Texas A&M
6-4 , 3-3
(#1) Oklahoma
8-1 , 4-1
Aggies Shock No. 1 Oklahoma, 30-26
Nov 09, 2002 | Football
November 09, 2002
Oklahoma couldn't escape Texas A&M this time, and it could cost the Sooners (No. 2 ESPN/USA Today, No. 1 AP) a shot at the national title.
Saturday's 30-26 loss certainly will drop the Sooners (8-1, 4-1 Big 12) from the No. 1 position in both the Associated Press poll and the Bowl Championship Series standings.
The Aggies (6-4, 3-3) beat a No. 1 team for the first time in school history behind freshman quarterback Reggie McNeal, who came off the bench to throw for 191 yards and four touchdowns. He had scoring passes on three straight possessions to give Texas A&M its first lead.
McNeal's 40-yard TD to Terrance Murphy with 1:51 left in the third quarter put the Aggies ahead 27-23 before the teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter.
Terrence Kiel, who was burned for an earlier touchdown, intercepted Nate Hybl's pass with 1:12 left to seal the victory.
When the Sooners won the national championship two years ago, they arrived at Kyle Field coming off three straight impressive wins over Top 25 teams. Then they overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win 35-31, propelling them to the national title game.
Oklahoma was trying to follow the same path this time. It entered Saturday's game after beating Texas, Iowa State and Colorado. But the Aggies and McNeal, who also rushed for 89 yards, didn't cooperate.
Texas A&M not only damaged Oklahoma's title hopes but gave embattled 14th-year coach R.C. Slocum a sorely needed victory.
The Aggies had lost three straight games at Kyle Field, after losing just four times there throughout the 1990s. They'd blown fourth-quarter leads of 18 and 17 points their last two home games.
Team Stats
OU 7, TA 0
OU - Griffin, Quenti 6 yd pass from Hybl, Nate (DiCarlo, Trey kick) 8 plays, 55 yards, TOP 3:10
OU 10, TA 0
OU - DiCarlo, Trey 25 yd field goal 10 plays, 72 yards, TOP 3:59
OU 10, TA 6
TA - Murphy, Ter. 61 yd pass from McNeal, Reggie (Pegram, Todd kickfailed) 4 plays, 81 yards, TOP 1:57
OU 13, TA 6
OU - DiCarlo, Trey 22 yd field goal 16 plays, 75 yards, TOP 6:57
OU 13, TA 13
TA - Porter, Greg 40 yd pass from McNeal, Reggie (Pierson, John kick) 6 plays, 78 yards, TOP 1:21
OU 13, TA 20
TA - Johnson, Bethel 17 yd pass from McNeal, Reggie (Pegram, Todd kick) 6 plays, 72 yards, TOP 3:14
OU 20, TA 20
OU - Fagan, Curtis 68 yd pass from Hybl, Nate (DiCarlo, Trey kick) 3 plays, 73 yards, TOP 1:13
OU 23, TA 20
OU - DiCarlo, Trey 46 yd field goal 5 plays, 3 yards, TOP 1:34
OU 23, TA 27
TA - Murphy, Ter. 40 yd pass from McNeal, Reggie (Pegram, Todd kick) 3 plays, 53 yards, TOP 1:10
OU 23, TA 30
TA - Pegram, Todd 24 yd field goal 7 plays, 37 yards, TOP 3:51
OU 26, TA 30
OU - DiCarlo, Trey 32 yd field goal 11 plays, 65 yards, TOP 3:57
