Texas A&M
4-2 , 1-2
Alabama
5-1 , 2-1
Aggies Topple No. 1 Alabama, 41-38
Oct 09, 2021 | Football
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION--With 2:08 left in the game, an injured Zach Calzada led the Aggie offense 54 yards down the field to set up a Seth Small 28-yard field goal to dethrone the top ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, 41-38, Saturday night inside a packed Kyle Field.
The win marks the third time that the Aggies have beaten an AP No. 1 opponent as Jimbo Fisher became the first former assistant to defeat Nick Saban.
On the game’s opening drive, the Aggies marched down the field but ultimately stalled, setting up a Seth Small 38-yard boot. Alabama answered with a 10-play, 65-yard touchdown drive to give the Crimson Tide a 7-3 advantage. On the following drive, Texas A&M quickly fired back beginning with Calzada finding Demond Demas for 14 yards. Jalen Wydermyer closed out the drive with a 34-yard reception before the eventual 27-yard TD catch to take a 10-7 lead.
Alabama fumbled on the ensuing drive, allowing A&M to string together a 7-play, 41-yard scoring drive that was capped off by a 6-yard touchdown pass from Calzada to Ainias Smith. Nearing the midway point of the second quarter, Alabama was dealt a short-field due to an A&M interception, but the Maroon & White defense limited the damage to three points to keep a 17-10 advantage.
On the final drive of the half, the duo of Devon Achane and Isaiah Spiller was involved in all of the 7-play, 75-yard scoring drive that was capped off by a Spiller 15-yard TD run to give the Aggies a 24-10 lead going into the locker room.
Nearing the 8:18 mark of the third quarter, Alabama blocked an A&M punt and landed on it in the end zone to trim the difference to seven, 24-17. Texas A&M answered in an electric and immediate fashion as Achane took the kickoff 96 yards to the house to strike back. The Tide went on to score 18 unanswered points, but the Aggies and the 12th Man never backs down.
With 5:00 left in the fourth quarter, Calzada was nearly perfect, completing four of his five passes and connecting on a beautiful, perfectly-placed 25-yard touchdown pass to Smith in the back right corner of the end zone to tie it up at 38.
The Maroon & White defense forced a key three-and-out to set the Aggies’ historic 8-play, 54-yard game-winning drive to etch their names in the record books.
THAT JUST HAPPENED.
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) October 10, 2021
AGGIES WIN!!!!#GigEm pic.twitter.com/KB9zXlj1N3
Win over the No. 1 team + Coach Fisher's birthday.
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) October 10, 2021
What a night ?? pic.twitter.com/UzCf3aebvA
Gallery: Football vs. Alabama, 10/9
Team Notes
- Texas A&M put up 41 points on Alabama, the most the Crimson Tide have allowed all season.
- This marks the third time the Aggies have beaten an AP No. 1 – Nov. 10, 2012 at Alabama & Nov. 9, 2002 vs. Oklahoma.
- Texas A&M is one of eight teams with multiple wins vs. an AP No. 1 team since 2000.
- The Aggies limited Alabama to just 10 points in the first half, the fewest points the Crimson Tide had scored in the first half since being held scoreless by Georgia to start the 2017 national title game.
- A&M’s 17 points in the first quarter were the most an opposing team has scored against the Crimson Tide in the opening period this season.
- A&M racked up four sacks it the game. It marked the first time Alabama QBs had been sacked four times in a game since November 18, 2018 against Mississippi State.
- Announced attendance against Alabama was 106,815 which ranks second all-time at Kyle Field and is the most since the stadium was renovated in 2015.
- Today’s captains against Alabama were WR Ainias Smith, RB Isaiah Spiller, DL DeMarvin Leal and OL Kenyon Green.
Individual Notes
- Junior QB Zach Calzada finished the game 21-for-31 for 285 yards and three TDs (one INT). He started the game 10-for-10 for 123 yards before his first incomplete pass.
- Sophomore RB Devon Achane returned a kickoff 96 yards midway through the third quarter for the 16th-longest return in program history. It was the first time the Aggies have returned a kickoff for a TD since Jashaun Corbin ran it back 100 yards to score against Arkansas in 2018.
- Junior TE Jalen Wydermyder extended his streak to 29 straight games with a reception as he also moved up A&M’s all-time career receiving yards list, upping his career total to 1,202 after tallying 73 against Alabama. He currently ranks second among tight ends and No. 28 among all Aggies.
- Wydermyer also moved into a tie for ninth with Tony Harrison (1990-93) on the career receiving touchdowns list at A&M as his first-quarter catch in the end zone made it 14 scores for his career.
- Junior WR Ainias Smith had TD receptions of 6 and 25 yards. The TD catches moved him into a tie for 11th with Albert Connell (1995-96) on A&M’s career list with 13 scores.
- Junior RB Isaiah Spiller rushed for 46 yards and one TD on 17 carries. He moved into 13th place on Texas A&M’s career rushing list with 2,473. He passed Roger Vick (2,471 – 1983-86) and Leeland McElroy (2,442 – 1993-95).
- Spiller racked up 89 all-purpose yards, ending the game with 3,018 yards for his career to become the 18th Aggie to go over the 3,000 yard plateau for his career.
- Junior S Demani Richardson picked off Alabama in the end zone and returned the ball 3 yards for his first interception of the season and the third of his career.
- After getting to the Alabama quarterback early in the third quarter, graduate Micheal Clemons made it three straight games with at least 1.0 sack. He has had at least 0.5 sack in each of the last four games.
- Senior PK Seth Small was 2-for-2 on field goal attempts. He now ranks second on A&M’s career list for made field goals with 60, tied with Kyle Bryant (1994-97). He trails only Randy Bullock (63 – 2008-11).
- Small was also 5-for-5 on PAT attempts. He now ranks third on A&M’s career list for PAT kicks made with 144. He trails only Randy Bullock (176 – 2008-11) and Kyle Bryant (145 – 1994-97).
- Senior DE Tyree Johnson racked up 2.0 sacks for his second career multi-sack game.
- Senior S Leon O’Neal Jr. notched a career-high nine tackles and added 1.0 sack and a PBU.
- Junior DT DeMarvin Leal logged seven tackles in the game to go over the 100-tackle plateau for his career with 104.
Postgame Press Conference: Jimbo Fisher
Again, very proud of our players, the way they competed in the game. We knew it was going -- that's a great football team. We played number one in the country. They've got a great program. We knew it was going to be a great game. He had to play well, compete well. And my hat's off to our players. We've had a couple of tough weeks and guys growing up, getting in positions. The experience is starting to show again in the games. They completed played their tails off. Great job to our assistant coaches for keeping our kids in it. Being able to get them prepared, have the right mindset going in it after two tough weeks and what we did.
All three phases affected the game: Offense, defense, special teams. We had the points. There was ups and downs and swings in that game. You knew they were going to come back in the second half after our first half after the things we did. I thought our defense was outstanding. Even though they gave up yards, they had some outstanding -- four straight trips right there that either they missed -- got a field goal, got an interception in the red zone. Even though we didn't let them have touchdowns, did a great job there offensively. First half did a good job. Then we had four drives we didn't score. We had three and out. Then we got a penalty. Then we had a high throw and a drop right there on one. Then we had another -- they tackled all three of our receivers, so it's hard to throw the ball to somebody when they tackle all three of your guys and won't call it. So that's a hard one to convert on. And then we had two straight drives that we scored. To get down 38-31, to be behind after being up like that, and to respond back and Zach stood in there and made throws. He got hit in the mouth. But our guys made plays. Our young offensive linemen. I'm talking about [Reuben] Father (Fatheree). He's blocking great players. 64 (Layden Robinson) did a great job. [Bryce] Foster did a great job. Blake Trainor came in and started. Kenyon [Green] back at tackle did a great job. Our backs were chipping and helping and giving protection and giving Zach [Calzada] time to throw. Our receivers got open. We made plays at critical times in the game. Had a great two-minute drive. We worked two-minute to death. Zach getting back off the canvas and taking a hit right there. Didn't know that play was a touchdown. When they said that play was a touchdown, he smiled and went back in and he was fine.
That's what it is. That's what football is. You get up off the canvas. You get the heck knocked out of you. You got to go play. You got to go play the next play. People don't care. And that responds to your team. But our whole team did that all night. They stayed in the game and do it now. We got to enjoy this and then right back to work Monday. We have to understand the preparation. We have a very tough place to go play in Missouri and get ready to play this week and next week. Got six more games. Got a lot of football left.
Q. Jimbo, happy birthday, by the way. How did you keep your guys believing that they could pull off something like this after the last two weeks and all the disappointment?
Eliminate all the clutter. Eliminate the clutter and win your space. Guys, there isn't no secret to this. Ain't no magical formula. They got to believe in what you tell them. They got to eliminate -- I don't mean this -- all the social media, all the media, good, bad, indifferent. Knock it out. Don't read it. I wouldn't even read it. I don't unless there's something there. You've got to line up and play each and every week. You write your own history. You believe in your own self. And there's going to be trials and tribulations and you're defined by how you respond to adversity. Now you are defined by how you respond to having success. And that's what they got to understand. There's a growing curve in there. They believed in what we were telling them. And our coaches did a heck of a job with our players. Our assistant coaches and our players did a great job of believing and the leadership of the team did.
Q. Personally, your thoughts on how proud of the way Zach [Calzada] specifically played after all he's been through the last couple of weeks?
He has. Like I told you, playing quarterback is a lot of saddle time, man. It's the hardest position to play in sports, period. There's not a harder position in any sport to play than quarterback. To be put in situations he's put in, things that are happening, and not with a full team around him, with three receivers missing, two linemen missing, backs, timing, people hurt everywhere, it's hard to go in there. When you're expected to clean up -- you've got other young guys in there, all those linemen, they all had to do it. And they're all growing up the more they play. We had some unfortunate injuries. People don't care, and I don't care. That ain't an excuse. But at the same time, that's reality. And you have to understand there's a difference of what your results are and what the reality of why those results are there, and then you coach through them. We're doing that, and we're still in the process. Just because we won this game don't fix everything. We've got to learn -- prepare and learn to grow from this and understand what we've got to do next week. But very proud of Zach. He's a high-character young man, man. It matters to him. It means something to him. And he's gotten better each week he's played. Each week he's done something. And he's preparing. He's learning how to play the position of quarterback.
Q. First, can you just put into words what this win means for your program after all the work you've put in.
It means we're 4-2. We played two games we shouldn't, and we've got six left. And I mean that. It's a great win. It shows you what you're capable of. Now, can we respond and understand how to go prepare like that on Monday and forget this thing and learn the things we did well correct the mistakes and move on and go play a good Missouri team? We'll find out what it means in the future of how we respond to this.
Q. I know you're focused on your guys. But what does it mean to you to be the first of [Nick] Saban's assistants to ever beat him?
It doesn't mean anything to me. I don't mean that in any disrespect. Nick is one heck of a football coach. I have known Nick for years. I consider him a great friend. Coached with him, have a lot of respect for him. He has got great teams. The thing that means something to me is our football team is learning to play against other good football teams and have success. That's the important thing to me. It was inevitable. Somebody was going to do it in time. Hey, it happened to be us. That's great. But that doesn't mean anything to me because that's not a goal that I'm trying to talk about or do. I want our organization, our program to do well. That's the only thing I care about.
Q. Jimbo, you mentioned how you guys respond next week in Missouri. But in this game in particular, you guys respond to a special teams touchdown with a special teams touchdown. You also lose the lead and then you come back and have two great drives to win it. What does that mean to how you guys respond?
It goes back to what I say: Play the next play. Don't worry about the scoreboard. I say that. I know that sounds crazy to people. Eliminate the scoreboard. The scoreboard will say what you want when you win your job more times than the other guys does. You've got to understand to do that. You've got to keep playing. This game is tough, man. It's a tough game when you play it that way. You've got to play the next play, the next play, the next play. They believed in it, and they did it. It shows a lot of character. But more importantly, it shows a lot of belief in themselves. And it shows a lot of belief that they have in their teammates, which is more important, and then the organization and the structure we're trying to build.
Q. Jimbo, we've kind of been talking a little bit about the offensive link for the past few weeks and how to probably get right. What went into the decision to play Blake [Trainor] inside at guard instead of playing him at tackle this game?
We moved in and we had a guy that was not available that we -- violated team rules, and we made a change. Did this morning.
Q. Jimbo, is this the potential that you always knew your team could have this season?
Well, we can if we play well. Every team does. Like I say, when you execute, it's amazing. When you're mentally locked in and things go well and you learn to persevere and you learn to push through things, you know, you quit -- when you're young and you make mistakes, like happened in the last two games, they would dwell on them because they were -- not scared but just didn't want to mess up. You can't look that way. You got to live in vision or circumstance. Which one is it? And they're learning to live in vision.
Q. I know we talked a little bit about the mental aspects of Zach [Calzada] overcoming what he had to overcome. What did you see from him technically that made him so successful?
He got on top of the ball. He got his feet right, got his shoulders back in place. He pushed the ball back three or four inches which changed the angles of his shoulders and let his hands get on top of the ball and let him drive it. And the one ball he missed he threw a little high. He was sitting on his back foot a little bit with pressure. But like I say, the one he threw for a touchdown, he stood up and got hit right in the chops and fell down and took it. Almost hurt his knee because they fell into it. That's part of it. He grew up. Listen, you're going to get hit either way. So you might as well throw it and make it a good play.
Q. And the pass to [Jalen] Wydermyer at the very end, was there a design in there to try to get --
It was going there. Listen, we got into field-goal range. They had to go knock us out of field-goal range. They were going to come in an all-out blitz. They couldn't sit back and not play because we were already in field-goal play. So they had to try to get a negative play, which was going to be a cover zero, which is going to blitz. And we got our tight end -- I knew man-to-man on a 6'5" guy on a safety which is going to have leverage. When they go zero, they're going to be inside leverage. So we had two on each side. We had something on the other side for it. He made the right read going where to we wanted it on the matchup. They had to. That was the name of the game. You've got to knock the other team out of field-goal range and not let them have it.
Q. Coach, can you talk about just the 12th Man and the 106,000, second-largest crowd in the history of stadium.
Yes, let me tell you something. That atmosphere and the environment tonight, if you don't want to play in that, there's something wrong with you. That right there, the recruits and the people and the love, that's as good an environment and atmosphere in college football, bar none. I don't care where it's at. Those people were behind you. And I'm thankful we won the game for them, and I mean them. And I mean that, for our players, for everybody who believes in us and especially our fans because, listen, this place deserves a great football team. We're doing everything in our power to make it that way, and we're going to try to get it there. We've got a lot of work to do, and we're growing. This fan base is tremendous, and the atmosphere and environment is the best in college football.
Q. Coach, congratulations. What was the locker room like after the game with the players and the celebration and all that?
Very happy, very elated. Very fun. I mean, letting that energy out but also very rewarding in that they -- also understanding why they had the success. They did. After we got down, we danced and that. And everybody was happy and all that good stuff. But when we sit down and talked, they understood why did we do this. We prepared each week. We believed, how we didn't look at the scoreboard, how we played, how we did things. And we got to go right back to that Monday. They understood that and regurgitated that to me. It's important. Winning, if you don't understand why you win or have success, it's wasted. If you don't understand why you make a mistake, why you do it, it's wasted. And you can understand why you had success because you paid the price. You had the preparation. Then you went and played and you overcame. You didn't pout every play. You played every play and you did it. And they were regurgitating. Hopefully, we'll find out if we can do it again.
Q. How did it feel to roll the tide and fulfill your promise of beating [Nick] Saban's ass you made in May?
Well, that was more the competitor in me coming out when someone says you can't do something. I have a bad habit of that. I get a little competitive sometimes. But, listen, it doesn't. For our team, it goes back that our team understood and beat a really good football team who was a well-coached, well-played, very talented, good football team and that's what's important to me. I have the upmost respect for Nick Saban, always have, always will. I consider us friends, and I think he does, too. But we're competitors. Like he said, he didn't think he was going to lose to me either. I don't think I'm going to lose to him. That's ball, and I respect him for that. We grew up in the same neck of the woods. We think a lot of the same water.
Q. [Zach] Calzada was receiving quite a bit of negative feedback on social media. How did it feel to have him live us to his potential and to actually hear the 12th Man cheering for him tonight?
It was great because I understand who he is. I understand his preparation. I understand the mistakes he made, he didn't make on purpose and he's learning. And more importantly, I hope he doesn't read anything on today's. I hope he shuts the old one off and I hope he shuts the new one off. You've got to live in the moment and understand what it is. The social media is the damnation of this world right now. I don't believe in it. I don't buy in it, and I don't think it's good, bad, indifferent. I really do. I understand it's part of here to stay. But as an athlete, it's hard. You've got to block it out. And he can't embrace it all now by blocking it out. He's got to do the same thing he did next week. I'm happy for him as a person because he's a very high-character, quality young man.
Q. Coach, two years in a row Seth Small with a crucial kick to win the game. What has he meant to your program? And what about that kick today?
Mr. Consistency. Like I said, he trust the process. When I went out there to him, he said, Got you, Coach. I said, I love you. We're good. That's what I always say to him when he misses it in practice. Trust the process. Go back to fundamentals. He did it and he was very calm and cool. And that was a big kick, man, in a big situation. Very happy for him. Very well deserved.
Q. Coach, in a game with as many swings as this one had, how do you keep the confidence on the sidelines up and make sure the guys --
They were ready. They understood what they had to do, and they were challenged. They were coming out to show what kind of character they had. I didn't have to keep -- just go back and remind them, one play at a time. When we were down, I said all we need is one drive, one play at a time, and they did it. [Devon] Achane, he was off the chain. Achane was awesome. And Ainias [Smith] was awesome. [Jalen] Wydermyer. [Isaiah] Spiller is so -- I mean, he's such a good player. I mean, all those guys. You've got [Demond] Demas going again tonight. You had Jalen Preston making big plays. Moose [Muhammad] almost got in there. Of course our quarterback and our line. Defensively, the guys did it. They just kept playing. Achane on the kickoff return, I mean, the guy is a special guy now. He can run, catch throw. And [Isaiah] Spiller. We got them. We just got to get them in the position to keep getting them the ball.
Postgame Quotes: Zach Calzada
What made you want to get back in the football game after you got hurt?
Well, we had to win the game. There was no question we had to win the game.
What does it say about the heart of this team?
You just saw it. You just saw the heart of this team. It’s ridiculous. This team fought. This team fought, I’m so proud of them. This O-line? Best game they’ve played. Best game...against Alabama. Our receivers made plays. Our defense stepped up.
Postgame Press Conference: Devon Achane
Q. Devon, you haven't had many chances to return kicks, but what did that kickoff return for a touchdown do for you guys getting it going there in that second half?
It just gave us a lot of momentum. It was a big opportunity for us. We were talking about it even before it happened. Like, when we was kicking out of the end zone, they wasn't running in their spaces. So when they kicked the show in, the special teams made their blocks and just made it easy for me to just do my job.
Q. Hey, Devon. It was a big bounceback performance for Zach [Calzada] today. When you see him come out and do what he's capable of, how much different was Zach today than we've seen the last two weeks?
He was very different. He just went back to practice and worked on the things that he needed to get better at. We been knowing what he can do. He just came out today and showed the abilities to the 12th Man. We're thankful for them as well. They cheered him on, and he just was calm and he was just more confident and consistent.
Q. What was going through your mind when you realized there was a gap in the coverage during that 96-yard kickoff return?
I couldn't believe it. The hole was so big. It was just like, Is this for me? It was just amazing, and the feeling after that on scoring that, it was just amazing for me. And I was just happy to do my job and make us be in a better position to win.
Q. Devon, new week, new offensive line formation. What did you see from these guys tonight, especially for them not to allow not just the open lanes? But also they basically protected Zach [Calzada] all night long.
I've been seeing that from week one. Their bond is getting bigger -- I mean better. They been going to practice, like I was saying, they were just working on little things. Today they came out, and we knew we was playing a great team so we knew the standard was high. So we just came out, and we played together as a team and they played great.
Q. How were you guys able to shake off the disappointment of the last two weeks and come out here to be able to compete against the number one team in the country?
Them two losses, like, two weeks ago, that was last week. So we weren't really focused on those. We knew we had to come and play against the number one team. So we wasn't sad about those losses. We were just ready to play the number one team, and we knew we had a great opportunity.
Q. Devon, until tonight, Nick Saban was 24-0 against his former assistant. What does it mean to you guys as a team to be coached by the one man that has now taken down Saban?
It means a lot. I mean, Coach [Jimbo] Fisher is a great coach. He tells us we can be a dangerous team if we all just come together as a team and work hard. And we showed that we can be great, and we've just got to keep doing what we've been doing.
Q. Hey, Devon, can you just talk just in general, just your feelings on getting the win, how good it feels?
It feels great. You know, it shows us that we're capable of doing great things. You know, it's amazing. We love this feeling. So get back to Monday, we're just going to keep working hard and try to win every week and focus on the teams that we're playing.
Q. Devon, it was kind of like a heavyweight fight. You took the lead and then Alabama comes back and takes the lead. But can you just talk about how you guys were able to respond and how big that is for the confidence of this team, considering you came into it having lost the last two?
Like I say, Alabama is the number one team. They're a great team. They're coached very well. They're disciplined. So we knew in the game that they were going to make some great plays, they were going to get momentum. And we stayed calm. I'm glad that we were able to pull off the win.
Postgame Press Conference: Tyree Johnson
Q. Tyree, what were you doing or what were you able to do that you were able to get home on Bryce Young so many times tonight? You especially?
Mostly, I was just focusing on my technique. Watched a lot of film. Watched their tendencies and all that. So I was just going out there with a game plan I had worked on, the pass rush moves that I worked on all week, and then just execute them.
Q. Tyree, this time last year, you got probably the biggest winning program in history with the knock off of Florida. What does it mean to have the win tonight over Alabama, the number one team in the country?
It means a lot, but we can't get distracted by just this one game. We still got, like, six, seven more games to go. So we've got to focus on this week coming up. We got a new test ahead of us, and we've got to keep working. The season ain't over, so we've got a lot of things we want to accomplish so we got to keep our heads down and keep going.
Q. Tyree, what was the -- for lack of a better way to put it, the frame of mind, if you could speak for your whole team, this week after the two losses but with Alabama coming up? Obviously, I don't think, you know, you don't pull off a win like that if you don't think you can do it. But if you could talk about the conversations going on between you guys and just the overall frame of mind all week.
Well, just like you said, you can't do it if you don't believe, you know what I'm saying? So the whole week, we just focused on believing and doing our job, nothing out of the ordinary. And Jimbo [Fisher] is an experienced coach, great head coach. He's been working with [Nick] Saban for a lot of years. So we just got to follow his plan, his scheme, listen and keep doing the work, you know? Just got to keep our head down and keep going --
Q. Tyree, in the fourth, they put together a couple of drives and scored points, but the last drive when they had the ball, you guys came up and stopped them. Was there ever a doubt in your guys' mind that when you guys needed a stop when the game was on the line you guys could come up with it?
We knew it was going to be a hard-fought win. We know that they was going to make plays, we was going to make plays. So we just had to keep playing the game, really. That was our mindset, going back to his questions too, that was our mindset during the whole week. We knew it was going to be a hard-fought game. We knew there was going to be punches taken and punches delivered. So we just had to keep doing what our scheme -- going through our scheme our coaches gave to us. And we just had to gut check, just really battle through that and really keep going and not let them in.
Q. I got a couple of questions for you. First off, can you talk about how special it was to win this game on Jimbo's [Fisher] birthday?
I didn't even know it was his birthday until just now. Well, that explains a lot. But it means a lot. You know, we really wanted to get our confidence back, after especially the last two weeks. And this is a very good coached team. So we just had to get a little bit things rolling and get back to the Aggie football team we know we're capable of being.
Q. I'm sorry, I didn't know it was a secret. But the other question I have for you is, you guys just seem like defensively, you were able to be in the backfield a lot tonight. Is there a way you can explain that? I mean, was it preparation or was it just pure grit and determination?
We do a lot of preparation all the time, of course, but grit and determination a lot, too. We wanted to come in and we wanted to make -- we wanted to make an emphasis on being physical, trying to be physical on the frontline. So we wanted to just do the best that we can to out-physical them, you know? So it's not an easy challenge, but we had to keep doing it for four quarters.
Q. In the second half, it felt like y'all were playing a lot of snaps. Do you feel like y'all were starting to wear down a little? And what were those conversations on the sidelines like to kind of keep the energy going?
We wasn't thinking about that at all. We was just focused on keeping the juice up, like you just said. Guys on the sideline were just hyping each other up. We made big plays and everybody surrounding the guy who made the play. Just being there for each other. All believing in each other. You know, we can't do it if we don't believe. So we was all just having each other's back out there, really, and kept fighting.
Postgame Press Conference: Antonio Johnson
Q. Hi, Antonio. How did it feel to Roll the Tide tonight?
It's an amazing feeling. Everybody knew this game was going to be hard-fought. It's like one-in-a-lifetime feeling. They're a great team. Coach [Nick] Saban, they coached them well over there. And we knew coming into this game that we was going to have to really dig deep and fight, and that's what we did.
Q. As a kid from St. Louis, are these the type of games you came to Texas A&M to play in?
Of course. Through my whole recruitment, Coach [Mike] Elko and Coach [Jimbo] Fisher, they both told me coming here that we were going to be in big games like this. As a kid, this is a game you dream of playing in. I'm at a loss for words right now.
Q. So it sounds like it lived up to the expectations of the 12th Man and everything like that. What was the atmosphere like? I mean, the 12th Man sounded like it was on fire tonight.
Oh, yeah, the 12th Man came and they showed out tonight. They played a big roll on third downs. Just being loud, having -- you know, just bringing the atmosphere for us, and we needed them tonight. And they came and pulled their weight tonight.
Q. Antonio, you talked about a once-in-a-lifetime deal. What was it like seeing the kids come out of the stands and celebrate with you guys after the big win on the field at Kyle [Field]?
It was different, for sure. I've never been a part of a crowd storm. It was a lot of people out there. They showed love to us. Just telling us that they was behind us. We know that we have the 12th Man. We know they behind us. And just for them to be there and bring the energy tonight, it showed a lot.
Q. What was the preparation like leading into this game, knowing that the last two weeks you guys didn't really play the way that you're capable of playing and a lot of people were down on you guys? Did you feel that, and did you want to come out and show out because of that?
Of course. We knew the last two weeks that we didn't play to our best ability. We took this week as an opportunity. That was the word of the week. We kept saying, "This is an opportunity game." Opportunity, you could do two things. You can either attack them or you can just let them go. And tonight, we attacked them.
Q. Hi, Antonio. As a defensive guy, I wonder how much time did you start watching Zach [Calzada] play, and what was your -- did you have the feeling like a lot of us did? Like, you know, where is this all coming from? You know, your reaction when you got a chance to sit back on the sideline and watch Zach doing the things he did today.
During the whole spring, fall, Zach played well. We had no doubt in Zach. We never had doubt in Zach. Being in the position he was, he was a little nervous, but tonight he showed his true potential. He showed everyone what he can do. We all knew what Zach was capable of. He just showed it tonight.
Q. You guys won the turnover battle tonight. How big were those two in the first half? Especially Demani's [Richardson] interception in the end zone?
Demani, he had a clutch, clutch interception. But we've been, like, behind the 8-ball on turnovers this year. And we've been really preaching about getting turnovers. And tonight I think we got two turnovers. In order to win big games like this, you have to create turnovers. And that's what we did tonight.
Q. Antonio, Jimbo [Fisher] was kind of talking about how you've got to prepare starting next week for Missouri starting on Monday. But how do you keep this momentum? How do you keep this anguish -- more importantly, how do you keep this confidence going into the remainder of the season?
You just attack each week, how we attacked this one. We knew that they were going to be a hard team, and the preparation for practice and going into the game we would need to be highly prepared. We had a mentality, and that's what we went with. So like Coach [Jimbo Fisher] said, enjoy the win tonight, but tomorrow, Monday it's on to the next week. We have another test in front of us.
Q. Seth, for the second year in a row, you kicked the game winner on Jimbo's [Fisher] birthday. So is this going to be a recurring theme as he continues here?
Yes. We're trying to get him a good happy birthday present. I didn't know what to get him, so we thought as a team that we'd like to get him a win over Alabama. And it was probably the third best moment of my life right after I accepted Jesus into my heart as my true Lord and Savior, and then after getting married to my wife this summer. I rank this three.
Q. So what puts this one ahead of Florida from last year?
Yes, I think this one takes the cake from Florida.
Q. Seth, you hit the game winner, and then all of a sudden, sorry to say, but then all hell breaks loose, man, I mean, and people are coming from -- it seemed like 100,000 were on the field with you.
It definitely did. It felt like 100,000 were on the field with us the whole night. I mean, the 12th Man stands all game long. Those students, they don't sit down. It was packed the whole entire game. Nobody left or anything like that. We have the best fans in the nation. And that's what makes it so special to play at Kyle Field. And you say that I hit it, but it was not just me. It was the defense getting a stop, the offense moving the ball down the field, and then Connor Choate snapping the ball, Nik Constantinou, my holder, and then all of the guys blocking on the line. It's not just me. I just get to do a little fraction of it, and I'm thankful of that. Those are the best guys ever. I love those boys.
Q. Seth, you have a locker right next to Zach [Calzada]. You've been through -- you've seen what he's gone through. What did it mean to you to see him celebrate and the love that the 12th Man showed him today?
I knew that this question was going to come at some point. Zach's [Calzada] first day on campus looks much different than how he looks now. To see how he's matured as a person, as a football player, as a leader on this team had been incredible. I hope that -- he says that I played a role in that as an older guy trying to influence him a little bit, but that's all Zach. He's worked his tail off. The quarterback race was really close this off-season, and he showed what he was capable of tonight. And I just love Zach. Prayed over him before the game started and last week. And he's just a guy's guy. And I'll just thankful the way that he played.
Q. Sometimes special teams are often forgotten about in the game of football. There's been a couple of games where you've almost had big breakaway runs on the punt returns and kickoff returns. What did it mean for Devon [Achane] to be able to get that running lane to go, just get that 96-yard touchdown?
Just as a momentum shifter in the game of football, Alabama had just scored and then we take the momentum right back. And I had actually been -- so during the week, I do the kickoffs for KOR. And every time he would run back, I would tell him, they're soft on kickoff. If you want to break one loose, it's going to happen. And I'm glad he took my advice and returned one. But that was just like shift in momentum to give us that spark. That whole kickoff return team did their job, and it resulted in six points.
Q. Since you were expecting the question, I'll ask one follow-up on it. With everything that he's gone through, with some of the negativity that's come his way, talking about Zach [Calzada], when you're sitting on the sidelines and you hear the student section and the fans start chanting his name, what kind of thought goes through your head at that moment?
That's really sweet was my first thought. And Zach [Calzada] is a guy who's going to get up off the mat and keep fighting. He knows that he didn't play to the best of his ability the past couple of weeks. But he was determined and each week got better and continued to lead this team the way that he did. Just really impressed with him. And his character showed tonight. I'm thankful that the 12th Man is always behind their team like they were tonight.
Q. You talked about being able to get that win or Jimbo [Fisher] on his birthday. But then also this was [Nick] Saban's first time losing to a former assistant coach. What do you think that shows about the leadership that you guys have on this team and the coaching roster as a whole?
So the coaches do a phenomenal job of putting us in position to make plays. Then it just comes down to us choosing during the week to trust the process. That's one thing Coach Fisher told us. Don't worry about the scoreboard. Worry about your play, your job on this play, and the scoreboard will be there. And I think as a team, it finally clicked this week. But Coach Fisher, one thing that has just amazed me about him is how he's able to gauge where his team is at and the message that they need to hear. And every week, he always does a great job of getting that message across. I think there's a couple of stubborn guys on the team, but it finally got threw to them tonight. It was just a great team win.
Q. Just on that final drive, as you're kind of sitting there, realizing more and more, this is probably going to come down to me, are you a guy who wants people coming up to you encouraging you, or are you saying, Give me all the space that I can get?
I mean, I prefer to just be my myself and -- not that I don't love the guys. If they come up to me, I tell them love you, Bro. I got you. But I was just repeating Psalms 23:1 to myself all night, which is: The lord is my shepherd. I shall not be in want. And that kind of comforted me. That's a moment I live for. I just kind of what to focus on that and then celebrate with them afterwards just so I can deliver on my part, that they've been delivering on their part all night long.
Postgame Press Conference: Ainias Smith
Q. After the tough time you guys have had the past couple of weeks, how much does a win like this tonight mean to you?
Oh, man, it means everything. You know, just giving us that confidence again, letting us know that, you know, we can do whatever we want. It's just, we've got to believe, and it all starts off in practice. Our week of practice this week was great. We just came in with the mentality that we have to win. And we was believing that throughout the whole game. And I believe it showed.
Q. I don't know how much you're in tune with it, but with maybe some of the negativity that's come Zach's way [Calzada] the past couple of weeks, when you hear the crowd chanting his name, and when you see him coming back in and everyone goes crazy, what does that mean to y'all? And what was going through your brain at that moment?
It felt like the whole world was on our side. Like 12th Man, you know, they're amazing. That game, the noise, everything. It was just -- I appreciate them. So I mean, it was great. It felt like -- it felt amazing.
Q. Ainias, you guys were able to break off some big plays tonight. That's kind of been something that's been hard to come by this so far this season. So what were you guys doing differently as wide receivers to get more open for Zach [Calzada]?
I guess you could say, we really wasn't doing nothing different. We just had to stick to what we've been taught this whole time. Just plan the next play, don't worry about what happened the last play. I guess you could say we were using our hands if that gives you an answer. We were using our hands to go ahead and get open. Yeah, that's it.
Q. Antonio said these are the types of games he always dreamed of playing. Do you feel the same way? And did it kind of live up to the expectations of hey, playing at Kyle Field, night game, number one team in the country? Can you kind of talk on that?
I could say after that game, I got a little emotional, because it was real personal to me, you know what I'm saying? If you know my story, you know it. And if you don't, well, shoot, you don't. But that's definitely a dream. Dream game, you know what I'm saying? And for that to be the result, it's amazing. Thank God, really.
Q. I know your story. Ainias, just talk a little bit about the celebration afterwards on the field and then how it carried over and just, you know, with the 12th Man and also with your teammates.
Yeah, man, the 12th Man, they're always giving us a little show, whether they're on our side or against us. But tonight, they were definitely with us. I appreciated them. With them rushing the field, that was crazy. As soon as I turned around, everybody was just right there in my face. And then shoot, now after that, just going in the locker room, celebrating with your brothers, your coaches, you know, people that you really fight with, you know what I'm saying? So it was a great feeling.
Q. I have two, if you don't mind. First off, can you talk about just how crucial it is to build off this next week when you go to Columbia and you're on the road?
Yeah, man, it's always going to be tough going on the road to try to get a win wherever you are in the SEC. So I mean, definitely this week, we prepared very well and we just have to come back this next week and prepare even better. So that's about it.
Q. And then could you talk about how big Jalen [Wydermyer] played tonight? Last week, he got his first touchdown. And for a guy that was just so dominating last year, it was kind of a dry spell for him. And then tonight, he also comes back and gets a couple of big touchdown catches. Just how he's kind of breaking out and the confidence that gives the offense.
Right. You know, Jalen, he's an amazing athlete, great player, great teammate, somebody that we can count on. Really just, his thing was not even worrying about what's happened in the past, you know what I'm saying? We just got to focus on the moment. So that's what he was doing. That's what we was doing as a team. He was playing great.
Q. Ainias, where can a win like this take you? I'm sure there's a lot more confidence and everything that comes with it as a team and an individual. Where can it take you from here?
Shoot, well, the plan is -- the plan has never changed. You know, we still want to go to that Natty (national championship)? So we went out. Yeah, yeah.
Q. Ainias, sometimes you don't always know what to get someone for their birthday. How important was it to get Jimbo Fisher a win on his birthday to help him become the first assistant to beat Nick Saban?
Everything, you know what time saying? Especially with the hype that was going on behind it. He wasn't thinking about that, but there was a lot of hype behind this game before the season even started. And for us to just get this win, it just shows something about him, shows something about us that we can fight and we never going to back down. So Merry Christmas.
Postgame Quotes: Alabama Coach Nick Saban
Opening Statement…
“Obviously it was a very disappointing loss, and I know our players are very disappointed. I think that everybody needs to remember how they feel and not forget it. When I talk about having respect for winning, that’s what I mean. We want to avoid the feeling we have when we lose. So, there were a lot of lessons to be learned out there tonight. You have to give Texas A&M a lot of credit for how they played. They had a good plan and the players did a good job of executing it. We certainly moved the ball well enough on offense yardage-wise, but they stopped us in the red zone. We also turned the ball over on the two yard line with an opportunity to score. We had a lead towards the end of the game and couldn’t get the stops on defense that we needed to. They [Texas A&M] made the plays they needed to make to win the game, and we didn’t make the plays we needed to make. Hopefully, we will learn a lot from this. We still can accomplish everything that we want to accomplish, but we have to do things better than we did tonight.”
On the issues that Alabama faced…
“You all watched the same game I watched. We threw incomplete passes when we had guys open. We ran a bad route and the opponent picked the ball off. We had some drops in critical situations, including a drop at the end of the game when we could have gone two-minute with a first down. I don’t know that anything went wrong, we just didn’t execute. We didn’t throw and catch the ball like we needed to. We didn’t run it effectively enough. Some of those situations you could say, if we were able to run the ball effectively in those situations, we wouldn’t have had so many issues throwing it. You can second-guess everything that didn’t work, but the issue is that we just didn’t execute.”
Team Stats
ALA 0, TAM 3
TAM - Small,Seth 38 yd field goal 7 plays, 54 yards, TOP 03:25
ALA 7, TAM 3
ALA - Williams,Roydell 20 yd pass from Young,Bryce (Reichard,Will kick) 10 plays, 65 yards, TOP 04:53
ALA 7, TAM 10
TAM - Wydermyer,Jalen 27 yd pass from Calzada,Zach (Small,Seth kick) 3 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:16
ALA 7, TAM 17
TAM - Smith,Ainias 6 yd pass from Calzada,Zach (Small,Seth kick) 7 plays, 41 yards, TOP 03:44
ALA 10, TAM 17
ALA - Reichard,Will 38 yd field goal 5 plays, 20 yards, TOP 01:25
ALA 10, TAM 24
TAM - Spiller,Isaiah 15 yd run (Small,Seth kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:35
ALA 17, TAM 24
ALA - Mwikuta,King 0 yd punt return (Reichard,Will kick)
ALA 17, TAM 31
TAM - Achane,Devon 96 yd kickoff return (Small,Seth kick)
ALA 24, TAM 31
ALA - Williams,Jameson 29 yd pass from Young,Bryce (Reichard,Will kick) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:34
ALA 27, TAM 31
ALA - Reichard,Will 26 yd field goal 9 plays, 48 yards, TOP 04:54
ALA 30, TAM 31
ALA - Reichard,Will 22 yd field goal 13 plays, 64 yards, TOP 04:22
ALA 38, TAM 31
ALA - Williams,Jameson 7 yd pass from Young,Bryce (Williams,Jameson pass) 9 plays, 82 yards, TOP 02:52
ALA 38, TAM 38
TAM - Smith,Ainias 25 yd pass from Calzada,Zach (Small,Seth kick) 6 plays, 65 yards, TOP 02:00
ALA 38, TAM 41
TAM - Small,Seth 28 yd field goal 8 plays, 54 yards, TOP 02:08
