COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KXAN) — No. 3 Texas made a goalline stand in the fourth quarter and sophomore running back Quintrevion Wisner ran wild in a 17-7 win over No. 20 Texas A&M on Saturday at Kyle Field.
With fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line and 4:40 to go in the game, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko elected to go for a touchdown rather than kick a chip-shot field goal. Texas stuffed tailback Amari Daniels for a 3-yard loss for A&M’s third turnover on downs. The big stand came after the Aggies blocked a punt and recovered it inside the Texas 20-yard line.
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Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, center, along with quarterback Quinn Ewers, left, and the rest of the Longhorns, after beating Texas A&M in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft) -
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) looks to pass downfield against Texas A&M during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft) -
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) breaks free down the sideline for a first down run against Texas A&M during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft) -
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed (10) lies on the ground after being sacked by Texas defensive lineman Vernon Broughton during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft) -
Texas running back Jaydon Blue (23) is tackled for no gain by Texas A&M defensive lineman Albert Regis (17) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft) -
Texas running back Quintrevion Wisner (26) is tackled by Texas A&M defensive back Will Lee III (26) after a catch and run during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft) -
Texas wide receiver Ryan Wingo (5) races towards the endzone before being knocked out of bounds Texas A&M during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft) -
Texas fans react after a call against Texas A&M during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft) -
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers hugs a teammate after a win over Texas A&M in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft) -
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, center left, reacts as his team recovers a fumble late in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game against Texas A&M, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft) -
Texas defensive back Jaylon Guilbeau, center facing, hugs head coach Steve Sarkisian after a win over Texas A&M in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft) -
Texas quarterback Arch Manning (16) dives over the pylon for a touchdown against Texas A&M during the first halfof an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft) -
Texas A&M defensive lineman Shemar Turner (5) and Texas offensive lineman Cameron Williams (56) get tangled up after a play during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft) -
Texas running back Jaydon Blue (23) catches the ball in the end zone for a touchdown as Texas A&M defensive back Bryce Anderson (1) defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft) -
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) passes down field against Texas A&M defensive lineman Rylan Kennedy (15) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
Texas officially forced two turnovers, a first-half interception by Michael Taaffe, and a forced fumble by Trey Moore on the Aggies’ final drive that Vernon Broughton jumped on. Texas outgained the Aggies 458-244.
With the win, Texas will advance to the Southeastern Conference championship game at 4 p.m. Dec. 7 from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. They’ll take on Georgia, the only team that has beaten them this season.
“This is where we wanted to be,” Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian said. “We knew with the slip-up earlier in the season that we’d have to win out, and we did that.”
Wisner chewed up a bunch of clock with tough yards on Texas’ final drive to end the game with 186 rushing yards on 33 carries, both career highs. He had six runs of 10 yards or more, and whenever the Longhorns needed a big carry, Wisner delivered.
It’s Texas’ 11 consecutive true road win, a run that began two seasons ago, and in order to do that, Sarkisian said teams have to pack their defense and run game. Texas rushed for 243 yards and held the Aggies to 2.9 yards per rush.
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The Aggies didn’t score an offensive touchdown. The lone score came on a 93-yard interception return by Will Lee with 5:43 remaining in the third quarter. Quarterback Marcel Reed passed for 146 yards and rushed for 56. He was sacked three times. Texas held the Aggies to 98 rushing yards.
For Texas, Quinn Ewers finished with 218 yards on 17 of 28 passing with a touchdown and an interception. He hit Jaydon Blue for a 7-yard score in the second quarter. With Ewers still recovering from a high-ankle sprain against Kentucky, Arch Manning came into the game in certain red zone scenarios and made the first one count. He ran 15 yards and dove for the pylon to score the game’s first touchdown with 3:07 left in the first quarter.
Sarkisian said they had the red zone plays for Manning in for a few weeks now and tonight was the time to start using them with Ewers’ ankle less than 100%.
“Arch got more reps with Quinn being limited some, and we just wanted to keep Arch engaged,” Sarkisian said. “That was a heck of a run that sparked us.”
Ewers looked nimble on a 26-yard scramble in the first quarter, but he also had a fumble late in the third quarter. Sarkisian said he challenged Ewers in practice Thursday to show him that he could go against the Aggies.
“He gutted out that practice, and he played a good football game tonight,” Sarkisian said of Ewers. “Guys earn your trust over time, and Quinn has battled through a lot of adversity here, and he earned that right to play ball. He showed me he was capable and I’m proud of him.”
Gunnar Helm had six catches for 63 yards while Matthew Golden hauled in three for 73 yards, including a 44-yard play early in the second quarter. Liona Lefau had six tackles and the trio of Anthony Hill, Jermayne Lole and Collin Simmons had five. Broughton and Moore each had two tackles for loss.
Texas (11-1, 7-1 SEC) goes into the SEC title game as the No. 1 seed since Georgia has two losses. Texas A&M (8-4, 5-3) ends its regular season and will wait for its bowl assignment.
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