Texas A&M completed one of its best seasons in program history with a 41-27 victory over North Carolina in the Orange Bowl on Saturday night.
The Aggies finished the season 9-1 and could finish in the top four on the final rankings. That would be the Aggies' highest finish since the 1939 national championship.
A great season is comprised of a litany of great plays on offense, defense and special teams.
With that in mind, here’s a look back on the best moments of the Aggies 2020 football season.
This one is still fresh in the memory of all Aggies.
A&M was locked in a 27-27 tie with North Carolina with four minutes to play in the Orange Bowl.
Freshman Devon Achane sweeps left, stumbles behind tight end Jaden Wydermyer’s block, regains his footing 6-yards downfield and powers through a tackle attempt by safety Don Chapman and then speeds away from linebacker Eugene Asante. Achane blazed down the sideline for a 76-yard touchdown to give the Aggies the lead.
Less than five minutes remained, and Texas A&M trailed Florida 38-31.
The Aggies needed a big play.
Quarterback Kellen Mond and receiver Caleb Chapman provided one.
Mond faked a handoff to Isaiah Spiller, drifted right in the pocket and arced a deep throw to Chapman, who had gotten behind defensive back Marco Wilson. Chapman leaped to make the catch in front of the diving Wilson at the 3-yard line and stepped into the end zone for the game-tying touchdown.
Unfortunately, Chapman sustained a season-ending knee injury on the play.
Early in the fourth quarter of the Orange Bowl, the Aggies were trailing 27-20 but had first-and-10 at their 40-yard line.
Kellen Mond threw a perfect 23-yard pass to Ainias Smith, who caught the football just in front of the North Carolina sideline. Smith ran 13 yards down the sideline, cut inside at the 19-yard line and juked his way through Tar Heel defenders to the 6-yard line.
The 54-yard completion set up a game-tying, 6-yard touchdown run by Mond.
Maybe this is a case of recency bias because the Maroon Goons provided so many spectacular blocks, but those who really appreciate offensive line play should really appreciate right guard Jared Hocker’s work in the fourth quarter against Tennessee.
Hocker started the play — an Isaiah Spiller inside run — helping tackle Carson Green block defensive end Matthew Butler. But as linebacker Quavaris Crouch converges to fill the hole, Hocker comes off the double team block and crashes into Crouch. The jolt sends Crouch reeling about three yards left of the hole.
Just to make sure, Hocker shoves Crouch back to the ground as he tries to get up.
It wasn’t the longest drive of the season, but perhaps the most important.
The Aggies trailed Florida, 28-24, when they began an offensive series with 3:17 remaining in the third quarter. They embarked on a 10-play, 66-yard march that took nearly six minutes.
Kellen Mond passed to Jalen Wydermyer for 12 yards to convert a third-and-5, which the tight end hauled in with a highlight-reel one-handed snag.
Isaiah Spiller had a 4-yard run on third-and-3. The Aggies reached the Florida 19-yard line which led to …
Facing fourth-and-2 at the Florida 19-yard line, Isaiah Spiller followed a couple of blockers left, cut inside, steamrolled Gator linebacker Ventrell Miller at the 17 and sprinted the rest of the way to the end zone to give the Aggies their first lead.
Normally, a 26-yard field goal isn’t that exciting. However, Seth Small’s against No. 4 Florida was no normal 26-yard field goal.
As Aggies in Kyle Field and everywhere else held their collective breath, he converted with no time remaining to lift A&M to a 41-38 victory over the Gators.
Trailing 13-0 and backed up on its own 9-yard line late in the third quarter, LSU was looking to pass on second-and-10.
Quarterback T.J. Finley was under pressure from blitzing linebacker Aaron Hansford. Finley tried to throw to tight end Arik Gilbert in the middle of the field.
Instead, linebacker Buddy Johnson intercepted the floating pass at the 15-yard line. Johnson headed to his right, cut inside at the 8, ran through an attempted tackle by LSU center Liam Shanahan and tumbled into the end zone.
It was the Aggies’ only pick-six of the season.
Buddy Johnson showed a knack for making big plays all season.
The Aggies were locked in a 38-38 tie with No. 4 Florida with just under four minutes remaining.
On second down from their own 48, Florida running back Malik Davis headed left then cut inside, only to be hit by Johnson.
Johnson stripped the ball loose, and DeMarvin Leal recovered to give the Aggies possession with 3:40 to play.
That led to a game-winning field goal.
Tennessee trailed 14-7 early in the second quarter but had first down at midfield.
As quarterback Harrison Bailey dropped back to pass, A&M’s DeMarvin Leal powered through an attempted block by Volunteers guard Jerome Carvin, ran over blitzing safety Erick Young and made contact just as Bailey started to throw.
The collision forced a fumble that linebacker Andre White recovered at the 39-yard line. The sack led to an A&M field goal.
A&M led Mississippi State 7-0 early in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs were punting from their own 22-yard line, but punter Tucker Day never got the kick off.
The ball rolled back to the 1-yard line. Isaiah Spiller scored a touchdown on the next play.
