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Alabama 49 Texas A&M 42 Notes & Highlights

Highlights of Alabama vs Texas A&M

Alabama Texas A&M Game Notes

Official game notes from UA:
ALABAMA CAPTAINS
• Alabama’s captains for today’s game at Texas A&M were AJ McCarron, C.J. Mosley and Ed Stinson. The Aggies won the toss and elected to
receive the opening kickoff .

SERIES NOTES
• With the win Alabama leads the series with Texas A&M, 4-2. Th e Crimson Tide is now 2-0 in College Station at Kyle Field.

GENERAL NOTES
• The Crimson Tide is 64-3 when leading at the half under head coach Nick Saban.

• With Kevin Norwood’s 22-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter, Alabama has scored in 158 consecutive games – the longest streak in program history.

• With the win, Alabama extended its streak of wins away from Bryant-Denny Stadium to 15. The 15-game streak includes both true road
games and neutral-site games.

• Alabama has scored 42 or more points in four of its last six games.

• Actual attendance was sold-out crowd of 87,596. It is the fourth largest crowd at Kyle Field.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
• Alabama has scored at least one rushing touchdown in 14 of the last 15 games.

• Tide quarterback AJ McCarron tossed four touchdowns today. He connected with four different receivers for scores, the first time in his Alabama career to do that.

• With his 334 yards, AJ McCarron passed Brodie Croyle for the No. 2 spot in Alabama’s record book for total offense with 6,349 total yards. In addition, his 20 completions moved the senior quarterback into second place for his career, passing John Parker Wilson. McCarron currently has 490 completions for his career and moved into second place on the UA career passing yards list with 6,400. Wilson is the career passing yards leader with 7,924 from 2005-08.

• Running back T.J. Yeldon has rushed for at least one touchdown in the last seven consecutive games. The last time the sophomore did not record a rushing touchdown was at LSU on Nov. 3, 2012.

• Running back T.J. Yeldon recorded the sixth 100-yard rushing game of his career. He finished with 149 yards and 1 touchdown on 25 carries.

DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Defensive back Cyrus Jones recorded the first interception of his career in the second quarter, pulling in a pass from Johnny Manziel in the end zone. Th at interception set up the Crimson Tide’s third touchdown of the game.

• For the second consecutive game, defensive back Vinnie Sunseri got in the end zone after picking off the opponent’s quarterback. He is the first Tide player to score after intercepting the ball in back-to-back games since Antonio Langham did so in 1992 against Auburn (61-yard int.) and Florida (27-yard int.). Langham is the only Alabama player to record non-offensive touchdowns in three straight games, adding a blocked punt return for five yards against Mississippi State prior to the Auburn game.

Alabama 49 Texas A&M 42 Recap

ESPN's take on Alabama's win over Texas A&M (via Twitter)
ESPN’s take on Alabama’s win over Texas A&M (via Twitter)
ALABAMA FOOTBALL GAME NOTES (courtesy of UA Media Relations)

Top-Ranked Crimson Tide Matches Explosive Aggies In 49-42 Victory
Top-ranked Alabama football overcame an early 14-0 deficit, scoring 28 consecutive points to close the first half on the way to a wild 49-42 victory over No. 6 Texas A&M Saturday afternoon before an overflow crowd of 87,596, the fourth-largest crowd in Kyle Field’s 87-season history (capacity: 82,589).

Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron passed for a career-high 334 yards and four touchdowns and the Alabama defense overcame a shaky start to contain A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel for much of the game as the Tide captured its 16th consecutive victory away from Tuscaloosa and its ninth straight win at an SEC road venue. The Alabama offense rolled for 570 total yards (236 rushing, 334 passing) while running back T.J. Yeldon rushed for 149 yards and safety Vinnie Sunseri returned an intercepted pass 73 yards for a score.

The teams combined for 1,196 yards of offense in the game (628 by A&M, 568 by Alabama). The Aggies’ total is the most ever given up by Alabama in a single game, eclipsing the 611 total yards by LSU in 2001. The Tide, meanwhile, gained its most yardage against an opponent since gaining 618 yards against Ole Miss in 2011.

Linebacker C.J. Mosley had 12 tackles to lead the Alabama defense. Safety Landon Collins added seven stops, safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix had six tackles, cornerback Cyrus Jones had five tackles, plus an interception, and jack linebacker Denzel Devall had five stops.

The Aggies took the opening kickoff, starting at their own 16-yard line and quickly moved to an early lead. After a 12-yard run by quarterback Johnny Manziel on the opening play to reach the Aggie 28, Manziel passed to wide receiver Mike Evans for 32 yards on a streak pattern to the Alabama 40-yard line. After another Manziel keeper failed to gain, he connected with Evans again for 35 yards to the Tide 5. From there, running back Ben Malena rushed for a yard, then Malena took a pitchout for three more yards to the Tide 1 before Manziel passed off play-action to tight end Cameron Clear for a 1-yard touchdown with 12:21 left in the first quarter. Taylor Bertolet’s kick gave the Aggies a 7-0 lead.

On the ensuing kickoff, Alabama’s Christion Jones was downed at the Tide 10. Two false start penalties stymied the Tide offense, eventually forcing a punt that set up the A&M offense at the Aggie 41 with 9:21 left in the first quarter.

From there, the Aggies moved 59 yards to another touchdown. Manziel kept for 11 yards on first down into Alabama territory at the Tide 48. On the next play, Manziel was flushed from the passing pocket and scrambled for 13 yards to the Tide 35. He then hit Evans on another streak pattern down the right sideline, this one for 34 yards to the Tide 1, giving Evans three catches for 101 yards at that point in the game. After an incomplete pass, Malena scored on a one-yard run. Bertolet’s kick gave A&M a 14-0 lead with 7:47 left in the first quarter.

The Tide offense responded on the ensuing possession to cut the lead in half, driving 75 yards in six plays to a touchdown. After a fair catch in the end zone on the kickoff, the drive started with an AJ McCarron completion to wide receiver Amari Cooper for 13 yards to the UA 38. McCarron then hit receiver Kevin Norwood for another 13 yards to the Aggie 49. Running back Jalston Fowler then took a handoff straight up the middle and rumbled for 15 yards to the Aggie 34. McCarron passed to tight end Brian Vogler for 12 yards in the middle of the field to the Aggie 22. From there, McCarron threw to Norwood on a deep post route. Norwood made a spectacular leaping catch while turning around over Aggie defensive back De’Vante Harris at the goal line to score for Alabama. Cade Foster’s kick drew the Tide within a touchdown at 14-7 with 5:24 left in the first quarter.

Alabama forced an Aggie punt on the next A&M possession, starting another Tide possession at the Alabama 20-yard line. After incompletions to Cooper on the first two plays, McCarron finally connected with Cooper on a comeback route for 21 yards and a first down at the Tide 41 on the last play of the first quarter. The second period started with an incompletion intended for Vogler. McCarron then passed to tight end O.J. Howard for 15 yards to the Aggie 44. On the next play, McCarron handed to Fowler, who lateraled back to McCarron who passed to DeAndrew White on a deep streak pattern. White hauled in the pass around the Aggie 10 and raced into the end zone. Foster’s conversion kick tied the game at 14-14 with 14:15 remaining in the second quarter.

The ensuing kickoff was not returned, and A&M set up at its 25 to start the next possession. On first down, a run by Malena was stopped for no gain. On second down, Manziel passed to receiver Travis Labhart for 12 yards to the Aggie 37, then Labhart was held by Tide safety Vinnie Sunseri for a holding penalty that move the Aggies to the A&M 47. After a false start penalty created a first-and-15 for A&M at the Aggie 42, Manziel passed to receiver Derel Walker for six yards to the Aggie 48, then hit Walker again for 16 to the Tide 36. After a Malena rush lost three yards, Manziel gained five on a keeper. On third-and-eight at the Tide 34, Manziel eluded a rush around the 50 and launched a high lob pass up for grabs that receiver Edward Pope nabbed from a crowd of defenders for a 12-yard gain and a first down at the Tide 22.

On first down, Manziel rushed for seven yards to the Tide 15, then Malena gained eight yards on a run to set up first-and-goal at the Tide 7. Manziel kept for three yards to the Tide four-yard line. On second-and-goal at the Tide 4, Manziel passed to receiver Ja’Quay Williams on a post route to the left corner of the end zone, but Alabama’s Cyrus Jones intercepted the pass to end the threat and give the Tide the ball at their own 20-yard line with 10:27 left in the second quarter.

On first down, running back Kenyan Drake took his first carry of the day for two yards to the Tide 22. McCarron then play-action faked and hit Howard for 27 yards to the Tide 49. After an incompletion for Cooper, McCarron hit wide receiver Kenny Bell on a short pass. Bell ran past a clearing block and broke free for a 51-yard touchdown to give the Tide a 21-14 lead with 8:55 left in the second quarter.

The Tide defense overcame a 15-yard personal foul to force A&M to punt from the Aggie 38. Drew Kaser’s 51-yard punt went out of bounds at the Tide 12 and Alabama took over at its own seven due to a substitution infraction on the play. Alabama went to the rushing game on the drive as Yeldon rushed for six, seven and 13 yards on the first three plays to reach the Tide 33. Then, McCarron passed along the sideline to Norwood for 17 yards to the 50. On first down, Yeldon gained six over left guard, then was stopped for no gain in the middle to set up a third-and-four at the A&M 44. McCarron passed to Vogler across the middle for a gain of 12 to the Aggie 32, then passed to Drake for two yards to the A&M 30. On second-and-eight, Drake took a handoff through left guard for 10 yards and a first down at the A&M 20.

Drake took another handoff up the middle and bounced to his left on a 16-yard run to the Aggie four. From there, Yeldon came in at running back and scored on a four-yard run off right tackle. Foster’s kick gave the Tide a 28-14 lead with 45 seconds left in the second quarter.

After an Alabama punt to start the second half, Manziel rushed for nine yards from his own 34 to the Aggie 43. On the next play, Manziel passed deep into Tide territory where safety Vinnie Sunseri intercepted at the Alabama 27-yard line. Sunseri took the ball and weaved downfield through the Aggie offense, eventually leaping through an attempted tackle at the goal line for a touchdown. Foster’s conversion kick gave the Tide a 35-14 lead with 12:41 left in the third quarter.

A&M responded quickly. LaQuvionte Gonzalez returned the kickoff 40 yards to the A&M 42. From there, the Aggie running game revved up with Tre Carson rushing for three yards, Malena rushing for nine, four and three yards to the Alabama 36, then Manziel rushing for seven on a play that was negated by a holding penalty. That miscue moved A&M back to a first-and-20 at the Tide 46. Malena rushed for seven on first down before an incomplete pass set up third and 13 at the Tide 39. A pass interference call on Tide cornerback John Fulton set up the Aggies with a first down at the Tide 25. Running back Tra Carson carried for eight yards on first down to the Tide 17, then Carson rushed for three more for a first down at the Alabama 14 with 9:45 left in the third quarter. Manziel then passed to receiver Malcome Kennedy for a 14-yard touchdown. Bertolet’s kick shaved the Alabama lead to 35-21 with 9:32 remaining in the period.

The Alabama offense came right back to restore the 21-point lead, driving 83 yards in 10 plays to extend the lead. Yeldon rushed four times for 44 yards on the march, and Fowler added two carries for 14 yards before Drake capped the drive with a three-yard run. Foster’s kick gave Alabama a 42-21 lead with 4:16 left in the third quarter.

A&M marched 80 yards in four plays early in the fourth quarter to narrow the Tide lead. Manziel had a 20-yard run and a 24-yard pass to Walker before the 12-yard scoring pass to Kennedy with 13:20 left in the fourth quarter. Bertolet’s kick trimmed the Tide lead to 42-28.

McCarron started the ensuing possession with a 26-yard pass to White to the A&M 49. Yeldon then bulled for 11 yards, then eclipsed the 100-yard mark with six more to the Aggie 32. Fifteen yards were added to the play due to an illegal participation penalty on A&M, giving the Tide a first down at the Aggie 17. Yeldon blasted for nine yards to the Aggie 8, then for two more to a first-and-goal at the A&M 6. Yeldon then carried up the middle for five more to the A&M 1, then was nailed by A&M free safety for a two-yard loss and fumbled on the play. A&M linebacker Shaan Washington recovered for the Aggies at the A&M 3 with 8:42 left in the fourth period.

Facing a third-and-eight at the A&M 5, Manziel connected with Evans who had broken free behind the Tide secondary. Evans hauled in the pass at the A&M 40 and raced into the end zone to complete a 95-yard touchdown play. Bertolet’s kick narrowed the Alabama lead to 42-35 with 8:04 remaining. It moved Manziel past 400 yards passing for the game, and moved Evans to 247 receiving yards in the contest.

Alabama’s offense was unfazed. The Tide methodically moved down the field to a clinching touchdown, marching 65 yards in nine plays and chewing up 5:36 of game time. The drive was keyed by a 26-yard pass from McCarron to Howard to the Aggie 20 and was ended by a five-yard McCarron pass to Fowler for the touchdown. Foster’s kick gave the Tide a 49-35 lead with 2:28 left.

A&M raced back with a 75-yard scoring march capped by a four-yard pass from Manziel to Kennedy with 15 seconds left. Bertolet’s kick made it Alabama 49, A&M 42.

SCORING SUMMARY
Alabama 7 21 14 7 – 49
Texas A&M 14 0 7 21 – 42

FIRST QUARTER
A&M – Cameron Clear 1-yard pass from Johnny Manziel (Taylor Bertolet kick), 12:21 left. Drive: 7 plays, 84 yards, 2:39 elapsed. Score: Texas A&M 7, Alabama 0.
A&M – Ben Malena 1-yard run (Bertolet kick), 7:47 left. Drive: 5 plays, 59 yards, 1:34 elapsed. Score: Texas A&M 14, Alabama 0.
UA – Kevin Norwood 22-yard pass from AJ McCarron (Cade Foster kick), 5:24 left. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:23 elapsed. Score: Texas A&M 14, Alabama 7.
SECOND QUARTER
UA – DeAndrew White 44-yard pass from McCarron (Foster kick), 14:15 left. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 1:28 elapsed. Score: Alabama 14, Texas A&M 14.
UA – Kenny Bell 51-yard pass from McCarron (Foster kick), 8:55 left. Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:32 elapsed. Score: Alabama 21, Texas A&M 14.
UA – T.J. Yeldon 4-yard run (Foster kick), 0:45 left. Drive: 11 plays, 93 yards, 6:23 elapsed. Score: Alabama 28, Texas A&M 14.
THIRD QUARTER
UA – Vinnie Sunseri 73-yard interception return (Foster kick), 12:41 left. Score: Alabama 35, Texas A&M 14.
A&M – Malcome Kennedy 14-yard pass from Manziel (Bertolet kick), 9:32 left. Drive: 9 plays, 58 yards, 3:08 elapsed. Score: Alabama 35, Texas A&M 21.
UA – Kenyan Drake 3-yard run (Foster kick), 4:16 left. Drive: 10 plays, 83 yards, 5:17 elapsed.
FOURTH QUARTER
A&M – Kennedy 12-yard pass from Manziel (Bertolet kick), 13:20 left. Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:30 elapsed. Score: Alabama 42, Texas A&M 28.
A&M – Evans 95-yard pass from Manziel (Bertolet kick), 8:04 left. Drive: 3 plays, 96 yards, 0:38 elapsed. Score: Alabama 42, Texas A&M 35.
UA – Jalston Fowler 5-yard pass from McCarron (Foster kick), 2:28 left. Drive: 9 plays, 65 yards, 5:36 elapsed. Score: Alabama 49, Texas A&M 35.
A&M – Kennedy 4-yard pass from Manziel (Bertolet kick), 0:15 left. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 2:13 elapsed. Score: Alabama 49, Texas A&M 42.

ATTENDANCE – 87,596 (capacity: 82,589)

10 thoughts on “Alabama 49 Texas A&M 42 Notes & Highlights”

  1. This was an incredible read. Wow.

    What a day. What a team.

    Forgive me if I sound like an Alabama homer for a second, but that felt like a championship-caliber football game. Both teams were phenomenal, if not sensational, and the career-high record for AJ McCarron I think is already underexposed. The Alabama Crimson Tide looked complete, committed, and capable.

    Wow, did they ever look capable.

    For everything that the 2012 SEC Championship game was to fundamental football defense, this game came down to a battle of offensive dominance.

    Make no mistake; neither team dominated on offense. But Alabama came out on top. They out-played the best offensive player in the country with their own offense.

    It’s been several hours now and I may still be a little emotional here, but that win feels very historically significant to me and I can’t seem to escape it. I haven’t figured out yet just what this game, and this win, will represent for both Texas A&M and Alabama.

    But I do know this; Alabama was remarkable today. What a day. What an hour. What a team.

    Most importantly, what a coach. Nick Saban put another tattoo on college football today. Roll Tide.

    1. WTF??? Dude…did you watch the game!?! The offense may have looked capable, but it was pretty obvious to me the secondary (especially on the left side) has major issues! I understand Johnny delta bravo is a great dynamic player, but they have to get a lot better. Also A&M’s defense is ass!

      1. Not only did the offense look capable, they looked like they could score on any drive, with any players, from any formation. This is the most complete offensive game I think I’ve seen from AJ and company since he started. Defensively, there were some broken coverages and missed assignments, but the DB’s obviously were doing their jobs most of the game. I’ve never seen JFF have to throw the ball away so many times, or when he couldn’t run away from pressure on any particular play. Bama’s secondary was covering aTm’s receivers so closely in the second half that JFF was having to find ways to get the ball out, and got a couple of sacks as a result. With a QB like JFF and a set of receivers like aTm’s, there were bound to be some plays that worked for them, especially once Belue was hurt and out of the game. That took Bama’s best corner off of Evans for the rest of the game, and put Special Teams standout Landon Collins on that side of the field, and a good – and tall (dang) – receiver is going to take advantage of that. The fact that aTm went 3 and out so many times was indicative of how well the defense was playing. I think most casual observers are selling them a little short.

      2. @JimmyO

        Yes.

        That’s why it’s a 4-quarter game. And this one was certainly that.

        I didn’t say Alabama was flawless, certainly not on defense.

        But at least on two rainbow passes that were almost mailed through the USPS they were so slow, Alabama should have caught the ball. They didn’t.

        When Texas A&M was stopped deep on 3rd down, Clinton-Dix was called for targeting. Upon review, the booth decided it wasn’t even a foul, let alone targeting. But the foul stood and TAMU didn’t have to punt. Instead, another touchdown. I can’t say I saw the second false-start that stuttered Alabama’s opening drive, but it’s incidental.

        Then TAMU fumbles the ball at the 2-yard line and Alabama turns it into a one-play touchdown.

        Wait, it was Alabama who fumbled.

        Alabama absolutely made mistakes and missed some huge opportunities. But that was the only way this game stayed competitive. Take away either of the slowest two rainbow passes, or the Yeldon fumble at the goal line, or the Clinton-Dix gift, or four inches off the gigantic Mike Evans——it still would have been one of Alabama’s greatest all-time offensive performances just like it is now, only it would have been that much more obvious and inescapable to everyone else.

        Alabama was sensational. Roll Tide.

  2. I ditto what you guys said about this game…I feel like it is going to be historically significant because the only team that might beat BAMA now is BAMA…
    Surely AJ and the TIDE will THREE-PEAT…
    Roll Tide Y’all
    Protect America, Build Submarines

  3. I concur. The defense was much better than those pin point unbelievable pass-catch throws of Manziel seemed to make it look. That was a completely new defensive scheme for Bama, designed specifically for Manziel. Hell, we never even played a nose guard. 4 man rush and 7 deep. Wierd. Poor ole Fulton was overmatched on Evans. But we had Manziel on the run the whole game. The man is just super. When he’s scrambling for his life and can still thread a needle with his passes, what can you do. I think they’ll go 13-1 this season if Manziel doesn’t get hurt. We won’t need that particular defense again, even against Ole Miss or Oregon – thank God! My heart won’t take another Oregon/West Virginia type game. It just ‘aint Alabama type football. But damn it was fun. RTR!

  4. Where the haters at???

    Hoopie? Abraham? SECfan? HateSmurfCoach? Indiana Vol?

    Where ya at ladies?

    In the last four games Bama has beaten #3 Georgia, #1 Notre Dame, VT and #6 Texas A&M, all away from home. Six straight wins against top 10 teams. And Bama rises and rests everyday with the biggest target in the land upon their backs, and yet stays atop the college football world because nobody can unseat them.

    Where ya at?

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