Battling through an inefficient offense and underperforming special teams unit, No. 1 Alabama narrowly edged Texas A&M on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, Ala., to keep its perfect season alive and gain revenge last year’s loss to the Aggies. Leading 24-20 late in the fourth quarter, Alabama made a goal-line defense in the final seconds of the game as Texas A&M quarterback Haynes King’s pass from the 2-yard line fell incomplete with time ticking the clock.
King, filling in for injured QB Max Johnson, carried the game to the final whistle by leading Texas A&M on a furious 10-play, 69-yard drive. However, Alabama’s defense held on the last play as the Tide survived its biggest scare of the season to this point.
Bama running back Jahmyr Gibbs was the star of the show, totaling 167 yards for a team that struggled offensively behind QB Jalen Milroe. Filling in for 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young, who sat out last week with a sprained shoulder, Milroe completed just 12 of 19 passes for 111 yards with one interception and two fumbles; both fumbles led directly to Texas A&M touchdowns. However, Milroe also rushed for a key 83 yards on 17 carries and threw for three touchdowns to help spur Bama’s offense at key times.
King ran for his life much of the game as the Tide’s front seven were relentless. He was sacked three times, rushed and rushed 14 times with Alabama star linebacker Will Anderson Jr., the CBS Sports Preseason Player of the Year, getting eight of those pressures . King ultimately completed just 25 of 46 passes for 253 yards with two touchdowns and one pick.
This type of defensive performance from the Tide was necessary considering how sloppy they were with the football. In addition to Milroe’s fumbles, RB Jase McClellan also lost a fumble. In all, the three touchdowns accounted for 17 points for the Aggies. Combined with an uneven performance from Bama kicker Will Reichard, who made a 50-yard field goal just before halftime but missed from 47 yards late in the third quarter and 35 yards midway through the fourth , the Tide kept the Aggies in the game. until the bitter end.
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