For the first time in 31 years, Texas A&M is 7-0.
The No. 4 Aggies now sit at the top of the SEC after a 45-42 win at Arkansas, spoiling Bobby Petrino’s debut as interim head coach at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
After a two-hour weather delay, Mike Washington’s gain of 14 kicked off the action in Fayetteville. An early pass interference call on Will Lee III pushed the Razorbacks downfield before Washington sprinted for 48. The Aggies were able to stop Petrino’s squad inside the redzone, allowing a 22-yard field goal.
The Aggies made quick work of their first offensive possession. A Marcel Reed scramble was just shy of the sticks, and on 4th and inches, Rueben Owens II moved the chains in their own territory. With Le’Veon Moss sidelined, the duo of Amari Daniels and Owens both saw carries. The first downs kept coming, and Reed dropped in a perfect placed ball to Ashton Bethel-Roman in the end zone, 7-3.
The Maroon & White’s defense returned with that same sense of urgency as their offense. Tyler Onyedim and Landon Rink dropped Washington in the backfield for a loss. Electing to go for it on fourth down, Taylen Green threw incomplete, allowing A&M to take over at the Arkansas 49.
A jet sweep from KC Concepcion brought the Aggies inside the 20 just before the end of the first quarter. Reed hauled it in himself to score the second touchdown of the day.
What appeared to be a promising drive for Arkansas turned disastrous. Giving up back-to-back chunk plays on the ground, the Razorbacks waltzed into A&M territory. On 2nd and goal, Daymion Sanford dropped the quarterback for a loss of two. Injuring Green on the play, backup KJ Jackson entered the game, completing a pass to CJ Brown. Will Lee III, who had been down due to injury just a few plays prior, made an emphatic return to action with a solo tackle in space, holding the Hogs to another field goal.
A&M’s ensuing 14-play touchdown march began with a strike to Bethel-Roman for 18 yards. The Aggies converted yet another 4th down around midfield and consistently moved the ball downfield. A grab from Concepcion planted A&M on the 1-yard line, and a short pass to Nate Boerkircher punched in the score.
Green returned under center and completed his first pass for 15 yards to O’Mega Blake. After Washington headed to the injury tent on a no-gainer, the Hogs’ passing game found some success with a 34-yard dart to Rohan Jones. Soon after, Green hauled it to the house to make it a one-score ballgame.
With 1:51 to go in the first half, A&M’s offense sputtered for the first time. A sack led to A&M’s three-and-out drive. What appeared to be a safe lead quickly dwindled as the Arkansas offense found life. Washington gashed A&M’s defense for 57 yards, setting up an ideal scenario for the Razorbacks. Green delivered a 7-yard pass to Blake in the end zone to bring the score within one.
The momentum was with Arkansas before halftime, and the Aggies responded accordingly. An electric 46-yard dash from Reed picked up plenty of real estate before finding Concepcion for a 17-yard touchdown grab. The three-play drive is just what the doctor ordered.
After a three-and-out possession from the home squad, the Aggie offense answered with three. Terry Bussey brought the Aggies to the A&M 41, and a handful of rushes from EJ Smith kept the chains moving. The Maroon & White stalled inside the red zone, leading to a 29-yard Randy Bond field goal.
Yet, the Razorbacks would not relent. Arkansas drove 65 yards in under four minutes, surpassing 350 yards of total offense. Green ran in his second touchdown of the night to bring the Razorbacks within a score again.
On a crucial drive for the Aggies, the running backs went to work. Reed hit Owens for a gain of 20, and Smith toted the rock three times, picking up 28 yards on the 75-yard drive. Owens capped off yet another touchdown drive with a 14-yard haul.
To begin the fourth quarter, gains of 16, 11 and 22 propelled the Razorbacks right into Aggie territory. The ninth touchdown of the game came with 11:30 remaining as former A&M tight end Jaden Platt caught the scoring grab. The Razorbacks ran right back across the goal line to punch in the two-point conversion, 38-35.
After a big fourth-down conversion for the Aggies, Bethel-Roman’s 37-yard snag highlighted A&M’s seventh scoring possession. Before wasting some time running the clock, Owens ran in his second touchdown to take a 10-point lead.
A&M’s defense turned up the heat on the following drive. Dayon Hayes and Cashius Howell sacked Green for a loss of 20, and two incompletions forced Arkansas to punt.
What appeared to be a long Reed touchdown run was called back due to a holding call. The Aggies punted for the second time to give the ball back to Arkansas with 3:51 to go.
On a needed 3rd and 4 for Arkansas, Green picked up the first and much more with a 49-yard scamper. A few plays later, Dalton Brooks shot out of a cannon to back up the Arkansas offense with an 18-yard sack. Green hit Brown in the end zone with 10 seconds remaining.
Texas A&M secured its seventh win when Bussey secured the onside kick.
RUMBLED: In the end, the Aggies were clutch. Texas A&M scored on seven of nine drives. Every time they needed an answer in the second half, a touchdown followed. The Maroon & White have proved they have the offensive playmakers to go blow-for-blow in a shootout.
STUMBLED: Arkansas’ high-powered offense continued its ways on Saturday night, as the Aggies gave up 527 yards and 42 points. With 218 rushing yards at the half, Arkansas totaled 18 chunk plays, 10 of those on the ground.
TURNING POINT: A late second-quarter lapse swung the momentum in favor of the Razorbacks, and from there, both offenses traded scores. It was the Aggies who sped away, but it didn’t come without late-game dramatics as Arkansas made it a three-point game late.
UNSUNG HERO: EJ Smith showed up when you needed him. With Moss out for the time being, the senior running back averaged 7.4 yards a carry and converted a huge fourth down in the fourth quarter.
KEY STAT: The Aggies racked up 479 yards of total offense, the most in an SEC game this season.
Scoring Summary
First-quarter
ARK: 10:42 - Scott Starzyk 22-yard field goal. Drive: 7 plays, 71 yards. TOP 3:39. Arkansas 3, Texas A&M 0
A&M: 6:06 - Marcel Reed 22-yard touchdown pass to Ashton Bethel-Roman. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards. TOP 5:15. Texas A&M 7, Arkansas 3
Second-quarter
A&M: 14:49 - Marcel Reed 3-yard rushing touchdown. Drive: 6 plays, 49 yards. TOP 3:05. Texas A&M 14, Arkansas 3
ARK: 11:17 - Scott Starzyk 22-yard field goal. Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards. TOP 3:32. Texas A&M 14, Arkansas 6
A&M: 3:32 - Marcel Reed 22-yard touchdown pass to Nate Boerkircher. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards. TOP 7:45. Texas A&M 21, Arkansas 6
ARK: 1:51 - Taylen Green 27-yard rushing touchdown. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards. TOP 1:41. Texas A&M 21, Arkansas 13
ARK: 0:02 - Taylen Green 7-yard touchdown pass to O’Mega Blake. Drive: 5 plays, 71 yards. TOP 0:41. Texas A&M 21, Arkansas 20
Third-quarter
A&M: 13:34 - Marcel Reed 17-yard touchdown pass to KC Concepcion. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards. TOP 1:26. Texas A&M 28, Arkansas 20
A&M: 7:45 - Randy Bond 29-yard field goal. Drive: 9 plays, 73 yards. TOP 4:17. Texas A&M 31, Arkansas 20
ARK: 4:23 - Taylen Green 1-yard rushing touchdown. Drive: 7 plays, 65 yards. TOP 3:22. Texas A&M 31, Arkansas 27
A&M: 0:25 - Rueben Owens II 14-yard rushing touchdown. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards. TOP 4:03. Texas A&M 38, Arkansas 27
Fourth-quarter
ARK: 11:30 - Taylen Green 4-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Platt. Two-point conversion is good. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards. TOP 3:55. Texas A&M 38, Arkansas 35
A&M: 6:52 - Rueben Owens II 12-yard rushing touchdown. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards. TOP 4:38. Texas A&M 45, Arkansas 35
ARK: 0:10 - Taylen Green 4-yard touchdown pass to CJ Brown. Drive: 12 plays, 93 yards. TOP 3:41. Texas A&M 45, Arkansas 42
