Game Recap: Texas A&M Football Falls to Ole Miss

The first play for the Rebels was a third and four slant that picked up about 15 yards. Another deep crosser picked up a chunk of yardage on the next play, moving the Rebels across midfield. Escaping pressure, Dart passed to an unaccounted-for Quinshon Judkins to pick up another first, but the Ole Miss QB was down and injured after a hard hit from Chris Russell. Former Oklahoma State QB Spencer Sanders came in on the next play, handing it off to Judkins, who picked up about 15. Dart returned to hand it off again for about five, before a jump ball in the end zone was caught by the Rebel receiver, making the score 14-0 early in the second quarter.

A five yard carry for Rueben Owens was the result of the first down play from Texas A&M football. Another handoff to Owens went for 1 yard on second. Late in the play clock on third down, the Aggies were again forced to call time out. Max overlooked the linebacker and nearly had his pass intercepted on the ensuing play, forcing another punt for the Aggies.

The Rebels took over at their own 38, with a first-down handoff going for only one yard. A slant was caught and taken down into Aggie territory on second. The first down play was a wheel route to Dayton Wade down into the red zone, and the Rebels were again threatening. A run by Bentley looked like it went into the end zone, but a holding penalty moved the Rebels back just outside of the red zone. Another holding penalty on the next play moved the Rebels back another 10 yards, bringing up the rare 1st and 30. Judkins went for one yard, followed by an incomplete pass to an out-of-bounds player, called for illegal touching. A&M jumped offsides on third, giving the Rebels a free five yards, but they couldn’t do much with it, gaining only 1 on 3rd and 23. The former Aggie Caden Davis came out for a field goal try, but the attempt was blocked by Texas A&M football and returned for a touchdown by Jacoby Mathews, making the score 14-7.

Jaxson Dart scrambled for 10 on first down after a great return by Ulysses Bentley, taking the Rebs to the 45. A jump ball was caught over freshman Jayvon Thomas, moving the Rebs to the Aggie 30. The ensuing first down saw a handoff to Judkins that went for one yard, but the Ags somehow left an Ole Miss receiver completely uncovered on the next play, which went 30 yards for a touchdown. After an unsportsmanlike by Jacoby Mathews, the Rebels would try for two, but the Aggies sniffed out the tunnel screen for no gain. This brought the score to 20-7.

A&M converted after a pass to Muhammad and a Daniels run up the middle, moving up to the 40 yard line. A first down pass to Ainias picked up another conversion, but the next two plays went backwards for the Ags, bringing up 3rd and 13. Jahdae Walker was open once again over the middle to convert, however, keeping the Ags alive. A couple of good runs by Moss brought the Ags inside the 25, and a first down shot fell incomplete to Ainias in the end zone. Passes to Thomas and Walker got another first down, this time inside the red zone, and a first down handoff to Leveon brought the Aggies into the end zone. Randy Bond’s XP made the score 20-14.

Great special teams coverage by the Aggies and a holding penalty on the kickoff had the Rebels starting at their own 6 yard line. Texas A&M football read a screen pass well on first down, and a second down run squirted through for a decent gain, bringing up 3rd and 2. The Aggies took a timeout, perceivably to force the Rebels to run, which they did—but the Aggie defense dropped Judkins for a three-yard loss, forcing the Rebels to punt. The Rebels were able to get the kick off cleanly, and the clock ran out for the half. The teams headed to the locker room, with Texas A&M football trailing 20-14.