Texas A&M
3-1 , 1-0
Arkansas
1-2 , 0-1
Aggies Win Overtime Thriller Over Arkansas
Sep 23, 2017 | Football
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Armani Watts intercepted a pass in overtime and Texas A&M extended its win streak to six games against Arkansas with a 50-43 victory on Saturday.
Christian Kirk had given the Aggies the lead on a 10-yard touchdown reception, his third score of the day, on the first possession of overtime before Watts intercepted Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen in the end zone on a third-down play.
It was the third time in four years that A&M and Arkansas needed overtime to decide a winner, and the Aggies continued to serve as a stumbling block for the Razorbacks.
The Aggies are now 6-0 in the series since joining the SEC in 2012 and, along with No. 1 Alabama, are the two SEC West teams that Arkansas have failed to defeat during that time.
The lead changed hands four times in the fourth quarter before Texas A&M kicker Daniel LaCamera tied it at 43 on 27-yard field goal with four seconds remaining.
Keith Ford's 44-yard run gave Texas A&M a 33-28 lead with 8:46 remaining. Arkansas then countered when Jonathan Nance caught a 44-yard touchdown pass with 5:21 to go to restore the lead at 36-33.
That lead lasted 11 seconds after Kirk returned the ensuing kick-off 100 yards for a score, giving A&M another brief lead before David Williams scored on 4-yard run with 3:39 remaining.
Allen completed 12 of 25 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns, with 100 of those yards to Nance on three receptions.
Kellen Mond completed 14 of 27 passes for 216 yards and ran for 109 more. Ford ran for 102 yards and had a pair of touchdowns.
The Aggies had to overcome a bit of bad luck in the first half after a review of a big play didn't go their way.
In the second quarter Mond appeared to score on an 89-yard touchdown run, but was ruled out of bounds at the 10-yard line. It was clear in replays that Mond didn't step out of bounds, and the SEC issued a statement that the call was incorrect, but since the whistle had blown it was a dead play at the 10.
Three plays later A&M had to settle for a 27-yard field goal, cutting the score to 21-10.
GAME NOTES
ABOUT THE WIN
Texas A&M improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 vs. the Southeastern Conference with a 50-43 overtime win over Arkansas at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
• The Aggies' 50 points were the team's second-most in the overall series with Arkansas and the most against the Razorbacks away from Kyle Field.
• Texas A&M won their sixth straight game against Arkansas, which matches the Aggies' longest in the long series between the two former Southwest Conference foes. It equalled the six-game string by Homer Norton's Aggies from 1938-43.
• The Aggies have now won five straight SEC openers (after dropping the first two).
• The win was the Aggies' fifth straight at the home of the Dallas Cowboys (four vs. Arkansas, one vs. Oklahoma in 2013 Cotton Bowl).
• The Aggies improved to 12-6 all-time in overtime games. Head coach Kevin Sumlin is a perfect 5-0 in OT contests in Aggieland. Texas A&M and Arkansas played an extra stanza for the third time in the past four seasons.
• The three OT contests against Arkansas is the most against any team in program history.
• The win was the Aggies' 30th in the long series between the two schools.
NOTABLES
• Junior WR Christian Kirk's 81-yard TD catch was a career long. He scored two receiving TDs against the Hogs, moving his career total to 20 (fourth best in school history).
• The 81-yard connection with Kirk also was the longest of freshman QB Kellen Mond's career and the Aggies' longest play of the season.
• QB Kellen Mond's 79-yard rush was a career long. He was "incorrectly ruled out of bounds," according to a statement from the SEC. If the 89-yard TD run would have been allowed, it would have been the longest by a QB in school history. As called, it was the second-longest by a QB behind Bucky Richardson's 82-yarder vs. Southern Mississippi in 1987 (that was Richardson's playing debut game).
• Full statement from the SEC: "On the play at 10:02 in the second quarter of the Texas A&M vs. Arkansas game, the ball carrier was incorrectly ruled out of bounds and the play was whistled dead by the official. "Based on NCAA football playing rule 12-3-3-9, 'If the ball carrier is ruled out of bounds, the play is not reviewable.'"
• The 44-yard TD run by senior RB Keith Ford was the longest of his Texas A&M career. His previous long run was 28 yards vs. LSU in 2016.
• Texas A&M finished with two players over 100 rushing yards for the second time this season. Kellen Mond rushed 10 times for 109 yards and Keith Ford carried the ball 14 times for 102 yards. Ford and Trayveon Williams topped the century mark in the season-opener against UCLA.
• Mond went over the 100-yard plateau for the first time in his career and also logged the first 200 pass/100 rush game of his career. Trevor Knight had a pair of 200-100 games in 2016.
• Christian Kirk finished with 110 yards through the air against the Razorbacks, the Aggies first 100-yard receiver this season. The last time an Aggie crossed into triple-digit receiving yards was against Kansas State by Josh Reynolds (154 yards on Dec. 28, 2016).
• Kirk's 100-yard kick return touchdown was the first of his career (and longest). It was the Aggies' first KO return for a TD since Coryell Judie returned an 84-yarder against Baylor on Nov. 12, 2010.
• The 100-yard return by Kirk was the 8th kick return by an Aggie that went the length of the field.
• The return touchdown was the sixth of Kirk's career, five punt return scores and one kick return, which is the most by any player in school history.
• The Aggies finished the day with one forced turnover after entering the game with the 10 forced turnovers, the fourth most in the country. The Aggies finished with even in turnover margin against Arkansas, their first game this year without a positive number. The Maroon & White entered the game as the national leader in turnover margin, +2.67/game.
• Senior Armani Watts game-sealing interception was his team-leading 3rd this year and gave him nine for his career. His nine picks are the most by an Aggie since Jaxson Appel had 11 from 2002-05.
• Texas A&M entered Saturday's game with seven sacks on the season and registered six against the Hogs.
• Junior DE Landis Durham finished the game with 2.0 quarterback sacks, the most by an Aggie in a game this season. The Plano native entered the day with 1.5 sacks in his career. The defensive end leads the Aggies with 3.5 sacks this year.
• Junior LB and 12th Man Cullen Gillispia's critical 14-yard kickoff return was his second of the season.
• Junior PK Daniel LaCamera connected on 8-of-8 placekicks with three field goals and five extra points (14 points).
• LaCamera increased Texas A&M's school record for consecutive successful extra points to 219, which is the second-longest streak in FBS (behind Michigan's 293 entering today).
GAME CAPTAINS, 12TH MAN
• Game captains for the Aggies were Cullen Gillaspia, Christian Kirk, Trayveon Williams and Armani Watts. Arkansas won the toss and deferred their choice to the second half. Texas A&M received the opening kickoff.
• The Aggies' 12th Man representative was junior LB Cullen Gillaspia (Katy, Texas) in his 17th straight start.
Sawing 'em off with the #12thman and the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band #12thMan #TAMUvsARK pic.twitter.com/dcX2r2OvDU
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 23, 2017
Here's the @christiandavon2 touchdown catch to give the Aggies the lead in OT! #12thMan pic.twitter.com/J68NJsZHaX
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 23, 2017
Here's how it ended! @GGPR_BANGER5 seals the win with the interception! #12thMan pic.twitter.com/VKsjwVhghv
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 23, 2017
Just another day at the office on Saturday for @ChristianDavon2! Here's a look at his three touchdowns. #12thMan pic.twitter.com/8kF1xzhd7p
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 23, 2017
A&M rushed for 285 yards in Saturday's win, including these rushing scores by @TrayveonW & Keith Ford.#12thMan pic.twitter.com/jexbQtO6ve
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 23, 2017
"I'm really proud." -Damion Ratley on his team's big win #12thMan #TAMUvsARK pic.twitter.com/erYaAlc7D4
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 23, 2017
"(This win) says a lot about where these guys are mentally right now." -@CoachSumlin #12thMan #TAMUvsARK pic.twitter.com/4s7IXRuAl1
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 23, 2017
.@ChristianDavon2 moments after the huge OT win #12thMan #TAMUvsARK pic.twitter.com/b5jmMvQzp4
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 23, 2017
Hear from @GGPR_BANGER5 seconds after his game-winning pick #12thMan #TAMUvsARK pic.twitter.com/Oq2o8rP0Hk
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 23, 2017
Team Stats
TAMU 0, AR 7
AR - Jared Cornelius 6 yd pass from Austin Allen (Connor Limpert kick) 7 plays, 65 yards, TOP 3:27
TAMU 7, AR 7
TAMU - Christian Kirk 81 yd pass from Kellen Mond (Daniel LaCamera kick) 3 plays, 85 yards, TOP 1:02
TAMU 7, AR 14
AR - David Williams 2 yd pass from Cole Kelley (Connor Limpert kick) 11 plays, 82 yards, TOP 5:25
TAMU 7, AR 21
AR - Chase Hayden 6 yd run (Connor Limpert kick), 2 plays, 30 yards, TOP 0:31
TAMU 10, AR 21
TAMU - Daniel LaCamera 27 yd field goal 5 plays, 79 yards, TOP 2:18
TAMU 17, AR 21
TAMU - T. Williams 18 yd run (Daniel LaCamera kick), 6 plays, 82 yards, TOP 2:14
TAMU 24, AR 21
TAMU - Keith Ford 23 yd run (Daniel LaCamera kick), 9 plays, 71 yards, TOP 3:37
TAMU 24, AR 28
AR - David Williams 1 yd run (Connor Limpert kick), 6 plays, 71 yards, TOP 2:11
TAMU 27, AR 28
TAMU - Daniel LaCamera 37 yd field goal 13 plays, 56 yards, TOP 5:13
TAMU 33, AR 28
TAMU - Keith Ford 44 yd run (Kellen Mond drop-kickfailed), 3 plays, 53 yards, TOP 0:47
TAMU 33, AR 36
AR - Jonathan Nance 44 yd pass from Austin Allen (Jeremy Patton pass) 7 plays, 79 yards, TOP 3:25
TAMU 40, AR 36
TAMU - Christian Kirk 100 yd kickoff return (Daniel LaCamera kick)
TAMU 40, AR 43
AR - David Williams 4 yd run (Connor Limpert kick), 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:31
TAMU 43, AR 43
TAMU - Daniel LaCamera 27 yd field goal 11 plays, 40 yards, TOP 3:35
TAMU 50, AR 43
TAMU - Christian Kirk 10 yd pass from Kellen Mond (Daniel LaCamera kick) 3 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:00
