COLLEGE STATION, Texas — After roaring for four quarters, Texas A&M’s 12th man poured onto the field as the Aggies used a last-second field goal to take down No. 1 Alabama 41-38 Saturday night.
After rallying back from a two-touchdown deficit at the half, the Crimson Tide (5-1, 2-1 in the SEC) could not stop the Aggies (4-2, 1-2) on a late scoring drive as Texas A&M kicker Seth Small drilled a 28-yard field goal at the end of regulation to seal the upset inside of a jubilant Kyle Field.
Alabama saw its 19-game winning streak snapped as Texas A&M recorded its first win over the Tide since 2012. Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher became the first Nick Saban assistant to get the best of his former boss. Saban entered the game 24-0 against his former assistants.
An Alabama defense facing attrition through injuries was dealt an early blow as starting defensive back Malachi Moore was ejected for targeting on the game’s opening possession. That ultimately proved too much for a unit already playing without starting outside linebackers Christopher Allen and Drew Sanders as the Tide allowed the Aggies to race out to 24 first-half points before making enough plays in the second half to complete the upset.
Texas A&M quarterback Zach Calzada, who combined for 286 passing yards in back-to-back losses to Arkansas and Mississippi State the past two weeks, put up a career-best performance against Alabama. The redshirt sophomore completed 21 of 31 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns with an interception Saturday night, including back-to-back scoring drives to end the game.
An Alabama team that hadn’t trailed since the first half of last season’s game against Georgia — a span of 57 straight quarters — found itself on the wrong side of the scoreboard late into the fourth quarter Saturday night.
The Tide’s first lead of the night came when Bryce Young hit a wide-open Jameson Williams for a 7-yard touchdown pass to put Alabama up 38-31 with 5:00 remaining. The Aggies forgot to cover Williams on the play, allowing Young to flick the ball out to the perimeter for the easy score.
However, the Aggies quickly responded as Calzada capped off a six-play drive by finding Ainais Smith for a 25-yard touchdown to tie the game two minutes later.
After Alabama went three-and-out on its following possession, Calzada once again led Texas A&M down the field again, taking the Aggies into scoring range before a costly pass-interference penalty on Tide safety DeMarcco Hellams set up an easy game-winning field-goal attempt. Alabama’s penalty problems continued in the loss as the Tide was flagged eight times for 82 yards.
Alabama’s failed comeback bid was spurred on by starting running back Brian Robinson Jr., who carried the ball 24 times for 147 yards while recording four receptions for 60 yards. Williams also had a big night for the Tide, pulling in a career-high 10 receptions for 146 yards and two touchdowns.
After struggling in the first half, Young steadied himself after the break, completing 28 of 48 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns with an interception. The Heisman frontrunner was constantly pressured as throughout the game as he was sacked four times on the night.
Alabama outgained Texas A&M 522-379 but failed to capitalize on two late trips to the red zone in the fourth quarter as it settled for field goals on back-to-back drives in which it got inside the Aggies 10-yard line.
Alabama will remain on the road as it travels to Mississippi State next Saturday at 6 p.m. CT.