How it Happened: Texas A&M scores 31 points in final 23 minutes to beat LSU
LSU and Texas A&M entered the night tied at the top of the Southeastern Conference standings, but a collapse from the Tigers and Texas A&M’s ability to capitalize was the difference.
In a game LSU led 17-7 with a little more than 8 minutes remaining in the third quarter, the offense suffered miscue after miscue and paid for it with a loss.
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After holding Texas A&M starter Conner Weigman to six completions on the first eight drives, three interceptions by Garrett Nussmeier and the Aggies turning to backup quarterback Marcel Reed led to Texas A&M scoring 31 points in the final 23 minutes on a night when LSU was held to 24 yards rushing.
The result: a 38-24 defeat that gives LSU two losses and means the Tigers have to go unbeaten against Alabama, Florida, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma for a shot at the 12-team College Football Playoffs.
LSU strikes first in College Station
10/26/2024, 7:02:50 PMAfter Texas A&M won the toss and deferred to the second half, giving LSU the ball first in a battle of Top 15 teams that sit atop the SEC standings entering Saturday night.
Both teams traded punts, and on LSU’s second drive, the Tigers turned to freshman running back Caden Durham on the first three plays, and he delivered a catch for six yards, a run for 10 yards and another catch for 40 yards. After a pair of catches from wide receiver CJ Daniels, the Tigers were in the red zone.
One play later, running back Josh Williams broke free for a 13-yard run, but the next two plays – both going to Williams – resulted in a 3rd-and-goal, and after an overthrown pass to Trey’Dez Green, kicker Damian Ramos got LSU on the board with the chip shot field goal.
A turnover gives LSU a 10-0 lead out of the gates
10/26/2024, 8:19:35 PMFor the second week in a row, LSU jumped out to a 10-0 lead in an SEC road game.
The Aggies opened the offense’s second drive with an incomplete pass and a run for no gain, and on third down, a pass to running back Le’Veon Moss resulted in a gain of 11 yards, but LSU safety Sage Ryan popped the ball loose for fellow safety Jardin Gilbert to recover. Texas A&M was also flagged for a personal foul after the play, giving LSU the ball at the TAMU 21-yard line. After picking up a first down, the Tigers scored the game’s first touchdown on a short pass from quarterback Garrett Nussmeier to tight end Mason Taylor.
LSU leads 10-7 after the first quarter
10/26/2024, 8:19:26 PMThere were 17 total points on the scoreboard before the first quarter ended thanks to a 9-play, 75-yard drive by Texas A&M to cut into LSU’s lead.
A 7-yard touchdown run by Moss delivered the Aggies the touchdown, giving LSU the 10-7 lead headed into the second quarter.
Anderson goes 76 yards to give LSU a double-digit lead
10/26/2024, 8:06:32 PMLong drives resulted in no points for either team before LSU took the ball from the 10-yard line and turned it into a touchdown in less than a minute when wide receiver Aaron Anderson hauled in a third down catch and took it 76 yards for the touchdown with a little more than 5 minutes left until halftime.
Halftime: LSU 17, Texas A&M 7
10/26/2024, 8:18:55 PMLSU forced a punt after Anderson’s long touchdown, but after driving into Texas A&M territory, the Tigers settled for a field goal attempt. For the second time in three attempts on the night, Ramos missed the field goal, this time from 49 yards out. The Aggies took over at the 32-yard line with 2:46 left on the clock, and LSU’s defense forced a turnover on downs after Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko gave the green light to go for it on fourth down near midfield. LSU defensive tackle Gio Paez batted the ball down to end Texas A&M’s chances of cutting into the double-digit lead before halftime.
LSU’s defense was the biggest storyline across the first 30 minutes, holding Texas A&M under 100 yards rushing and under 100 yards passing in the first half. The results of Texas A&M’s six drives: Punt, Fumble, TD, Punt, Punt, Turnover on Downs. Meanwhile, Nussmeier passed for 259 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Weigman completed just five passes for 49 yards.
Weigman benched, Reed sparks Texas A&M immediately
10/26/2024, 10:28:43 PMIn a game LSU was in control of, the score was still just 17-7 when Nussmeier threw an interception on a forced attempt under pressure. To that point, Weigman had completed just six passes on eight possessions. When Nussmeier turned it over deep in LSU’s own territory, the Aggies made the change for Marcel Reed, who scored on a running touchdown on his first snap at quarterback.
Nussmeier falls apart in third quarter, Reed sparks Aggies
10/26/2024, 10:29:40 PMNussmeier passed for 259 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, and the Tigers – after leaving points on the board by way of stalled drives and multiple missed field goals – were up 17-7 at the break. Then came one of the more mind-boggling quarters of the year for LSU, a stretch when Nussmeier passed for just 39 yards and threw a pair of interceptions that led to a Texas A&M touchdown and another drive that set the Aggies up deep in LSU territory to begin the fourth quarter with Texas A&M leading 21-17.
Nussmeier, LSU answer with a quick TD drive
10/26/2024, 9:49:08 PMAfter a third quarter to forget, Nussmeier and the LSU offense answered back-to-back touchdowns by Texas A&M with a 9-play, 78-yard drive that ended with a quarterback sneak from the goal line for the touchdownb. Down 28-23, the Tigers went for the 2-point conversion, which failed after Nussmeier threw it away after pressure came in a hurry. With the touchdown, LSU was down 28-23 with 9:57 remaining in the game.
5 Drives, 5 scores with Reed at QB for the Aggies
10/26/2024, 10:20:23 PMHolding Weigman in check turned into the worst-case scenario for an LSU defense that held Texas A&M to just 7 points with less than nine minutes left in the third quarter. With three interceptions by Nussmeier that led to short fields for the Aggies, Reed used his first five drives to get five scores for Texas A&M, while the LSU offense turned in a second half that resulted in a punt, interception, turnover on downs, interception, touchdown and interception as the Aggies took a 38-23 lead on a field goal with less than four minutes left in the game.
In the span of less than 20 minutes, the Tigers had blown a 17-7 lead in what turned into a blowout for the Aggies.
Texas A&M wins the tale of two halves
10/26/2024, 10:36:49 PMLSU was never able to put away Texas A&M after a dominant showing across the first half and into the third quarter, coming up with just 17 points while stalling on drives, missing multiple field goals, a field goal snap gone awry and turnovers on downs.
The Aggies made the Tigers pay after capitalizing on Nussmeier’s interceptions and the change to Reed at quarterback, closing out with a 38-23 win in a game LSU led 17-7 at halftime. In the final 23 minutes, the Aggies scored 31 points.
