Texas A&M Scores 28 Straight, Two on Pick-sixes, to Beat Arizona State
Texas A&M gained 260 yards. Arizona State gained 371. The Aggies won 48-20 anyway, and the reason is two interception returns for touchdowns in the fourth quarter, 55 yards from Marco Jones and 45 from Julio Humphrey.
It was a game for about three quarters. Rueben Owens II scored from two yards out to open it, Reed Harris caught a 21-yard touchdown from Cutter Boley with 21 seconds left in the first quarter to tie it 7-7, and Texas A&M took a 14-7 lead on a four-yard pass from Marcel Reed to Isaiah Horton. Field goals from Carson Smith (30 yards) and David Olano (22) kept it at 17-10 at the half, Smith added a 35-yarder, and Reed hit Horton again from 13 yards for 24-13. Then Harris took a 58-yard touchdown for Arizona State, and it was 24-20 Texas A&M with 3:39 left in the third quarter. That was as close as it got.
What followed was 28 straight points, 14 of them on interception returns. Mario Craver caught a 33-yarder from Reed early in the fourth for 31-20, Jones returned an interception for a score for 38-20, Olano kicked a 39-yard field goal, and Humphrey's return made it 48-20 with 4:25 to go. Boley threw two interceptions on the day, and Arizona State also lost two fumbles. Take the two pick-sixes away and Texas A&M still wins 34-20, but it is not a rout.
Texas A&M is 2-0 and Arizona State is 1-1. Fantasy-wise, the best player on the field wore the wrong color: Harris caught nine passes for 189 yards and two scores, and he lost anyway.