Tie Feels Like a Loss for No. 7 Texas A&M; : SWC: Aggies overcome a 14-0 deficit but fall short of victory against SMU, 21-21.

Texas A&M; lost a tie game on Saturday.

Although the scoreboard said it was a 21-21 tie with Southern Methodist, there was no way the seventh-ranked Aggies could consider it anything less than a defeat.

“Even great teams have to lose sometime,” said Rodney Thomas of the Aggies, who ran for three touchdowns. “You remember when it happens and it gets you refocused on what it takes to win. We got that feeling back of what it’s like to lose.”

Perfect through seven games, the Aggies were among a handful of undefeated teams with legitimate shots at a national title. That is all over now for Texas A&M;, as is its 26-game Southwest Conference winning streak.

“We didn’t play very well, and SMU did. They took it to us,” Texas A&M; Coach R.C. Slocum said. “We figured it would happen sooner or later. We just didn’t know who or under what circumstances.”

When Kyle Bryant’s 67-yard field goal-attempt dropped short with one second to play, the Aggies were left at 7-0-1 overall and 4-0-1 in the Southwest Conference.

Bryant’s attempt came 28 seconds after SMU’s Ben Crosland was wide right on a 43-yarder that would have given SMU (1-7-1, 0-4-1) one of the biggest upsets in years in college football.

“I think my adrenaline took over,” Crosland said. “It was only a 43-yard attempt and I think I kicked it too hard.”

SMU Coach Tom Rossley said his team “dedicated (itself) in practice this week to play their best game of the year. The defense turned in an extra special performance.”

Texas A&M; had to rally merely to tie the game after SMU built a 14-0 halftime lead.

Thomas, who ran for 134 yards, got the first of his three touchdowns on a 57-yard run in the third quarter and caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Corey Pullig early in the fourth. The Aggies trailed, 14-13, when Keith Waguespack missed the conversion attempt.

Pullig lost a fumble at the Texas A&M; 29, setting up Ramon Flanigan’s second touchdown, a three-yard run with 8:12 to play that boosted SMU’s lead to 21-13.

Thomas’ 35-yard touchdown run with 6:18 to play brought Texas A&M; within 21-19 and Pullig tied the score with a pass to Brian Mitchell for a two-point conversion.

“I didn’t think we executed well on offense,” Flanigan said. “We just made the plays when we had to. . . . But we did put some points on the board.”