San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Aggies steal an upset
Late takeaway sets up Small’s winning field goal as time expires
COLLEGE STATION — When a handful of Buddy Johnson’s Texas A&M teammates opted out of playing this season during camp, leaving the Aggies in a bit of a lurch, the resolute linebacker and team leader posted to social media that he was “1000 percent” committed to competing his senior season.
A&M fans had extra reason to be grateful for Johnson’s preseason affirmation Saturday after the No. 21Aggies traded punches with No. 4 Florida for four quarters — and Johnson landed the final, most jarring blow.
“I just punched the ball,” Johnson said after the Aggies’ 41-38 upset of the Gators, “and it came out.”
The game was tied 38-38 with 3:40 remaining when Johnson blasted into Florida running back Malik Davis and knocked the ball loose. A&M defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal pounced on Davis’ fumble, and the Aggies suddenly were in business for an upset before about 25,000 fans in a quarter-full Kyle Field.
Over on the sideline, A&M senior quarterback Kellen Mond urged calmamonghis exhilarated teammates.
“I wanted to keep my poise, and keep everybody under control, so we could have a big-time, game-winning drive,” Mond said.
As they’d consistently done in the second half, A&M turned to sophomore running back Isaiah Spiller to carry the load, and he responded with 24 yards on five of the Aggies’ next seven plays.
“We were just saying, ‘Finish, finish, finish,’ ” Spiller said. “We knew we needed to finish that drive … we knew we had to get it, and there were no other options. There was no doubt in my mind we would.”
The winning drive’s biggest play came on a Mond completion
to Chase Lane across the middle for 16 yards, and Spiller’s final rush of 11 yards set up kicker Seth Small for a 26-yard game-winning field goal as time expired.
Small barely had lifted his extra point above the crossbar on the Aggies’ final touchdown with 4:30 left to tie the game at 38-38, so setting up for a typically easy field goal prompted a little more angst than usual.
“I was a little nervous, but more excited than anything,” Small said of the final boot. “Iwas excited to get another one, after that extra point.”
Mond, a four-year starter, played perhaps his best game as an Aggie, considering all that was at stake and with A&M as an underdog on its home field.
Coach Jimbo Fisher beat a topfive opponent for the first time in his three seasons at A&M, and the Aggies beat a top-five team at Kyle Field for the first time since
knocking off No. 1 Oklahoma in 2002 under then-coach R.C. Slocum.
The Aggies (2-1) also overcame one of their most undisciplined offerings under Fisher, with multiple personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. Florida led 28-17 late in the third quarter before A&M mounted a comeback, thanks especially to Spiller’s 130 rushing yards after halftime.
“I’m not happy,” Fisher said. “We won a big game, but we didn’t play as well as we could play. We have a lot to work on.”
Johnson mentioned how hard Mond had worked in the offseason and in camp to improve his game, and for the second consecutive week it showed on the field.
In the Aggies’ 52-24 loss at No. 2 Alabama a week prior, Mond completed 25-of-44 passes for 318 yards and three touchdowns to go with an interception against a stout Crimson Tide defense.
Mond was even better Saturday, finishing 25-of-35 for 338 yards and three touchdowns.
Spiller rushed for 174 yards, and fellow sophomore Caleb Chapman collected 151 receiving yards on nine catches, marking the first time A&M has had a 150yard rusher and 150-yard receiver in the same game.
“This is a real big confidence booster,” Spiller said. “It’s just one game, but … I feel like we gained our identity today.”
Said Fisher: “This shows you what you’re capable of. Now I want to see what you do as a follow up.”