Week Ten's Overnight Sensation: Devon Achane, Running Back

Each Monday during the 2021 Texas A&M football season, we’ll identify a first- or second-year Aggie player who delivered an exceptional performance and earned the distinction of being the week’s ‘Overnight Sensation.’ 

He's certainly not a newcomer and has been an impact player for quite a while now, but on Saturday night in Oxford, Devon Achane shined again.

The sophomore running back from Fort Bend Marshall scampered for 110 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 carries in Texas A&M's 29-19 loss to Ole Miss. Achane's two scores were the Aggies' only two touchdowns on the night.

Many expected the Aggies to be able to run against a porous Ole Miss defensive front that had been susceptible to yards on the ground. Early on, that was not the case as the Rebels bottled up A&M's running attack, holding the visiting Aggies to just 43 rushing yards in the first half.

Trailing 15-0 at the break, A&M mustered a field goal on their first drive of the third quarter. Then they turned to the electric Achane.

Along with key completions by Zach Calzada, Achane ran for 16 and 6 yards to move the Aggies into Ole Miss territory. On the seventh play of the drive, the sophomore tailback broke off a 24-yard run for Texas A&M's first offensive touchdown in over 100 minutes of action.

A&M eventually cut the lead to 15-13, but untimely interceptions put the score out of reach in the fourth. Still, Achane never quit. With 3:11 remaining, he added his second touchdown of the night, this time a 9-yard run to break a long streak of red-zone trips without six points.

In under two years, Achane has cemented himself as a vital part of Texas A&M's offense. Should he continue this progression, he'll soon be a superstar in the college football landscape.

Achane's stats vs. Ole Miss
Carries: 12
Yards: 110
Average: 9.2
Long: 24
Touchdowns: 2

Achane's 2021 stats
Carries: 108
Yards: 816
Average: 7.6
Long: 68
Touchdowns: 7