards receiving and two scores and Jalen Wydermyer experienced seventy three yards receiving and a TD to assist the Aggies to what undoubtedly is their biggest earn because Fisher took above in 2018.

Alabama hadn’t lost because falling 48-45 to Auburn on Nov. 30, 2019.

“Everyone desires to keep in mind how they sense and not ignore it,” Alabama coach Nick Saban claimed.

It’s the 1st time Saban has lost to one particular of his assistants immediately after moving into the match a fantastic 24- in individuals online games. He’d crushed Fisher four situations, the most of any of his former staffers prior to the former Florida State coach lastly ended the streak on his 56th birthday.

“It doesn’t suggest anything at all to me,” Fisher claimed about ending the former assistants streak. “Our football team is finding out to engage in from other good football teams and have results. Which is what issues to me.”

Texas A&M also ended Alabama’s streak of a hundred wins above unranked teams, courting to a earn above Colorado in the 2007 Independence Bowl to cap Saban’s 1st year.

The Aggies entered the year rated sixth and gunning for Alabama immediately after the Crimson Tide handed them their only loss previous year. But by previous 7 days it seemed as if this would be a lost year for the Aggies immediately after consecutive defeats by Arkansas and Mississippi State sent them tumbling out of the Best twenty five.

But as an alternative of falling into a bigger gap this 7 days, the Aggies pulled off the upset to snap an 8-match skid from Alabama. It’s their 1st earn in the sequence because Johnny Manziel’s impressive performance led them to a 29-24 earn in 2012 on the highway when the Crimson Tide was also rated 1st.

“We experienced a couple of challenging weeks … (but) you’re described by how you react to adversity,” Fisher claimed.

Johnny Soccer, who won the Heisman Trophy that year, was among the 106,815 fans at Kyle Field on Saturday night to view the Aggies conquer the Crimson Tide at household for the 1st time at any time. A&M’s 1st earn in the sequence came in a 20-16 earn in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, 1968.

Manziel was among individuals celebrating on the discipline immediately after the match in the wild postgame party.

The 17 1/two-stage underdogs obtained management of this one particular early, racing out to a 24-ten halftime direct guiding two takeaways and a splendid start off by Calzada. A&M’s 24 points in the 1st half were being the most Alabama experienced permitted to an unranked opponent prior to halftime through Saban’s tenure.

“There were being a whole lot of concerns,” Saban claimed.

Young threw for 369 yards and a few touchdowns and Williams experienced 146 yards receiving. Brian Robinson Jr. added 147 yards hurrying.

Alabama reduce the direct to seven when DeMarcco Hellams blocked a punt by Nik Constantinou and King

Mwikuta pounced on it in the stop zone for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter.

But the Aggies took the blow and responded immediately with one particular of their possess. Achane zig-zagged via two waves of defenders and then exhibited the elite velocity that allows him double as a sprinter on the monitor team to basically outrun every person to make it 31-17 with 8 minutes left in the 3rd.

Young then capped a 75-property push with a 29-property touchdown pass Williams to reduce the direct to 31-24. Williams place his finger to his lips to shush the group immediately after the score.

THE TAKEAWAY

Alabama has some factors to cleanse up to get back again on monitor and consider to get a chance to protect its title. The Aggies have to be kicking themselves that they did not engage in greater in the previous two weeks so this earn could have intended a whole lot extra.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Alabama is undoubtedly to fall a number of places in the poll immediately after the loss and acquiring a earn above the defending champs ought to be adequate to get the Aggies back again in the Best twenty five.

UP Subsequent

Alabama: At Mississippi State on Saturday night.

Texas A&M: At Missouri on Saturday.

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