Texas A&M stuns No. 3 Auburn, 41-38

Twice the ball didn’t bounce Auburn’s way like it has so often.

In a 41-38 upset victory Saturday, Texas A&M pulled off some of the late-game magic that No.3 Auburn has made its trademark.

Freshman Kyle Allen threw four touchdown passes in the first half and the Aggies recovered two late fumbles in a game that likely ended the Tigers’ playoff hopes.

“It hurts. It hurts our team,” Coach Gus Malzahn said. “We had goals and dreams and we didn’t get it done.”

The Aggies (7-3, 3-3 Southeastern Conference), who were 23-point underdogs, wound up dancing on the sideline.

“These past two weeks, no one really believed in us, but I feel like we always do our best when no one believes in us,” offensive lineman Mike Matthews said.

The Tigers (7-2, 4-2) twice appeared to be driving toward a go-ahead touchdown before turning over the ball on plays that never really got going. First, Julien Obioha won a scramble for the ball at the two after Nick Marshall and Cameron Artis-Payne got tangled up in the backfield.

“It was a poor exchange, it’s something that never really happens,” said Artis-Payne, who rushed for 221 yards and two touchdowns.

Marshall said Artis-Payne had come up with the ball first. Obioha was more concerned with who had it last.

“A lot of stuff happens at the bottom of a pile. I’m not going to say exactly who had possession of it,” he said. “But when it is all said and done, I ended up with the ball and we had possession, so yes I did get the fumble.”

The Aggies couldn’t get away from their goal line before punting, and Trey Williams just managed to push the ball out of the end zone to avoid a safety on third down.

Then, the Tigers drove inside the 30 for one more shot. Marshall appeared to be still checking to a different play when center Reese Dismukes snapped it on first down from the 28.

“It was just a miscommunication,” Dismukes said.

Alonzo Williams recovered with 54 seconds left, setting off a celebratory dance by Texas A&M players and leaving most of the Jordan-Hare Stadium crowd in stunned silence.

Coach Kevin Sumlin said stoppages to review several key plays late, all upheld by replay officials, were nerve-racking.

“That’s going to happen in big games and close games,” Sumlin said. “The ball bounced our way.”

Texas A&M had lost three consecutive SEC games. Auburn, the defending SEC champion and national runner-up, had won 14 home games in a row.

Allen was poised and steady in his second career start and first on the road. He completed 19 of 29 passes for 277 yards with an interception, mostly avoiding miscues.

“He definitely had a little swagger to him,” Matthews said. “He came in this game and he didn’t seem like a freshman at all, he seemed like he has started four years at this university.”

Allen capped Texas A&M’s first two drives with touchdown passes of 60 yards to Malcome Kennedy and 36 to Josh Reynolds for a 14-0 lead. Kennedy had 118 yards receiving and Reynolds caught a seven-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.

It might not have come down to the wire, but Myles Garrett blocked a field-goal try and Deshazor Everett returned it 65 yards down the Auburn sideline for a touchdown on the final play of the first half, a rapid-fire 10-point turnaround. Auburn spent the rest of the game trying to peck away at a 35-17 deficit. Josh Lambo kicked field goals of 22 and 27 yards in the second half.

Marshall completed 15 of 21 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown, and had 67 yards in 18 carries. He had only 80 yards passing going into the fourth quarter.

“We’re going to get everyone’s best shot,” Tigers defensive tackle Angelo Blackson said. “No one’s just going to roll over and take a butt whipping.”