Photo by Kirby Clarke, TexAgs
Texas A&M Football
Music City Bowl Review: Louisville 27, Texas A&M 21
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A late rally fell painfully short as Texas A&M’s football season came to a disappointing end with a 27-21 loss to Louisville on Wednesday night in the 2015 Music City Bowl.
An apparent completion from quarterback Jake Hubenak to receiver Christian Kirk, which would have given the Aggies first-and-goal at the Louisville six-yard line in the final minutes, was overturned on a review.
The Aggies’ drive ended at the 24-yard line.
Texas A&M (8-5) fell behind 20-7 early as sensational Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson ran 61 and six yards for touchdowns and passed two yards for another score.
However, the Aggies came back as Hubenak, making his first major college football start, threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Seals-Jones in the second quarter to pull within 20-14.
Louisville (8-5) extended its lead to 27-14 on Jackson’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Keith Towbridge in the third quarter.
But Hubenak, who passed for 307 yards, hit Kirk with a 29-yard touchdown pass to pull the Aggies within 27-21 with just under five minutes to play.
A&M’s defense forced a punt on Louisville’s ensuing series. That gave the Aggies a chance to pull out a victory in the waning moments.
Hubenak led A&M from its own 21-yard line to the Louisville 26, but his last three passes fell incomplete to end the Aggies’ chances of a posting a come-from-behind victory.
Rumbled: Tra Carson notched the longest run of his career and the Aggies’ longest run this season when he broke loose for 55 yards up the middle to the Louisville 4-yard line late in the second quarter. That run set up a Ricky Seals-Jones touchdown catch which brought the Aggies within 20-14 at halftime.
Carson rushed for 106 yards on 20 carries. It was his seventh 100-yard rushing performance of the season and his fifth in the last six games.
Stumbled: There are so many, but tackle Avery Gennesy had a particularly difficult night. In one series he had three false starts in a span of five plays. He also had a penalty that nullified a big pass completion when the Aggies were threatening to take the lead in the third quarter. Later, he allowed a sack that thwarted an A&M drive that had reached the Louisville 14-yard line.
Unsung hero: Receiver Josh Reynolds turned in one of his better performances of the season. He caught 11 passes for 177 yards. He had a 33-yard catch that led to the Aggies’ first score; he reeled in a 20-yard reception on third-and-11 to extend the drive for A&M’s second touchdown. Early in the fourth quarter he made a leaping 36-yard grab to the Louisville 14-yard line. Unfortunately, the Aggies faltered and that series ended with a missed field goal.
Key stat: Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson rushed for 226 yards and two touchdowns. The Aggies allowed 307 rushing yards overall. They allowed at least 230 rushing yards in each of their five losses this season.
Turning point: Trailing 27-21, the Aggies were on the verge of rallying for a one-point victory late in the fourth quarter. On second-and-eight from the Louisville 24-yard line, Hubenak appeared to connect with Christian Kirk for an 18-yard gain to the six-yard line. However, after reviewing replay the officials ruled the football was jarred loose when Kirk hit the ground.
The original call was overturned and A&M instead faced third-and-eight. Hubenak’s next two passes were incomplete.
LV: Lamar Jackson 6 run (John Wallace kick). Drive: 80 yards, 5 plays. Big play: Cole Hikutini 56 pass from Jackson. LV 7, A&M 0
LV: Micky Crum 2 pass from Jackson (kick failed). Drive: 21 yards, 4 plays. Big play: Jaire Alexander 32 punt return to A&M 21-yard line. LV 13, A&M 0
A&M: Tra Carson 9 run (Taylor Bertolet kick). Drive: 70 yards, 8 plays. Big play: Josh Reynolds 33 pass from Jake Hubenak. LV 13, A&M 7
LV: Jackson 61 run (Wallace kick). Drive: 82 yards, 3 plays. LV: 20, A&M 7
Second quarter
A&M: Ricky Seals-Jones 4 pass from Hubenak (Bertolet kick). Drive: 97 yards, 8 plays. Big plays: Carson 55 run to the Louisville 4-yard line. LV 20, A&M 14
Third quarter
LV: Keith Towbridge 17 pass from Jackson (Wallace kick). Drive: 73 yards, 7 plays. Big play: Jackson 37 run to A&M 29-yard line. LV 27, A&M 14
Fourth quarter
A&M: Christian Kirk 29 pass from Hubenak (Bertolet kick). Drive: 86 yards, 8 plays. LV 27, A&M
An apparent completion from quarterback Jake Hubenak to receiver Christian Kirk, which would have given the Aggies first-and-goal at the Louisville six-yard line in the final minutes, was overturned on a review.
The Aggies’ drive ended at the 24-yard line.
Texas A&M (8-5) fell behind 20-7 early as sensational Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson ran 61 and six yards for touchdowns and passed two yards for another score.
However, the Aggies came back as Hubenak, making his first major college football start, threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Seals-Jones in the second quarter to pull within 20-14.
Louisville (8-5) extended its lead to 27-14 on Jackson’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Keith Towbridge in the third quarter.
But Hubenak, who passed for 307 yards, hit Kirk with a 29-yard touchdown pass to pull the Aggies within 27-21 with just under five minutes to play.
A&M’s defense forced a punt on Louisville’s ensuing series. That gave the Aggies a chance to pull out a victory in the waning moments.
Hubenak led A&M from its own 21-yard line to the Louisville 26, but his last three passes fell incomplete to end the Aggies’ chances of a posting a come-from-behind victory.
Rumbled: Tra Carson notched the longest run of his career and the Aggies’ longest run this season when he broke loose for 55 yards up the middle to the Louisville 4-yard line late in the second quarter. That run set up a Ricky Seals-Jones touchdown catch which brought the Aggies within 20-14 at halftime.
Carson rushed for 106 yards on 20 carries. It was his seventh 100-yard rushing performance of the season and his fifth in the last six games.
Stumbled: There are so many, but tackle Avery Gennesy had a particularly difficult night. In one series he had three false starts in a span of five plays. He also had a penalty that nullified a big pass completion when the Aggies were threatening to take the lead in the third quarter. Later, he allowed a sack that thwarted an A&M drive that had reached the Louisville 14-yard line.
Unsung hero: Receiver Josh Reynolds turned in one of his better performances of the season. He caught 11 passes for 177 yards. He had a 33-yard catch that led to the Aggies’ first score; he reeled in a 20-yard reception on third-and-11 to extend the drive for A&M’s second touchdown. Early in the fourth quarter he made a leaping 36-yard grab to the Louisville 14-yard line. Unfortunately, the Aggies faltered and that series ended with a missed field goal.
Key stat: Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson rushed for 226 yards and two touchdowns. The Aggies allowed 307 rushing yards overall. They allowed at least 230 rushing yards in each of their five losses this season.
Turning point: Trailing 27-21, the Aggies were on the verge of rallying for a one-point victory late in the fourth quarter. On second-and-eight from the Louisville 24-yard line, Hubenak appeared to connect with Christian Kirk for an 18-yard gain to the six-yard line. However, after reviewing replay the officials ruled the football was jarred loose when Kirk hit the ground.
The original call was overturned and A&M instead faced third-and-eight. Hubenak’s next two passes were incomplete.
Scoring summary
First quarterLV: Lamar Jackson 6 run (John Wallace kick). Drive: 80 yards, 5 plays. Big play: Cole Hikutini 56 pass from Jackson. LV 7, A&M 0
LV: Micky Crum 2 pass from Jackson (kick failed). Drive: 21 yards, 4 plays. Big play: Jaire Alexander 32 punt return to A&M 21-yard line. LV 13, A&M 0
A&M: Tra Carson 9 run (Taylor Bertolet kick). Drive: 70 yards, 8 plays. Big play: Josh Reynolds 33 pass from Jake Hubenak. LV 13, A&M 7
LV: Jackson 61 run (Wallace kick). Drive: 82 yards, 3 plays. LV: 20, A&M 7
Second quarter
A&M: Ricky Seals-Jones 4 pass from Hubenak (Bertolet kick). Drive: 97 yards, 8 plays. Big plays: Carson 55 run to the Louisville 4-yard line. LV 20, A&M 14
Third quarter
LV: Keith Towbridge 17 pass from Jackson (Wallace kick). Drive: 73 yards, 7 plays. Big play: Jackson 37 run to A&M 29-yard line. LV 27, A&M 14
Fourth quarter
A&M: Christian Kirk 29 pass from Hubenak (Bertolet kick). Drive: 86 yards, 8 plays. LV 27, A&M
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