No. 1 Oklahoma Survives, 35-31

Saturday, November 11

College Station

12:00 PM

Texas A&M

7-3 , 5-2

Oklahoma

9-0 , 6-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Oklahoma	3	7	3	22	35
Texas A&M	7	10	7	7	31

Nov 11, 2000 | Football

Box Score

By: Texas A&M Athletics

November 11, 2000

In the span of 40 seconds, Oklahoma transformed itself from upset victim to upset survivor.

The No. 1-ranked Sooners retained their hopes of a perfect season Saturday, rallying to post a 35-31 victory over the 23rd-ranked Texas A&M football team before a state-of-Texas record crowd of 87,188 fans at Kyle Field.

"The bottom line is that we had a chance to win the game and didn't get it done," A&M sophomore quarterback Mark Farris said. "That is why they are the No. 1 team in the country. There was a lot of ups and downs in the game, but that is the way big games go."

A&M's lead reached as much as 14 early in the third quarter and, after Oklahoma cut the lead to three just seconds into the final frame, the Aggies went to their workhorse fullback, junior Ja'Mar Toombs, on the ensuing drive when faced with 4th-and-1 from the OU 27. Toombs broke through the line and then burst into the secondary, carrying several Oklahoma defenders the final 10 yards into the endzone for a dramatic touchdown. The score gave A&M a 31-21 advantage with 13 and a half minutes to go in the game.

"We were just trying to get the first down," Toombs said. "When I got in the open field, I knew the DB was going to try to hit me in the legs. I kept my balance and the last eight yards was just scratching and clawing."

OU (9-0, 6-0 Big 12) responded with an impressive 77-yard, 15-play drive, capping the march with a 2-yard Quentin Griffin touchdown plunge to cut the Aggie lead to three at 31-28 with 7:43 to play.

A tense crowd then watched as Oklahoma linebacker Torrance Marshall picked off a Mark Farris pass on the next play, then raced 41 yards into the endzone to give the Sooners a four-point lead they would not relinquish.

Texas A&M (7-3, 5-2) marched 76 yards down the field in an attempt to retake the lead, but a 4th-and-goal pass to senior wide receiver Chris Taylor in the end zone was tipped and fell just off his hands and out of reach. The Aggies would get the ball one last time, near midfield with 90 seconds to play, but could not convert on fourth down at their own 46.

"Obviously, I'm disappointed in the loss," Slocum said. "I thought our kids played extremely hard and I credit Oklahoma for making the plays they needed to make to win the football game. They did what is expected of a No. 1-ranked football team and our hats are off to them. I think the team battled throughout the ballgame. You can't fault our effort."

Special teams played a part in the game early, as junior defensive back Jay Brooks blocked his fourth punt of the season just five minutes into the game. Five plays later Farris, who was 18-of-37 on the day for 219 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions, called his own number and dove into the endzone from two yards out to give the Aggies an early 7-0 lead.

Oklahoma responded with a 31-yard Tim Duncan field goal and took the lead early in the second quarter when quarterback Josh Heupel bought time and found wide receiver Curtis Fagan in the end zone on a 7-yard touchdown pass. The Heisman Trophy candidate finished the afternoon 28-of-42 passing for 263 yards and a touchdown. He was sacked twice and threw two interceptions.

A&M would tie the score at 10-10 when senior placekicker Terence Kitchens connected from 37 yards out with 2:53 to go before the half. The scoring play was set up by a big interception by senior linebacker Jason Glenn, who took the ball from the intended receiver near midfield and returned it to the Sooner 34.

The defense would come through again just before halftime, as freshman defensive back Jonte Buhl forced an Andre Woolfolk fumble and senior defensive back Michael Jameson recovered for the Aggies at the OU 39. Junior wide receiver Robert Ferguson would catch a 4-yard touchdown pass from Farris in the back corner of the end zone to make the score 17-10 A&M at the break. Ferguson battled a sprained knee throughout the game, racking up 105 yards on eight catches to become the school's all-time season record holder in receiving yards. His 885 breaks the previous mark of 872 set by Albert Connell in 1996.

Toombs scored the first of his two touchdowns on the day midway through the third on a 1-yard plunge. The Kilgore, Texas native finished with a game-high 72 yards on 18 carries. Duncan connected from 27 yards out with a minute left in the quarter to cut the A&M lead to 24-13 heading into the final quarter.

"I can't say enough about his (Toombs') heart," A&M head coach R.C. Slocum said. "He has a big heart. He gave us tremendous effort today. It looked like he'd made the play that might win the ball game for us."

OU out-gained the Aggies 368-316, rushing for 105 yards and throwing for 263. A&M compiled 97 of their yards on the ground and the other 219 through the air.

"When you play the No. 1 team in the nation and play them close, that tells you what kind of drive and character we have on this team," Toombs said. "I can walk out of the locker room holding my head high because I'm proud to be on a team that does not quit."

The Aggies conclude the regular season on Friday, Nov. 24 when they travel to Austin for the annual showdown with the Texas Longhorns. Kickoff of the nationally-televised game at Memorial Stadium is set for 2:30 p.m. (CST).