Texas A&M
9-1 , 7-3
North Carolina
8-4 , 8-1
Orange Bowl Champions!
Jan 02, 2021 | Football
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Devon Achane had two late touchdown runs, including a 76-yarder with 3:44 left that put Texas A&M ahead to stay, and the fifth-ranked Aggies beat No. 14 North Carolina 41-27 in the Orange Bowl on Saturday night to cap a winless bowl season for the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Kellen Mond passed for 232 yards and ran for a score for the Aggies (9-1), who were in the Orange Bowl for the first time since 1944. Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher improved to 3-0 in Orange Bowls, winning two previous ones at Florida State.
Achane's go-ahead score came on a play where he darted left, nearly tripped over one of his own blockers, broke a tackle and then got loose down the sideline. The Aggies got a fourth-down stop on the ensuing possession, and Achane sealed the win on a 1-yard run with 1:34 left.
Sam Howell passed for 234 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to Josh Downs, for the Tar Heels (8-4). North Carolina was without leading rushers Javonte Williams and Michael Carter, leading receiver Dyami Brown and top tackler Chazz Surratt — all of whom opted out of the bowl game.
It was a tough end to the season for the ACC, which sent two teams to the four-team College Football Playoff, yet still had a winless postseason by a combined 223-152 count. N.C. State lost 23-21 to Kentucky, Miami lost 37-34 to Oklahoma State, and the four other games — including losses by Notre Dame and Clemson in the CFP semifinals on Friday — were all decided by two touchdowns or more.
None of the other current Power 5 conferences has ever come close to going 0-6 in a bowl season. The last winless ACC bowl season was 1983, when the conference went 0-2.
Howell tied North Carolina's career TD passing record of 68 with his three scoring throws, all of which gave the Tar Heels leads.
The first saw Dazz Newsome make a diving 28-yard grab with 4:56 left in the half to put the Tar Heels ahead 13-10. The next was a 10-yarder to Downs with 8:01 left in the third for a 20-17 lead, a drive extended when Texas A&M had an interception in the end zone waved off by penalty. And the third was a 75-yarder to Downs early in the fourth, when Howell saw him break free, point to him and let the ball fly.
Every time, though, Texas A&M answered.
A 3-yard run by Isaiah Spiller with 20 seconds left in the half sent the Aggies into the locker room up 17-13, and a chip-shot field goal by Seth Small tied the game at 20 with 14:02 remaining. Mond had a 4-yard scoring run with 10:11 left.
The rest was up to Achane, and the Aggies ended their season on an eight-game win streak.
Team Notes
- With the victory, head coach Jimbo Fisher moved to 3-0 in bowl games at Texas A&M, 8-2 for his career. He remains unbeaten at Hard Rock Stadium, boasting a 7-0 record at the venue.
- The Aggies earned their first Orange Bowl victory in their first appearance in a New Year’s 6 game, as well as the 20th bowl win in program history.
- A&M completed its third fourth-quarter comeback of the season after entering the final period down 20-17 and rallying for 24 points to claim victory over North Carolina. The Aggies also overcame a four-point deficit against Florida (28-24) and a six-point difference at Auburn (20-14) earlier this season.
- The Aggies’ 24 fourth-quarter points were the most the team has scored in any quarter of a bowl game in program history, as well as the most fourth-quarter points in the Orange Bowl since Oklahoma put up 27 points in 1958.
- A&M was a season-best 6-for-6 in the red zone against the Tar Heels, scoring four touchdowns and sending a pair of field goals through the uprights. This marked the fifth time this season the Aggies were perfect in the red zone.
- Freshman RB Devon Achane was named the Orange Bowl Most Outstanding Player.
- Today’s captains for the Orange Bowl game against North Carolina were LB Buddy Johnson, OL Carson Green and OL Ryan McCollum.
Individual Notes
- Senior QB Kellen Mond scored on a 4-yard run into the end zone to match Johnny Manziel’s all-time career record of 93 touchdowns responsible for, also good for 10th all-time in SEC history.
- Mond boasts a program-best 3-0 record as a starting quarterback in bowl games in his career.
- Mond passed Peyton Manning for seventh all-time in career total offense in the SEC with 11,269 yards, while he also ranks 11th in SEC history with 9,661 career passing yards.
- Freshman RB Devon Achane took off for a 76-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter for A&M’s longest play from scrimmage this season and the fourth-longest rushing touchdown in Orange Bowl history.
- Achane had a career day with all of his production coming in the second half as he rushed for 140 yards on 12 carries and a pair of touchdowns. This was the second multi-touchdown game of his career and his first with multiple rushing scores.
- Sophomore RB Isaiah Spiller became the 13th Aggie to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season, adding 50 yards on the ground to put him at 1,036 on the year.
- Spiller recorded his third multi-touchdown game of the year and sixth of his career with a pair of short-yard rushes into the end zone in the first half.
- Sophomore RB Ainias Smith earned his second 100-yard receiving game of the season with 125 yards on six catches.
- Senior LB Buddy Johnson led the defense in tackles for the seventh time this season with 10 takedowns in the win, including a career-best 2.5 for loss. This was the seventh time he has reached double figures in the category this year.
- Sophomore LB Andre White Jr. tallied a career-high eight tackles and recorded the first interception of his career early in the first quarter, returning the ball 10 yards to set up A&M’s first score of the game.
- Sophomore DL DeMarvin Leal matched his career best with seven takedowns in the victory.
(transcripts courtesy ASAP Sports)
JIMBO FISHER: First of all, I want to say congratulations to North Carolina on a great season and a heck of a football game. They've got a great team. Mack is a heck of a football coach. They were coached very well. They gave us all we wanted and more. Did a great job on their defense mixing things up, with the blitzes and things they did. Offensively they did a great job. With those guys out they still played their tails off. Their offensive line did a heck of a job and their backs and the quarterback, receivers, Mack, they did a heck of a job and I just want to say "thank you" to those what they played. I know they're disappointed but, man, that was a heck of a football game. I have a lot of respect for those guys.
I've got a lot of respect for that team in the locker room right now. There's a lot of guts in there, there's a lot of toughness, there's a lot of competitiveness. Guys overcame. Didn't look good at times. Played sloppy at times. Did things all three phases didn't -- we had our moments of not doing it, but every time something happened we were able to step up, the competitive nature of raising your game and being able to make plays when they matter, leading us down the field making catches and throws. Listen, Kellen was outstanding in the game. That was frustrating game. Pressure and pressure and we had different things going on. Didn't turn the ball over, made the big plays, the big drives when we had to. Of course Achane making his plays. Ainias Smith, al the receivers, blocking the O line. They gave us some problems early. But at the end of the game, when we had to make it, they did.
Our defense got the stops they did. Got a big turnover in the first that set up a touchdown. Our special teams did a nice job in the game. They busted a punt on us once and we overcame that. Everything we just kept coming back and coming back.
I'm so proud of this team and what it accomplished and what it did, and the seniors and this and that, and I want to a special "thank you" to. I didn't always recruit those they got here but they gave me their hearts, they gave me their souls, everything -- they bought into everything we did. We had some good years but not where we wanted to go, and still not quite where we want to go. We're not done yet. But this senior group put us in a heck of a position in know how to work and how to pass that on to the next generation of how we need to play and what we need to do and a special "thank you" to them.
Very proud of this team. It's a heck of a team. Heck of a year for this university. So happy for the 12th man and the fans. Questions?
Q. What was your decision to go with -- all the way with Devon in the third quarter? Was Isaiah hurt at all?
JIMBO FISHER: He had a little issue, having a little banged up, and we put hit it really hard and really good two or three times. We'd say we'd keep him in. Isaiah there no reason to hurt him. He's doing pretty good, so we kept it going, and he did one heck of a job.
Q. That first touchdown run, were you anticipating that that was going to be something that could become a big play or do you just expect everything that he does to potentially be a big play?
JIMBO FISHER: We put hats on hats. Our ball carriers have a chance to get to the end zone. They're that talented. We did a great job blocking the play. Then the balance and the things he did to keep his balance, and you saw the explosion and all the ability he has. He's got a chance to be a very special player.
Q. Are you going to have some problems in the future deciding how to work in all those running backs?
JIMBO FISHER: I'll take care of that. That's a good problem to have.
Q. Kind of to start you off on humorous note: Can you touch on your explosive speed in avoiding that (inaudible.)
JIMBO FISHER: If you saw me 30 pounds ago, I really had some explosive speed. That was out of necessity of not wanting to get wet. I'd hate to say, I'm not very good for a long time but I am good for one time.
Q. Kind of on an unrelated note, can you touch on how you think the results of this bowl game kind of sets a tone and a precedent for moving forward and what y'all are expecting in the future for A&M football?
JIMBO FISHER: First and foremost, I think understanding how to play on the big stage. You have to be able to go to these understanding everything that went with it and understand everything that happens with it, and the pressures with it, the anxieties with it, the preparation for it, and then to perform when you have to perform and do what you have to do to get it done. That's all a learning curve. People don't understand. You think you just line up and play any game. This is a different stage. This is a different environment. It's a different atmosphere, and you have to learn that. And I hope seniors laid that groundwork and our young guys will remember, and now they'll pass it on.
Q. How instrumental were Ainias Smith and Isaiah Spiller in today's game?
JIMBO FISHER: Isn't it great? Ainias had catches and blocks. That guys does everything. He could sell popcorn at halftime. He played fullback in the games. He led us on isos. He caught punts. He had 125 yards receiving. He runs the ball. He does everything.
Spiller is just a worker. He's been a 1,000 yard back. One of the best backs in all of the SEC, and he's only a sophomore. Just a tremendous future and a tremendous football player and those guys are a big part and a huge part of our backbone.
Q. Also you guys are so close to the playoff. How close do you think this roster is to the playoff next year?
JIMBO FISHER: Well, a couple weeks ago I thought it was in, but no, they made a great choice. We were happy to go do what we need to do a little bit better obviously, so we've got to go back to work and do that.
Q. I know a lot can be said about Achane and what he did, but how important was it for the offensive line to make a little bit of a turnaround there in the fourth quarter and the holes they were opening up for him after a little bit of a slow start?
JIMBO FISHER: Trying to put your will upon somebody is hard, but those guys up front for us, they keep fighting and fighting and fighting and fighting. They had some tough moments. We got knocked back on the goal line a couple times, which we haven't had happen. We had some other things happen, some pressures that we haven't had. We had three sacks; we had four all year. Give them credit, they had a very good team and a very good plan.
But the one thing about these guys, there's no quit in them. There's character, there's toughness and that's where that line of being able to get back in the last few minutes of the game and we were able to take it over.
Q. Does the campaign start now to try to get maybe a few of those guys back with that super senior year?
JIMBO FISHER: We have to look -- I think everyone has to look and see what's your projection, where you're at and make the right decision for yourself. We'll work on that with them and try to help them make the best choice for them, whatever is best for their future. If it needs to go, they go. If not -- I want to do what's best for our young men.
Q. When this season started, did you ever imagine this level of success for this group?
JIMBO FISHER: Yes. If you can't see it, it's not going to happen. I knew there was a lot of work. I'm not saying I knew it was going to happen, but I could see it there. The potential was there. Listen, you live in vision or you live in circumstance. We try to live in vision and if you can't see things in the future and put yourself there and know what it takes to get there and understand the kind of talent you have to have, which I think we do, you're never going to get there, and we kept painting that picture and our kids believed it and they saw it and they went and did it.
Q. When you're in a game of this magnitude it's one thing to picture yourself there, but winning it and actually feeling the feeling of victory after a game like this, how much of a building block for this program can a win like this be?
JIMBO FISHER: It is because, listen, there are moments in that game where I'm sure guys say, man, I don't know if we can do this. That's what happens. When you play these games, there's a moment, can I do this? Is this going to happen? Is this really going to happen. You know what you say? Yes, don't worry about it. Play the next play, make it happen. And there's a learning curve to that.
In life you get worried, is this really going to happen? Can I do this? Can I do this? Life is like that every day. And they achieved, they persevered, they played the next play. They put everything behind them. Like I said, when they got tired and we were behind, it doesn't what else happened the rest of the game. What happens from here on out, and they handled that and did it.
Q. Jimbo, what seemed to change there defensively in the fourth quarter after they have that 75-yard touchdown run to take the lead? You shut them out the rest of the way and they seemed pretty frustrated.
JIMBO FISHER: Yeah, we did. We made the plays. We started playing up front, we started filling the gaps, started fitting things. And there's an urgency. You know the game is on the line. Listen, they're a good team. They're on scholarship too. They're going to make plays. What you've got to say, okay, that's all water under the bridge. Let me play the next play. Let me do what I've got to do, and there's an urgency and a caring and a gut-wrenching ability to raise your game to the next level to do your job, no matter how you feel. That's what great teams do. That's what competitive teams do, and that's what they did.
Q. Do you see any similarities between this year and your third year at Florida State?
JIMBO FISHER: I knew that was coming.
Q. Just the way the program --
JIMBO FISHER: Yeah, we won the Orange Bowl our third year. I'll take the fourth year just like it was there, too, I promise. But listen, that doesn't happen without a lot of work, and it doesn't happen without a lot of circumstance. Is the ability and the vision there? Yes. That's our plan and that's what we want to do, but now we've got to go back and work.
Q. When you look back at not just at this year but over the last three years, how important has Kellen Mond been to the success of this program? And if this is the last game for him, how do you think he should be remembered at Texas A&M?
JIMBO FISHER: One of the great quarterbacks at Texas A&M history. A guy who persevered through a lot of things, overcame a lot of things. Willed his team -- I mean, his work ethic in practice, his preparation, the things he did, the example he set, the ups and downs. People saw him have good games, had some tough games. (Indiscernible) one tough game and some tough games in other years, never hung his head, come back to work each and every day. He's a role model for these kids about how to persevere because nothing is ever going to be perfect, and you are going to have the ups and downs to go through it.
He is a tremendous human being. I love him to death. Have the most -- more importantly I respect him to death for what he goes through, how he goes about his business, and what he stands for and how much he loves A&M, and what he was able to accomplish for A&M.
Q. In talking about another one of your big senior players on the defensive side of the ball, for Buddy Johnson, what has he meant to this team and your defense?
JIMBO FISHER: He was the glue. He's makes the calls. He's a guy who keeps them together. He's the guy who talks to the coaches, do things right, get things right. When things don't go, we talk to him and he'd go talk to the players. Buddy is a true leader, a true great -- turned in one heck of a senior year, and did everything for a great football team here and one of the great players and A&M linebackers in A&M history.
Q. 24-7 in the fourth quarter and North Carolina had been a fourth quarter team, too, all season long. What's it say about you guys that not only in this game but down the stretch you guys just owned the fourth quarter?
JIMBO FISHER: Well, I mean, listen, you can say I told you -- our kids work hard. They play hard. It matters to them. They care. You don't put that much work in and then give it up. You learn to raise your game in the fourth quarter and you don't win because you want to, you win because you practice and prepare to. We practice them hard each. We put them in those situations each and every day and we demand excellence out of them. But I can demand it all I want, they've got to get it out of themselves. I have the utmost respect for our players. They rose their game. They did what they had to do on every fourth quarter all year and they take a lot of pride in that.
Q. I wonder if you could just walk us through the game. Obviously a lot of momentum swings, but you guys were able to weather the storm and then Devon just the performance he had for you.
KELLEN MOND: I mean, definitely. I think it's definitely a game where it definitely tested our poise, our leadership and our character. I think just some of the older guys we've got and something not emphasized the entire season was the combination of the younger guys and the older guys being able to play together on both sides of the ball, and being able to execute both in the pass game and in the run game. Even down in the second half, we never lost our poise and we just continued to attack, and we were able to come up with a great win.
Q. I know the camera caught you and Jimbo having a moment after the game. Can you tell us anything, what he said?
KELLEN MOND: Honestly, I don't even remember. Kind of got of got emotional. I think just our first year together, and looking back now -- looking at where we are now, we've overcome so much stuff. We've been through a lot of adversity, and a lot of people doubted him if he could win big games and also doubted me, and we just continued to fight, and now only lost one game, which was about two months ago, and Orange Bowl champions.
Q. If this is your last game at A&M, just what has it meant to you to play for the Aggies and to finish your career and go out like this?
KELLEN MOND: I mean, it's tremendous. It's a phenomenal feeling. I've had so much support from so many different people, and through ups and downs, injury, mental health issues and just being able to overcome stuff, and just looking back at where I started after the UCLA game, and being able to finish four years later as an Orange Bowl champion, it's a phenomenal feeling, and I'm thankful for the path that I've gone through this whole entire career.
Q. How much thought have you given to your future, and do you have any idea what you want to do?
KELLEN MOND: I've given some thought, and like I said earlier in the week, it was something that was talked around the locker room, but no decisions have been made, and I really just wanted to come out here and focus on what exactly I need to focus on, and that was to execute and lead my team to another victory. That was my main focus the past two weeks.
Q. How fast is Devon Achane?
KELLEN MOND: He's pretty fast. I mean, he's running track here for a reason, so...
Q. Just from your standpoint on that play, the 76-yard touchdown as it unfolded, could you tell it was going to be a big play or just your thoughts of how that play went?
KELLEN MOND: It was a counter play, something that we ran a lot this season, and Jalen actually gave him a great block, and it was one of the -- not going to say the first times, but one of the times that Jalen was actually imposing his will and was actually a lot more physical than sometimes where he can be. But that just kind of goes to the toughness and just the will that this whole entire team has, and Devon was able to come in here and give us a great spark.
Q. Obviously you called the shots as a senior back there, but when you look at the production not just tonight but all year, Achane, Spiller, Ainais, Jalen, Chase Lane, they're all freshmen or sophomores. How exciting is that? Obviously you may be moving on, but how exciting is that for this program to have all those playmakers that are so young stepping up already?
KELLEN MOND: It's crazy, and just to see their growth, both Isaiah and Ainias from their freshman to sophomore year, one thing that's pretty special and makes them a lot different from a lot of other people, they're all versatile in both the pass and the run game. We are able to this year do a lot of diverse things with each one of those guys, and we were able to execute at a high level.
Q. Kellen, you mentioned just a minute ago the UCLA game, and I know that was quite an introduction to college football for you, but when you think back to where you started and where you are now, what are you most proud of in your personal development both as a player and a member of this team?
KELLEN MOND: I think just my demeanor, just cool, calm, collected and poised, the ability to keep composure through all adversity, and I've been battle tested pretty much my whole entire career. I've been through a lot, and I gave my heart and soul to this university for four years, and I mean, it's been a tremendous ride.
Q. Thinking about that 4th down stop when you got the turnover on downs, you guys got the lead and then you got the stop on defense, how exhilarating was getting that stop? And what did it mean that Jayden Peevy, a senior, was the guy that made that play?
BUDDY JOHNSON: That's huge. That just goes back to our toughness and the effort we play with around here, what Coach Fisher is trying to build around here. That's huge for JP to get that, because if you just look back where we started and where we came from, we got Coach Fisher in and changed the program around. For us seniors to be able to contribute and be part of the reason why this program has been changed around is huge for him.
Q. Did anything change defensively for you guys there in basically most of the fourth quarter? After they scored, you guys held them scoreless down the stretch.
BUDDY JOHNSON: You just have to lock in and keep making game adjustments. Like I say, they have a great team and they came out and they fought hard, but we rose to the challenge. Hats off to them for giving us a hard fight, but that's our type of game. When it's time to step up, I think our guys did a great job of doing that.
Q. What does it mean senior to go out like this?
BUDDY JOHNSON: It's huge for us to be able to be Orange Bowl champs and having a New Year's Six bowl is huge. Just look back at where we came from and it's just huge to be a part of it.
Q. Earlier in the week you said this was the calm before the storm and the real storm was coming. Just wanted to follow up on that after the Orange Bowl win. What do you think the storm that's coming looks like?
BUDDY JOHNSON: I don't know, but I would definitely be scared if I was looking for it. Like I say, Coach Fisher, he's a tough coach, and all that toughness just goes back out to the field. It shows itself. Like I say, man, just being a part of it, I see it, and I see it coming. I would be worried if I was someone looking for it.
Q. Speaking of Coach Fisher, did you know he was that fast?
BUDDY JOHNSON: Man. I'm talking about took off. It probably -- half of it was because Buck was slow, too, but he took off.
Q. With you potentially not coming back next season, I was wondering if you could talk about how much of a pleasure it has been for you to lead this A&M defense this season.
BUDDY JOHNSON: It's been huge, just being a leader and being one of the chosen ones by the coaches. But I have to say it wasn't only me that was a leader on this team. We had a lot of guys that stepped up and was leaders for our team, like me, Micheal Clemons, Kellen Mond, Jayden Peevy, guys stepped up huge for us. We rose to the challenge, and I'm just only proud of the guys that stepped up and proud of the team for trusting the leaders and the coaches and being able to be led.
Q. Coach Fisher talked about on the stage there putting the bitterness of the final rankings aside, putting your focus on the task at hand. That's one that sounds easier said than done. How do you actually do that in the two weeks since the rankings came out, and how did you not let the bitterness get the best of you and go play the game you did tonight?
BUDDY JOHNSON: Like I say, guys will be frustrated, and emotions will be high. You feel like you're supposed to make the playoffs and you didn't make it. Like I say, it's about keeping your composure and being able to go out and finish the season. Like I say, we had a huge opportunity right in front of us, and I think we looked ourselves in the mirror and went out and did a great job of finishing the season off. Last week, like I said, this game was going to be the game that we put a cap on the season, and I think we did that.
Q. Does tonight's win kind of encapsulate and sum up what this team was about this year, kind of a grind-and-fight team that never seems to go away?
BUDDY JOHNSON: Most definitely. Back when the pandemic first hit, there was a lot going on, and then we had social injustice things going on. Some of those things pull teams apart, but I think it only made our team stronger. We bonded together a lot more, and I think that was huge for us.
I think the pandemic was a lesson for us, and I'm so proud of the coaches, just the way they handled it. Some of these coaches are like father figures to some of us. So for them to step up to the plate and just be there for whatever we needed was huge for us. That's why I think we lay it out on the field for those guys because we know they have our backs.
Q. You talk about, again, the storm that's coming. Are you going to be part of that storm?
BUDDY JOHNSON: Man, I hope so. Like I say, I'm going to pray on it, and wherever God leads me to, that's where I'll be.
Q. Devon, congratulations on the big game and the MVP award. Will you kind of take us through the way you remember the way you saw that 76-yard touchdown run unfold?
DEVON ACHANE: First off, I've got to thank the O-line for that. You know, it was a counter play. Jalen, No. 85, Jalen Wydermyer, made a great block. I was just following the block because they made it easy for me. I just thank them, and they made it easy just for me to do my job.
Q. At what point did you know that you were going to score?
DEVON ACHANE: I was tripping, I almost fell. So when I broke the tackle and I looked up, there was nobody right there, I was like, ain't nobody catching me.
Q. You talk almost as fast as you run. That's pretty spectacular in its own right. What was it like after you bust those runs, I saw Isaiah Spiller was one of the first guys to congratulate you. What's your relationship with Isaiah? And it seemed like he was almost as happy for you as you were for yourself?
DEVON ACHANE: Yeah, Isaiah he had a little injury but I was glad I was there to come in and help my team. Isaiah, you know, at practice he be teaching me a lot because he's been here a year. As a freshman I needed to come in -- he treated me like I was a little brother to him. He was happier than me than I was supposed to be happy. He's the one -- every time I score he's the first one coming up to me to congratulate me everything.
Q. Did you ever imagine being named the Orange Bowl MVP?
DEVON ACHANE: No, I didn't. I did not imagine. This is an amazing feeling.
Q. We haven't been able to talk to you after games this year yet, so what has your first season at A&M, especially finishing off this way, meant to you?
DEVON ACHANE: It meant a lot. A lot of the stuff after the COVID and everything, it's been a hard season for us, but everybody came through it together as a team, and we grinded it out. I just can't wait for next season and just plenty more.
Q. What's it like sharing the backfield with Spiller and Smith? How exciting is that moving forward, the competition you guys bring?
DEVON ACHANE: It's very exciting because at practice we're all competing with each other. We compete with each other on the field, and it's better and it's good for us to share. Like at practice if somebody messes up, we just get on each other to get each other right. It's always about the little things.
Q. First off, I want to ask you, I don't know if you got to see Jimbo's wheels out there when you guys were trying to give him a Gatorade bath, but with you being kind of an expert on speed, did you know he had that kind of speed?
DEVON ACHANE: I did not. I look up Coach Fisher (indiscernible), and I look up and I never Coach Fisher run like that. Never.
Q. What part of your game do you feel like maybe people don't realize? Has you showcased that some tonight? I know with you everybody talks about your speed, but it seems like you're able to break tackles, as well?
DEVON ACHANE: Yeah, everybody sees me as like a speed guy, but I can do both. I can run between the tackles. When I got here, they taught me a lot. Picking up blitzes, you know, it's just not about being fast. You've got to be physical at some point. That's what I learned coming in this year.
Q. I'm curious, Coach Fisher talked about putting the sour taste in your mouth aside from being left out of the top four teams and focusing on the game at hand here. How did you personally approach this opportunity, especially as a young guy who had not played on a stage like this before, and now that you've won the Orange Bowl, what kind of building block do you think this could be for this program moving forward?
DEVON ACHANE: You know, we were looking at the TV and then when we placed fifth, we all were disappointed at first, but next game we was in the Orange Bowl, so we just focused on this game, and we came out to win. So we're just getting ready for next year and the off-season.
Q. What personally does this game mean to you as you look towards your personal future and the performance you had tonight?
DEVON ACHANE: It means a lot to me. You know, I'm thankful I came in and could be a great asset to my team, and you know, just moving forward, just trying to get better and better, and we're going to take one game at a time.
Thankfully, I congratulate all my seniors. I'm going to miss them so much. Just congratulate my O-line as well. They played their heart out every season, like every game. They ain't called the "Maroon Goons" for nothing. They put in a lot of work.
Q. I was curious, how did you stay patient during the course of the season? I think you only had 31 carries going into this game. Were you waiting for your time? Were you antsy at all? How did you look at that?
DEVON ACHANE: You know, I was patient. I was just waiting on my turn. Everybody -- I'm a freshman, so I know I ain't going to come here and just get all the carries that I want. It's all about just being patient and just waiting on my time.
Q. What is it like playing for Jimbo Fisher your first season there at College Station?
DEVON ACHANE: He's a great coach. It feels like you just watching him on TV, now I'm actually like talking to him every day. That's a great coach right there. He pushes us hard at practice, and so in the game it comes a lot easier to us.
Q. I was wondering if you could just touch on what this game meant to you and being named MVP, especially with you coming in as a freshman and then what it also means for you for the future.
DEVON ACHANE: It means a lot to me. When he came up to me and told me I was MVP, I was a little nervous. I had to get up on the stage. I'm a freshman, so it was a lot to process.
For next year, just hoping to get better and many more games just like this.
Q. Why does it seem like you guys save your best for the fourth quarter? Down by seven and then rattle off 24 straight?
DEVON ACHANE: You know, we were down, came to halftime, talked about it as a team. We never point fingers at each other. We always talk about lions, they're the pride. That's who we is. We always work together. We came out and the defense got a stop and we converted.
Q. Is that kind of just sum up what this mean was about this year, just kind of grind it, no quit team?
DEVON ACHANE: Yes, sir, that's exactly what it is. We always talk about finish, and that's exactly what we did.
Q. Jump right to it, crunch time, you're down 27-20. What's going through your mind? What was the mood of the team on the sideline and what do you make of the explosion to score 24 unanswered?
DeMARVIN LEAL: I mean, we stuck together. We kept talking to each other. We kept trying to push each other just to bounce back. We always face adversity. This entire season we faced adversity, even before the season started. So we're used to it, and we're used to coming together when times get tough, and that was the outcome.
Q. Marvin, the way you guys basically played defense all season, especially the way you ended this game, is this kind of the building blocks and the new standard for defense moving forward at A&M?
DeMARVIN LEAL: Yes, sir, no question. Yes, sir. Defense, we love it. We love it.
Q. Just how excited are you moving forward at the future of this program?
DeMARVIN LEAL: I'm very excited. The guys that we have coming in and the guys that we have that are staying, man, it's going to be crazy. I just can't wait to see it.
Q. DeMarvin, when you're on the sideline and Devon broke that long run, first of all, did you see it happen, and what's going through your mind when he starts to regain his footing, when he almost fell down?
DeMARVIN LEAL: Oh, man, I was too excited. I mean, he just -- he did his thing, most definitely, and I'm just proud of him and the way he stepped up. It's just -- it makes me so happy to see somebody so young doing big things for our team.
Q. Was there any question that he'd score?
DeMARVIN LEAL: Oh, man, I already knew it. I ain't got in question in there. I believed it 100 percent.
Q. You came right back and got a big stop. Did that give you any kind of, I guess, jolt or boost or anything?
DeMARVIN LEAL: It gave us all a boost. We were still sitting there trying to fight and fight and fight for that energy that we were trying to get, and as soon as that happened, it just -- everybody that you could just feel the energy because that energy is so contagious, so you could feel the energy go through everybody, and it was an amazing outcome.
Q. Talk about the defense and you guys won eight straight since losing to Alabama. Do you think this is something good for you guys to get into 2021 and have this winning streak going?
DeMARVIN LEAL: Yes, sir, most definitely. Our confidence is extremely high, and we're just getting closer every single day.
Q. Kind of a stat question for you, but I was wondering if you could touch on the tackles for loss you had, especially with y'all having nine and North Carolina having four. I was wondering if you could talk about how critical that was for you in the game today.
DeMARVIN LEAL: That was very critical. It's amazing just seeing everybody do their job, and that's just mostly what we preach, everybody just doing their job.
Honestly, it's not a surprise to me.
Q. And then just one quick follow up for you, I was wondering if you could talk about Buddy with this being his senior --
DeMARVIN LEAL: I love Buddy. I'm so happy for him. He's grown so much, and you can just tell, he just loves the game. He's an unbelievable leader. I follow right behind him. I try to lead the way he leads. I'm definitely going to take a couple notes out of his book and apply them myself.
Q. Just wanted to ask you about the stop you guys had on 4th down after you guys took the lead. How big were those two play stops, and then what was the feeling when you saw the chains were short on that 4th down?
DeMARVIN LEAL: Unbelievable, but that's what we do. That's the kind of defense that we're becoming. That's the norm that we're trying to have. So when it comes down to those 3rd-and-short and 4th-and-short downs, we just step up, and we're ready to get after it.
Q. What did it mean for Jayden Peevy to be the guy that made that stop?
DeMARVIN LEAL: Oh, it meant so much. I know that moment meant so much for him because he worked so hard, he's gone through so much adversity, and I know that moment, he definitely needed that moment.
Q. How exciting has playing in this backfield been? And I mean, every time Achane gets the ball, do you expect him to burst open a 76-yarder like that?
AINIAS SMITH: Yes, literally yes. I expect that every single time. He's been doing this since high school really, since forever. I told him he was the light. I told him, bro, every time you touch it you have the ability to go out here and do something with it.
So yes, I was expecting that.
Q. This win here, you're down, what, seven in the fourth quarter and then you go on and rattle off all the points that you did, and thanks to obviously the defense on the big 4th and 1 stop, too, but does this win kind of sum up what this team was about this year, just kind of grit and no quit?
AINIAS SMITH: Definitely. I mean, the whole year we were always pressing on -- not even so much pressing but just working on finishing and coming out the second half and just being us, and that's really all it came down to. You've just got to stay composed and just finish.
Q. Is this a game -- obviously I know you haven't been here that long, but is this a culture-changing game that we're seeing right in front of our eyes here? Is this a game you think A&M would win in the past?
AINIAS SMITH: Oh, man. This game says a lot, and it definitely starts -- this was the start of the next season, and going into next year we've just got to come out with the exact same attitude that we had in the fourth quarter.
Q. In that first half you didn't get a lot of targets, and in the second half you made some really big plays. What allowed you to get open and make some of those plays out in space and how important were those?
AINIAS SMITH: Man, they were big. I told myself to just stay calm, let the game come to you and be yourself. I really wasn't tripping on the first half. I was definitely giving my all. It really wasn't about me getting the ball. I just wanted to be a team player and just put my all on the line. The second half when I started getting the ball I told myself whenever I get it, just go ahead and make a play, be you, so that's all that was.
Team Stats
TAMU 7, NC 0
TAMU - Isaiah Spiller 9 yd run (Seth Small kick), 7 plays, 28 yards, TOP 3:31
TAMU 7, NC 3
NC - Atkins, G 29 yd field goal 11 plays, 63 yards, TOP 4:40
TAMU 7, NC 6
NC - Atkins, G 32 yd field goal 11 plays, 36 yards, TOP 5:48
TAMU 10, NC 6
TAMU - Seth Small 25 yd field goal 7 plays, 68 yards, TOP 3:29
TAMU 10, NC 13
NC - Newsome, D 28 yd pass from Howell, S (Atkins, G kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:44
TAMU 17, NC 13
TAMU - Isaiah Spiller 3 yd run (Seth Small kick), 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:36
TAMU 17, NC 20
NC - Downs, J 10 yd pass from Howell, S (Atkins, G kick) 9 plays, 66 yards, TOP 3:25
TAMU 20, NC 20
TAMU - Seth Small 23 yd field goal 12 plays, 74 yards, TOP 5:31
TAMU 20, NC 27
NC - Downs, J 75 yd pass from Howell, S (Atkins, G kick) 1 plays, 75 yards, TOP 0:11
TAMU 27, NC 27
TAMU - Kellen Mond 4 yd run (Seth Small kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:40
TAMU 34, NC 27
TAMU - Devon Achane 76 yd run (Seth Small kick), 3 plays, 87 yards, TOP 1:23
TAMU 41, NC 27
TAMU - Devon Achane 1 yd run (Seth Small kick), 3 plays, 34 yards, TOP 0:50
