On Saturday, Sept. 11, No. 5 Texas A&M scored a late touchdown to narrowly avoid an upset in a 10-7 victory against Colorado. Here’s what we learned:
Haynes King could miss significant time
On A&M’s second drive of the game, freshman quarterback Haynes King went down with an apparent foot injury. While he was able to limp off of the field, speculation around the injury worsened when he was seen on the sideline donning street clothes and a boot on his right foot. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Zach Calzada led the Aggies for the rest of the game, going 18-for-38 for 183 yards and a touchdown.
Following the game, junior running back Isaiah Spiller said Calzada would be the team’s signal-caller for the foreseeable future.
“We all just wanted to win, and Zach still showed that and got comfortable toward the end of the game,” Spiller said. “Zach is going to be really good for us down the line.”
Potential top-four spot
After entering the weekend ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll, the Aggies could find themselves in the top four after surviving against Colorado. While the maroon and white looked sluggish for most of the game on Saturday, a spot in the top four will presumably be open after No. 3 Ohio State suffered a 35-28 loss at home against No. 12 Oregon.
After the win, coach Jimbo Fisher said he is unaffected by the rankings and took responsibility for the team’s struggles throughout the afternoon.
“Everyone is trying to make a name,” Fisher said. “All that ranking stuff doesn’t mean diddly to me. We’re supposed to be a good football team, so people are gonna mark us. You have to understand the burden that carries when you prepare and how you play each and every week. You’re gonna get everyone’s A-game, right down to the end. At the end of the day, I have to do a better job coaching and getting these guys ready to play.”
Achane leads Aggies in rushing for second straight week
Spiller and sophomore running back Devon Achane have split carries in both of A&M’s games this season, but Achane has led the team in rushing yards in each of the two contests. Achane finished the weekend with 50 yards on nine carries, while Spiller rushed for 20 yards on eight carries. Both backs were prolific in the receiving game, as Spiller caught six passes for 56 yards and the game-winning touchdown, and Achane caught three passes for 24 yards.
Spiller said the team’s inability to establish the run was a learning experience for the star backs.
“It’s a rough game; some games are like that,” Spiller said. “You can’t complain, and you can’t get down on yourself about it. You just have to keep moving forward and never give up on yourself.”
Run defense bends but does not break
Heading into the weekend, it was apparent the Buffaloes were going to heavily rely on the ground game against the Aggies, and that is exactly what they did. Despite gaining 171 total yards on 38 carries, the A&M defense held strong for most of the game, not allowing a touchdown in the final three quarters.
Fisher said he was proud of the team’s ability to shut down runs and make stops, specifically against dual-threat freshman quarterback Brendon Lewis.
“They were outstanding,” Fisher said. “We condensed our rush lanes and did not give up the scrambles. The second half was perfect, and that was the only way we could win that game.”
Wydermyer surpasses 1,000 career receiving yards
After entering the weekend with 989 career receiving yards, junior tight end Jalen Wydermyer snagged four passes for 66 yards to easily break the quadruple-digit mark. According to the Texas A&M Football Twitter page, @AggieFootball, he is just the fourth tight end in school history to reach this benchmark.
During Monday’s weekly press conference, Wydermyer said he would like to see the offense attempt more deep passes throughout the season.
“I would like to get some more passes and some more deep shots,” Wydermyer said. “But, we have to establish the run for that to happen. We can bring the linebackers and safeties up if they are worried about Ainias [Smith], Isaiah or Achane.’”