AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Arch Manning threw a touchdown pass and ran for the clinching score late in the fourth quarter and No. 16 Texas beat No. 3 Texas A&M 27-17 on Friday night to spoil the Aggies’ undefeated season and knock them out of the Southeastern Conference championship game.
Manning’s 29-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo in the third quarter gave Texas (9-3, 6-2 SEC, No, 16 CFP) a 13-10 lead in what had been a tight, defensive game. His 35-yard run up the middle on third down with 7:04 left to play put the Longhorns up 27-17.
Texas, which started the season No. 1 and at one point was unranked, beat a top-10 opponent for the third time this season to keep alive any faint hopes of making the College Football Playoff for the third consecutive time.
The Aggies (11-1, 7-1, No. 3 CFP) are all but assured their first playoff berth, but the loss to their biggest rival will sting the program for a long time. Texas A&M has never played for an SEC title since joining the league in the 2012 season.
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed, who had emerged as a late-season Heisman Trophy contender and led the Aggies’ in a stunning second-half rally against South Carolina two weeks ago, threw two fourth-quarter interceptions against the Longhorns, one of them at the Texas 3.
Texas A&M led 10-3 at halftime before Texas seized control with 17 consecutive points in the third quarter.
The Aggies pulled to 20-17 before Manning’s big TD run. Facing third-and-short, Manning ran through the right side of the line, found a seam to slip into the secondary, and clutched the ball tightly as he crossed the goal line ahead of a lunging defender.
The takeaway
Texas A&M: The Aggies could find no rally magic this time as the offense ground to a halt with three quick punts in the decisive third quarter.
Texas: A run game that has been missing most of the season erupted in the second half as Texas took control. Quintrevion Wiser rushed for a season-high 155 yards.
Up next
Texas A&M: Awaits the final CFP rankings on Dec. 7.
Texas: Awaits its bowl game destination with an eye on the CFP rankings.
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Jim Vertuno, The Associated Press
