Texas A&M
Oklahoma
Oklahoma 36, Texas A&M 30
Nov 12, 2005 | Football
November 12, 2005
Courtney Lewis rushed for a season best 146 yards and caught a touchdown pass for Texas A&M but Oklahoma converted a late score in a 36-30 win on Saturday.
After the Aggies (5-5, 3-4 Big 12) had come back from 21 points down to get within 30-24, the Sooners (6-3, 5-1) gave the ball to Adrian Peterson on five straight plays on their way to the clinching score.
Peterson ran for 47 yards on seven carries on the drive, which Rhett Bomar capped with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Travis Wilson. Peterson finished with 135 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
Todd Pegram kicked field goals of 34 and 27 yards to bring the Aggies within 36-30 with 3:30 left. A&M stuffed Peterson for a seven-yard loss on second down, but Bomar connected with Juaquin Iglesias for a 34-yard gain on a third-and-12 play and the Sooners were able to run the clock out after that.
Bomar threw for a career-high 298 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and Malcolm Kelly caught five passes for 118 yards for Oklahoma, which is bowl eligible for the seventh straight season.
Texas A&M failed in its third attempt to qualify for a bowl. The Aggies last chance comes against No. 2 Texas on Nov. 25.
Reggie McNeal threw for 158 yards and two touchdowns and set Texas A&M's record for career yards passing before leaving in the third quarter with an injury. He finished with 6,992 yards passing, breaking Corey Pullig's mark of 6,846 yards set from 1992-95.
He'd need only eight more yards passing to become the fourth player in Division I history with 2,000 yards rushing and 7,000 yards passing in his career.
Stephen McGee replaced McNeal and ran for 67 yards on option runs and scrambles. All six of his pass attempts fell incomplete.
Courtney Lewis finished with 146 yards -- the most for any player this season against Oklahoma, which entered the game second in the nation against the run. Only Texas' Jamaal Charles, who had an 80-yard touchdown run among his 116 yards, had more than 100 yards against Oklahoma this season before Lewis.
The game initially looked like a repeat of Oklahoma's 77-0 win in 2003.
Oklahoma got off to an even quicker start than it did two years ago, scoring three times before the Aggies could pick up their second first down. Peterson scored on runs of 10 and 6 yards, and Bomar's 15-yard score on a quarterback keeper made it 21-0 only 8:32 into the game.
Oklahoma led 28-7 after Allen Patrick's 28-yard TD run, but after racking up 277 yards in the first quarter, the Sooners' offense slowed considerably.
McNeal's 5-yard touchdown pass to Lewis and a 42-yard field goal by Pegram cut the deficit to 28-17, but Calvin Thibodeaux sacked McNeal in the end zone for an Oklahoma safety, and McNeal had to be helped off the field.
Texas A&M Postgame Notes
300 POINTS FOR PEGRAM --- Senior placekicker Todd Pegram became the second 300-point scorer in Texas A&M history with a 12-point effort (three FGs, three PATs) against the Sooners. For his career, Pegram has booted 55 field goals and 139 extra points for a total of 304 points, which is second only to Kyle Bryant?™s 325 points from 1994-97.
With his 55 career field goals, Pegram is just three three-pointers shy of the Big 12 record of 58 by Texas?™ Kris Stockton.
McGEE OPTION PROVIDES SPARK --- Redshirt freshman quarterback Stephen McGee came off the bench for the injured Reggie McNeal and led the Aggies on three scoring drives despite complete no passes on six attempts. McGee befuddled the OU defense using the option play while rushing for 67 yards on 10 carries.
RUSHING ATTACK --- The Aggies rushed for an impressive 292 yards on 44 carries, which was their third highest rush total of the season. Oklahoma came into the game allowing just 69.2 rushing yards per game, which ranked No. 2 nationally. The previous high rushing total allowed by the Sooners in 2005 was 203 yards on 40 carries by Texas.
McNEAL BREAKS CAREER PASSING MARK --- Senior quarterback Reggie McNeal became Texas A&M?™s all-time leading career passer with his 158-yard effort against the Sooners. McNeal has passed for for 6,992 career yards, which broke the old record of 6,846 yards set by four-year starter Corey Pullig from 1992-95. McNeal now holds school records for career passing yards and total offense.
McNeal left the game with an injury in the third quarter after being sacked in the endzone for a safety and did not return.
LEWIS GAINING YARDS IN CHUNKS --- Junior running back Courtney Lewis has been on a tear since being re-inserted into the starting lineup after midseason injury. Lewis missed two games and then played sparingly in his return to action against Kansas State. In the three games since Lewis has rushed for 329 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries for an impressive 11.0 average.
Against OU, Lewis rushed for a season-best 146 yards on 15 carries. It was the second 100-yard plus game of the season for Lewis and the 10th century game of his career. His previous best rushing game in 2005 was a 136-yard day (on 27 carries) against Texas State.
DEFENSE SHUTS OUT SOONERS IN SECOND AND THIRD QUARTERS --- The Aggie defense shut out the Sooner offense in the second and third quarters, marking the first time since the SMU game that A&M has held an opposing offense scoreless in consecutive quarters. In that game, A&M held the Mustangs scoreless in the second half in a 66-8 victory. (OU scored two points in the third quarter with a sack of Reggie McNeal in the endzone that produced a safety).
FOR THE RECORD ---
- Starters Justin Warren and Jaxson Appel did not make the trip to Norman due to injuries. Archie McDaniel shifted over to the middle in place of Warren, while Brock Newton started at free safety for Appel.
- Lee Foliaki returned to the starting lineup after missing four games due to a broken arm and produced seven tackles.
- Defensive linemen Johnny Jolly and Red Bryant both had a game-high three tackles for losses.
- Sophomore transfer Marquis Carpenter regained the team lead in interceptions with his fourth pickoff of the season against the Sooners.
- The 12th Man was junior John Ray, a walkon from Giddings, Texas. It was his ninth straight 12th Man appearance and the 22nd of his career. Ray debuted as a 12th Man at the 2003 Oklahoma game.
- Game captains were seniors Aldo De La Garza, Reggie McNeal, Archie McDaniel and Johnny Jolly.
