The Best Victories
2012: A&M 29, Alabama 24
Every SEC head coach is judged by how they do against Nick Saban, and Kevin Sumlin started strong in that category with a thrilling victory over top-ranked Alabama. Johnny Manziel flummoxed the Tide with his Houdini acts in the pocket en route to 345 total yards and two touchdown passes, but it was not until Deshazor Everett stepped in front of an AJ McCarron pass with 1:36 left in the fourth quarter that the victory was sealed. The win made the Aggies 8-2 on the season and kept them in the hunt for a top-tier bowl.
2013: A&M 52, Duke 48
Johnny Football ended his college career in dramatic fashion, leading the Aggies back from a 38-17 halftime deficit for an epic win in the highest-scoring game in Chick-fil-A Bowl history. Manziel threw for 382 yards and rushed for 73 more, as Kevin Sumlin improved his record to 20-6 at the helm of the A&M program. The Aggies trailed by 10 at the start of the fourth quarter, but two interceptions by Duke quarterback Anthony Boone paved the way for Manziel’s magic.
2016: A&M 45, Tennessee 38 (2OT)
The Aggies improved to 6-0 in the 2016 season with a wild double-overtime victory over Tennessee. With both teams 5-0 and ranked in the top ten, College GameDay came to College Station and the game did not disappoint. The Volunteers outscored A&M 21-7 in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime, but Trevor Knight plunged into the endzone from a yard out to seal the victory for the Aggies. Trayveon Williams rushed for a freshman-record 217 yards, while Knight chipped in 110 yards on the ground and three touchdowns.
The worst losses
2014: Alabama 59, A&M 0
The Aggies looked like one of the nation’s best offenses in the first seven matchups of the 2014 season, but Alabama dominated them in all facets of the game in this lopsided affair. Blake Sims threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed for a score as the Tide outscored the Aggies 35-0 in the second half. Alabama outgained A&M 602-172 yards while Kenny Hill threw for only 168 yards before being replaced under-center by Kyle Allen. Hill was suspended two weeks after, and later transferred.
2015: Ole Miss 23, A&M 3
The game was much more lopsided than the score would indicate in this one as the Aggies were completely shut down by the Rebels’ defense. Kyle Allen, who was later revealed to have a shoulder injury, completed just 12-of-34 passes for 88 yards before being benched in favor of Jake Hubenak in the fourth quarter. Chad Kelly threw for 241 yards and two touchdowns, and A&M freshman quarterback Kyler Murray did not play due to a sideline exchange he had with offensive coordinator Jake Spavital the previous week against Alabama.
2017: UCLA 45, A&M 44
After storming out to a 38-10 halftime lead in this year’s season opener, the Aggies appeared to be on their way to victory until Josh Rosen got hot. The heralded NFL prospect engineered the largest FBS comeback since 2006, throwing for a whopping 491 yards and four touchdowns as the Bruins outscored the Aggies 28-0 in the fourth quarter alone. Trayveon Williams rushed for 203 yards and two touchdowns and Keith Ford chipped in three rushing touchdowns, but the A&M offense could not move the ball in the second half after starting quarterback redshirt freshman Nick Starkel fractured his ankle.