Photo by Kirby Clarke, TexAgs
Texas A&M Football
Post-Game Review: Texas A&M 41, Auburn 38
November 8, 2014
8,850
AUBURN, Ala. — In a game marked by big plays, Alonzo Williams and Julien Obioha were credited with perhaps the two biggest.
Neither play resulted in yardage, but both were vital in Texas A&M pulling off an upset in a thrilling 41-38 Southeastern Conference football victory over third-ranked Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Obioha was credited with recovering a Nick Marshall fumble at the A&M two-yard line with just over two-and-a-half minutes remaining and the Aggies clinging to their three-point margin. About 90 seconds later, Williams recovered a fumbled snap to clinch a victory for the Aggies (7-3, 3-3 in the SEC) and oust Auburn (7-2, 4-2) from national championship contention.
The tense finish was possible because of a terrific start. Freshman quarterback Kyle Allen threw four touchdown passes in the first half. Meanwhile, fellow freshman defensive end Myles Garrett blocked an Auburn field goal attempt on the final play of the second quarter.
TexAgs
Everett's touchdown and some key fumbles made the difference in a game A&M led from the start but squeaked out at the end.
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Deshazor Everett scooped up the football after the block and raced 65 yards for a touchdown that staked the Aggies to a 35-17 halftime lead.
A&M could only manage two short Josh Lambo field goals in the second half as Auburn stormed back behind the Marshall, who ran for two second half touchdowns and passed for another.
But Marshall made crucial errors in the waning minutes and A&M was able to capitalize.
Rising: Allen’s profile will surely spike after he threw four touchdown passes in the first half. Allen had thrown just four touchdown passes in his five previous games. He also had thrown for 370 yards, including 106 yards in last week’s 21-16 win over Louisiana-Monroe.
Allen passed for 277 yards, with 187 coming in the first half.
Falling: The odds that Kenny Hill will return to the starting lineup next week definitely are falling. Hill let his team down for violating team rules and drawing a two-game suspension; Allen was exceptional in his second start. There is no reason to go back to Hill.
Best hit: Auburn inside linebacker Cassanova McKinzy delivered a “woo” hit to Brandon Williams midway through the first quarter. Williams took a pitch left and was stopped cold on a ferocious hit by McKinzy that prompted the sellout crowd at Jordan-Hare Stadium to give a collective “woooooo.”
Best hands: That distinction that typically goes to receivers will be shared by Armani Watts, Obioha and Williams, who all got their hands on fumbles in the final minutes to turn back Auburn scoring opportunities and protect A&M’s 41-38 lead. Watts wrestled with an Auburn player for a fumble at the two-yard line and somehow Obioha came out with the football.
Soon after escaping that threat, the Aggies were in trouble again with Auburn at the A&M 28-yard line. The Tigers had a fumble on the exchange and Williams came rushing out of the pile with the football to clinch the A&M victory.
Ronnie Woodard, TexAgs
The Aggies looked much more like the Kevin Sumlin teams that have gone toe-to-toe with the SEC's best the past two seasons.
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Turning point: See above. Auburn was twice in position to pull out a victory and both times the Aggies were able to recover fumbles on plays that were closely reviewed by replay officials.
Standing 'O': Kevin Sumlin and his staff drew plenty of criticism for the Aggies’ play in a three-game losing streak and lackluster victory over ULM. But give credit where credit is due. Sumlin had his team ready to play from the outset. The Aggies scored on their first possession and then tried an onside kick. They were aggressive from the start and played with a passion and fire that appeared to have been lacking in recent weeks.
A&M: Malcome Kennedy 60 pass from Kyle Allen. (Josh Lambo kick). A&M 7, Auburn 0
A&M: Josh Reynolds 36 pass from Allen. (Lambo kick). Key play: Floyd Raven recovers Cameron Artis-Payne fumble at A&M 42-yard line. A&M 14, Auburn 0
AUB: Cameron Artis-Payne 2 run (Daniel Carlson kick). Key play: Ricardo Louis 16 run on reverse to A&M 12-yard line. A&M 14, Auburn 7
AUB: Artis-Payne 34 run (Carlson kick). A&M 14, Auburn 14
Second quarter
A&M: Ricky Seals-Jones 23 pass from Allen (Lambo kick). Key play: Reynolds 18 pass from Allen on third-and-8 to midfield. A&M 21, Auburn 14
A&M: Reynolds 7 pass from Allen (Lambo kick). Key play: Brandon Williams 24 run to 7-yard line. A&M 28, Auburn 14
AUB: Carlson 30 FG. Key play: Melvin Ray 18 pass from Nick Marshall. A&M 28, Auburn 17
A&M: Deshazor Everett 65 yard blocked field goal return. (Lambo kick). A&M 35, Auburn 17
Third quarter
AUB: Marshall 1 run (Carlson kick). Key play: Artis-Payne 32 run to 4-yard line. A&M 35, Auburn 24
A&M: Josh Lambo 23 FG. Key play: Malcome Kennedy 42 pass from Allen to the 8-yard line. A&M 38, Auburn 24
Fourth quarter
AUB: Quan Bray 31 pass from Marshall (Carlson kick). Key play: Marshall 30 run to A&M 35. A&M 38, Auburn 31
A&M: Lambo 28 FG. Key play: Speedy Noil 16 pass from Allen on third-and-one to the Auburn 13-yard line. A&M 41, Auburn 31
AUB: Marshall 6 run (Carlson kick). Key play: Sammie Coates 52 pass from Marshall to the A&M 6-yard line. A&M 41, Auburn 38
Neither play resulted in yardage, but both were vital in Texas A&M pulling off an upset in a thrilling 41-38 Southeastern Conference football victory over third-ranked Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Obioha was credited with recovering a Nick Marshall fumble at the A&M two-yard line with just over two-and-a-half minutes remaining and the Aggies clinging to their three-point margin. About 90 seconds later, Williams recovered a fumbled snap to clinch a victory for the Aggies (7-3, 3-3 in the SEC) and oust Auburn (7-2, 4-2) from national championship contention.
The tense finish was possible because of a terrific start. Freshman quarterback Kyle Allen threw four touchdown passes in the first half. Meanwhile, fellow freshman defensive end Myles Garrett blocked an Auburn field goal attempt on the final play of the second quarter.
TexAgs
Everett's touchdown and some key fumbles made the difference in a game A&M led from the start but squeaked out at the end.
{"Module":"photo","Alignment":"right","Size":"large","Caption":"Everett\u0027s touchdown and some key fumbles made the difference in a game A\u0026M led from the start but squeaked out at the end.","MediaItemID":22909}
A&M could only manage two short Josh Lambo field goals in the second half as Auburn stormed back behind the Marshall, who ran for two second half touchdowns and passed for another.
But Marshall made crucial errors in the waning minutes and A&M was able to capitalize.
Rising: Allen’s profile will surely spike after he threw four touchdown passes in the first half. Allen had thrown just four touchdown passes in his five previous games. He also had thrown for 370 yards, including 106 yards in last week’s 21-16 win over Louisiana-Monroe.
Allen passed for 277 yards, with 187 coming in the first half.
Falling: The odds that Kenny Hill will return to the starting lineup next week definitely are falling. Hill let his team down for violating team rules and drawing a two-game suspension; Allen was exceptional in his second start. There is no reason to go back to Hill.
Best hit: Auburn inside linebacker Cassanova McKinzy delivered a “woo” hit to Brandon Williams midway through the first quarter. Williams took a pitch left and was stopped cold on a ferocious hit by McKinzy that prompted the sellout crowd at Jordan-Hare Stadium to give a collective “woooooo.”
Best hands: That distinction that typically goes to receivers will be shared by Armani Watts, Obioha and Williams, who all got their hands on fumbles in the final minutes to turn back Auburn scoring opportunities and protect A&M’s 41-38 lead. Watts wrestled with an Auburn player for a fumble at the two-yard line and somehow Obioha came out with the football.
Soon after escaping that threat, the Aggies were in trouble again with Auburn at the A&M 28-yard line. The Tigers had a fumble on the exchange and Williams came rushing out of the pile with the football to clinch the A&M victory.
Ronnie Woodard, TexAgs
The Aggies looked much more like the Kevin Sumlin teams that have gone toe-to-toe with the SEC's best the past two seasons.
{"Module":"photo","Alignment":"right","Size":"large","Caption":"The Aggies looked much more like the Kevin Sumlin teams that have gone toe-to-toe with the SEC\u0027s best the past two seasons.","MediaItemID":45191}
Standing 'O': Kevin Sumlin and his staff drew plenty of criticism for the Aggies’ play in a three-game losing streak and lackluster victory over ULM. But give credit where credit is due. Sumlin had his team ready to play from the outset. The Aggies scored on their first possession and then tried an onside kick. They were aggressive from the start and played with a passion and fire that appeared to have been lacking in recent weeks.
Scoring summary
First quarterA&M: Malcome Kennedy 60 pass from Kyle Allen. (Josh Lambo kick). A&M 7, Auburn 0
A&M: Josh Reynolds 36 pass from Allen. (Lambo kick). Key play: Floyd Raven recovers Cameron Artis-Payne fumble at A&M 42-yard line. A&M 14, Auburn 0
AUB: Cameron Artis-Payne 2 run (Daniel Carlson kick). Key play: Ricardo Louis 16 run on reverse to A&M 12-yard line. A&M 14, Auburn 7
AUB: Artis-Payne 34 run (Carlson kick). A&M 14, Auburn 14
Second quarter
A&M: Ricky Seals-Jones 23 pass from Allen (Lambo kick). Key play: Reynolds 18 pass from Allen on third-and-8 to midfield. A&M 21, Auburn 14
A&M: Reynolds 7 pass from Allen (Lambo kick). Key play: Brandon Williams 24 run to 7-yard line. A&M 28, Auburn 14
AUB: Carlson 30 FG. Key play: Melvin Ray 18 pass from Nick Marshall. A&M 28, Auburn 17
A&M: Deshazor Everett 65 yard blocked field goal return. (Lambo kick). A&M 35, Auburn 17
Third quarter
AUB: Marshall 1 run (Carlson kick). Key play: Artis-Payne 32 run to 4-yard line. A&M 35, Auburn 24
A&M: Josh Lambo 23 FG. Key play: Malcome Kennedy 42 pass from Allen to the 8-yard line. A&M 38, Auburn 24
Fourth quarter
AUB: Quan Bray 31 pass from Marshall (Carlson kick). Key play: Marshall 30 run to A&M 35. A&M 38, Auburn 31
A&M: Lambo 28 FG. Key play: Speedy Noil 16 pass from Allen on third-and-one to the Auburn 13-yard line. A&M 41, Auburn 31
AUB: Marshall 6 run (Carlson kick). Key play: Sammie Coates 52 pass from Marshall to the A&M 6-yard line. A&M 41, Auburn 38
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