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Sam Craft/Associated Press
Oh my goodness, what a game! TAMU shocked the world by beating the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday night. It was an intense game from beginning to end, which capped off a thrilling day of college football.
Alabama did not look its best in the first half. A&M scored 24 and Alabama only 10. It looked like Alabama could rebound in the second half. With 8:18 left in the third quarter, the Tide scored a touchdown with a blocked punt to make it 24-17. Texas A&M responded on the Bama kickoff, returning it 96 yards to make it 31-17. Alabama got within one yard of the score on a touchdown pass from Bryce Young, to Jameson Williams, that was 29 yards. It happened with 5:05 left in the third.
It seemed that all signs pointed towards Alabama winning the fourth quarter. Three scoring drives were led by the Tide. Williams was a touchdown for Young and the Tide took a 38-31 lead. Young converted a two-point conversion. The Aggie offense also had three punts off drives, which combined for 18 yards.
A&M didn't give up and refused to leave. TAMU quarterback Zach Calzada played a stellar game and led a six play, 65-yard touchdown drive. Ainias Smith was then able to score a touchdown pass of 25 yards, tying the game at 38 minutes. The Texas A&Ms defense forced a Bama 3-and-out. Calzada did not take a snap on Calzada's touchdown pass, which put him in an injury tent. However, the QB returned to the field and was a hero on the Aggies final possession. He ran for an 11 yard run and completed two major pass plays. Calzada's 12-yard pass from Smith to Smith set up the game-winning field goal. After a few Isaiah Spiller runs, and a defensive pass interference that further shortened the field to a crawl, Seth Small, an Aggie kicker, nailed the 28 yard field goal to complete this upset.
This loss is significant not only for the national champions and top-ranked team going down, but also for many other reasons. Jimbo Fisher, the head coach, beat Nick Saban's former assistant. This is the first time that Fisher has defeated Saban. Fisher had a record of 0-4 against Saban before this match. This is also the first loss to an unranked opponent since 2007. That contract extension brought Fisher's salary to $90 million.
