Leeland and Rodney owned LSU --- no doubt about that
50-46 Discussion
Jimmy Wright Q&A
Texas A&M Football
Oh my gracious, there have been dozens of great plays in Texas A&M football history.
With that in mind, TexAgs is ranking the greatest 50 plays in Texas A&M football history. The list will be revealed five plays at a time from No. 50 to No. 1.
There were big runs, big catches, big hits, big kicks and big returns. Some produced iconic moments. Some clinched championships. Some contributed to stunning upsets. Some even came in losses. There was “The Hit,” “The Texas Special” and “Bo No Go.” There was Johnny Football, Sirr Parker and Toooombs.
They will bring back great memories. They will cause great debates. There will be questions like “How could that play not be higher?” or “Why was this play omitted?”
Oh Doctor, it was hard compiling our list. See how closely yours matches ours.
50. McElroy stuns LSU (Sept. 3, 1994): The No. 15 Aggies had fallen behind LSU 13-9 after an interception was returned for a touchdown late in the third quarter. They still trailed 13-12 midway through the fourth quarter and had second down at their own 41-yard line. Then, in a flash they had the lead. Running back Leeland McElroy took a handoff from quarterback Corey Pullig over right tackle, picked up a clearing block from Detron Smith and blazed downfield for a 59-yard touchdown run that lifted A&M to an 18-13 victory. That remains the Aggies’ most recent victory in Baton Rouge.
49. Aggies rally by Rice (Nov. 12, 1955): The Aggies trailed Rice 12-0 with less than four minutes remaining but stormed back with a series of big plays. The biggest followed the recovery of an onside kick at the Rice 43 with just over a minute left. From there, quarterback Jimmy Wright threw deep for Loyd Taylor, who hauled in the pass at the 1-yard line and stepped into the end zone for the game-winning score. The Aggies added another touchdown after an interception to finish off a 20-12 come-from-behind victory.
48. Franklin goes long against Baylor (Oct. 16, 1976): Barefoot kicker Tony Franklin was the talk of the nation in a 24-0 shutout of Baylor. Franklin booted a 65-yard field goal in that game to tie a college football record that stood for nearly a century and set a Division I record. The original record was set by J.T. Haxall of Princeton in 1882. However, later that day Ove Johansson of Abilene Christian made a 69-yard field goal against East Texas State. Franklin also kicked a 64-yarder in the win over the Bears, which made him the only kicker in NCAA history to convert two 60-yard field goals in the same game.
47. Watson’s interception sparks rally (Oct. 20, 1956): No. 4 TCU led No. 14 Texas A&M 6-0 in the fourth quarter in a de facto Southwest Conference championship game which was also known as “The Hurricane Game.” Deep in A&M’s end of the field and looking for a clinching score, the Horned Frogs opted to pass from about the A&M 12-yard line. A receiver appeared momentarily open, but Don Watson came over to make a reaching interception in the end zone. The Aggies then responded with an 80-yard drive that Watson capped with a short touchdown pass to John David Crow for a 7-6 victory. But coach Bear Bryant called Watson’s interception “the championship play.”
46. Swope swipes win from Ole Miss (Oct. 6, 2012): Four plays after stopping Ole Miss on fourth-and-inches, the Aggies faced third-and-three at the Rebels’ 20-yard line. A&M trailed 27-23 with less than two minutes remaining when Johnny Manziel caught the shotgun snap from Patrick Lewis. Ben Malena picked up a blitzing linebacker which allowed Manziel to loft a pass off his back foot to the left for the end zone. Ryan Swope, who was lined up on the left side in the slot, got behind the coverage and made an over-the-shoulder grab near the sideline five-yards deep in the end zone for a 30-27 lead with 1:46 remaining.
The 50: Ranking Aggie football's greatest plays (50-46)
The 50 is sponsored by The Stella Hotel. Click here to book now.
With that in mind, TexAgs is ranking the greatest 50 plays in Texas A&M football history. The list will be revealed five plays at a time from No. 50 to No. 1.
There were big runs, big catches, big hits, big kicks and big returns. Some produced iconic moments. Some clinched championships. Some contributed to stunning upsets. Some even came in losses. There was “The Hit,” “The Texas Special” and “Bo No Go.” There was Johnny Football, Sirr Parker and Toooombs.
They will bring back great memories. They will cause great debates. There will be questions like “How could that play not be higher?” or “Why was this play omitted?”
Oh Doctor, it was hard compiling our list. See how closely yours matches ours.
50. McElroy stuns LSU (Sept. 3, 1994): The No. 15 Aggies had fallen behind LSU 13-9 after an interception was returned for a touchdown late in the third quarter. They still trailed 13-12 midway through the fourth quarter and had second down at their own 41-yard line. Then, in a flash they had the lead. Running back Leeland McElroy took a handoff from quarterback Corey Pullig over right tackle, picked up a clearing block from Detron Smith and blazed downfield for a 59-yard touchdown run that lifted A&M to an 18-13 victory. That remains the Aggies’ most recent victory in Baton Rouge.
49. Aggies rally by Rice (Nov. 12, 1955): The Aggies trailed Rice 12-0 with less than four minutes remaining but stormed back with a series of big plays. The biggest followed the recovery of an onside kick at the Rice 43 with just over a minute left. From there, quarterback Jimmy Wright threw deep for Loyd Taylor, who hauled in the pass at the 1-yard line and stepped into the end zone for the game-winning score. The Aggies added another touchdown after an interception to finish off a 20-12 come-from-behind victory.
48. Franklin goes long against Baylor (Oct. 16, 1976): Barefoot kicker Tony Franklin was the talk of the nation in a 24-0 shutout of Baylor. Franklin booted a 65-yard field goal in that game to tie a college football record that stood for nearly a century and set a Division I record. The original record was set by J.T. Haxall of Princeton in 1882. However, later that day Ove Johansson of Abilene Christian made a 69-yard field goal against East Texas State. Franklin also kicked a 64-yarder in the win over the Bears, which made him the only kicker in NCAA history to convert two 60-yard field goals in the same game.
47. Watson’s interception sparks rally (Oct. 20, 1956): No. 4 TCU led No. 14 Texas A&M 6-0 in the fourth quarter in a de facto Southwest Conference championship game which was also known as “The Hurricane Game.” Deep in A&M’s end of the field and looking for a clinching score, the Horned Frogs opted to pass from about the A&M 12-yard line. A receiver appeared momentarily open, but Don Watson came over to make a reaching interception in the end zone. The Aggies then responded with an 80-yard drive that Watson capped with a short touchdown pass to John David Crow for a 7-6 victory. But coach Bear Bryant called Watson’s interception “the championship play.”
46. Swope swipes win from Ole Miss (Oct. 6, 2012): Four plays after stopping Ole Miss on fourth-and-inches, the Aggies faced third-and-three at the Rebels’ 20-yard line. A&M trailed 27-23 with less than two minutes remaining when Johnny Manziel caught the shotgun snap from Patrick Lewis. Ben Malena picked up a blitzing linebacker which allowed Manziel to loft a pass off his back foot to the left for the end zone. Ryan Swope, who was lined up on the left side in the slot, got behind the coverage and made an over-the-shoulder grab near the sideline five-yards deep in the end zone for a 30-27 lead with 1:46 remaining.
Never miss the latest news from TexAgs!
Join our free email list
SPONSORED BY