Texas A&M completely collapsed in a 45-44 loss to UCLA at the Rose Bowl on Sunday in Los Angeles. Here are five observations from what in the world happened Sunday night:
1. Texas A&M led 44-10 with three minutes left in the third quarter.
Yes, you read that right. The Aggies blew a 34-point lead in less than 18 minutes. I can’t even come up with words to describe this. The Aggies just fell apart.
2. Choke job on every level.
The offense stopped producing, the defense disappeared and even the special teams played a role. Freshman quarterback Kellen Mond completed just 2-of-14 passes for 20 yards after Sophomore Nick Starkel got injured in the third quarter. The defense allowed just 168 yards and 10 points on the first 11 drives and then gave up 396 yards and 35 points on the last five. Braden Mann’s 43-yard field goal attempt with 4:41 to play might’ve been enough to stave off the Bruins, but Mann didn’t get under it and the ball fell well short.
3. Texas A&M will be a running team this season.
Kevin Sumlin has always been an air raid guy, but if this game was a sign of what’s to come, the Aggies are committed to the ground game for the foreseeable future. A&M had 63 rushing attempts to just 30 passes, that’s more than a two-to-one ratio, and Aggie quarterbacks combined to complete only 30 percent of their passes (9/30). Sophomore Trayvon Williams rushed for 203 yards and two touchdowns on 22 attempts and senior Keith Ford added 114 yards and three scores on 18. Somehow, that wasn’t enough to hold on to a five-score lead.
4. Let’s give UCLA some credit.
The Bruins could’ve just given up. They were facing a seemingly insurmountable deficit. I had already written five observations that looked very different from the ones you’re reading write now. But the Bruins refused to waive the white flag. They kept fighting, and for their perseverance, they were rewarded with a victory they won’t soon forget. Junior quarterback Josh Rosen started a measly 11-of-27 for 125 yards, but finished by going 24-of-32 for 366 to spur UCLA’s furious comeback.
5. This was the perfect ending to my weekend-long family reunion.
My older brother, a 2009 Texas A&M graduate and proud wearer of the 12th man jersey, was in town for my Grandma’s 90th birthday. He recently started dating a girl who was a diehard Cowboys fan. My brother was never really into the NFL, but after this game, all he could say was: “I guess I picked a good season to start watching the Cowboys.”
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