Texas A&M; shocks No. 1 Alabama, 29-24
The Southeastern Conference’s reign over college football might have ended Saturday with Texas A&M;’s shocking 29-24 victory over top-ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
The SEC has won six consecutive Bowl Championship Series titles but suddenly finds itself on the outside looking in -- at least for now.
Kansas State, Oregon and Notre Dame will be in the top three when Sunday’s BCS standings are released, provided those teams all win their games later Saturday.
Texas A&M;’s spread offense gave Alabama fits in the culture clash we thought would collide if Oregon and Alabama met in the BCS title game.
Texas A&M; (8-2) short-circuited those plans by jumping out to an early 20-0 lead. Alabama, which before last week had only trailed for 15 seconds this season, never led in Saturday’s game.
The Crimson Tide got as close as 20-17 in the second half. After a Texas A&M; field goal, it had a great chance to win in the final minutes, but AJ McCarron’s fourth-down pass was intercepted at the goal line by DeShazor Everett.
Alabama had a chance to get the ball back with less than a minute left but was called for a neutral zone infraction that gave Texas A&M; a first down and allowed the Aggies to run out the clock.
Texas A&M; freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel greatly improved his Heisman Trophy credentials in the victory. The player known as “Johnny Football†completed 24 of 31 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 92 yards in 18 carries.
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