AUSTIN, TX — Arch Manning threw a touchdown pass and ran for the score late in the fourth quarter and No. 16 Texans beat No. 3 Texas A’s&M 27-17 on Friday night to spoil the Aggies’ unbeaten season and knock them out of the Southeastern Conference championship game.
Manning’s 29-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo in the third quarter gave the Texans (9-3, 6-2 SEC, No. 16 CFP) a 13-10 lead in a tight defensive game. His 35-yard run up the middle in the third with 7:04 left to play put the Longhorns up 27-17.
Texas, which started the season No. 1 and at one point was unranked, beat a top-10 opponent for the third time this season to keep alive any faint hopes of making the College Football Playoff for a third straight time.
“We are definitely a playoff team, and we deserve a chance to play for a national championship,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said.
The Texans will be the first team to lose three times in the playoffs. Two of those losses came against No. 1 Ohio State and No. 4 Georgia, but an early loss to Florida could doom the Longhorns’ chances.
Sarkisian said Texas should be rewarded, not punished, for scheduling a non-conference matchup with the Buckeyes to start the season.
“If we’re a 10-2 team right now, that’s not a discussion,” Sarkisian said.
The Aggies (11-1, 7-1, No. 3 CFP) have secured their first playoff berth, but a loss to their biggest rival will hurt the program for a long time. Texas AThe &M has never played for an SEC title since joining the league in the 2012 season.
“It hurts so much,” Texas AA&M linebacker Taurean York said. “But you have to regroup and get ready for the playoffs.
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed, who emerged as a Heisman Trophy contender late in the season and led the Aggies on a stunning second-half rally against South Carolina two weeks ago, threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter against the Longhorns, including one on the Texas 3.
Texas A&M led 10-3 at halftime before Texas took control with 17 straight points in the third quarter.
The Aggies pulled to 20-17 before Manning’s big TD run. Facing third-and-short, Manning ran down the right side of the line, found a line to slide to the byline, and held the ball tightly as he crossed the goal line in front of an onrushing defender.
Manning completed nine of his last 12 passes for 151 yards to six teams’ receivers and also ran for 53 yards. His touchdown throw to Wingo came when Manning could have run into open space in front of him for a first down but he threw a pass instead.
The punt nearly went wide and Wingo had to jump in the back of the end zone for the score.
Manning said the win was the statement Texas needed to reach the playoff.
“If you let us in, we can beat anyone,” Manning said. “If you don’t think we’re one of the top 12 teams in the country, I don’t know what to tell you.”
Ready meals
Texas A&M: The Aggies couldn’t find the rally magic this time. The Aggies were leading before the offense stalled on three fastballs in the crucial third quarter.
“Their forward line played a lot stronger than ours,” Reed said. “They had a better game plan for us in the second half.”
Texans: The running game that had been missing most of the season erupted in the second half as Texas took control. Quintrevion Wiser rushed for a season-high 155 yards. Wiesner rushed for 186 yards against the Texas A’s&M last season.
Reed shook off the fear of early injury
Reed briefly left the game in the first quarter when he injured his left ankle, cutting it during a scramble and had to be helped off the field. He only missed one offensive play, but the Aggies’ drive stalled and ended with a field goal attempt blocked by the Texans’ Ethan Burke.
the next
Texas A&M: Final CFP rankings await on December 7.
Texas: Awaiting bowl game destination with focus on CFP rankings.
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