COLLEGE STATION, Texas (WIAT) — Alabama overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to down Texas A&M, 26-20, Saturday.
After trailing 17-10 at the half, Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe found receiver Jermaine Burton for a 15-yard touchdown to tie up the contest midway through the third quarter. Milroe then found Burton again, this time for a 19-yard touchdown, toward the end of the quarter to give Alabama the lead.
With about six minutes left in the fourth quarter, Alabama recorded a safety after Aggie quarterback Max Johnson committed an intentional grounding in his own end zone. In the contest’s last few minutes, the Aggies reached the Alabama 2-yard line but settled for a 20-yard field goal after a strong pushback from the Tide defense.
Against an Aggie squad that was averaging 38.6 points and 443.4 offensive yards per game heading into the contest, the Tide surrendered 306 yards. Johnson was held to 239 yards and one touchdown while also throwing an interception.
Alabama moves to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in SEC play on the season.
Milroe puts on nice performance
The redshirt sophomore went 21-of-33 for 321 yards and three touchdowns. Milroe threw an interception on the first drive of the second half.
With the game knotted up at three to start the second quarter, Milroe went deep and connected with receiver Isaiah Bond, resulting in a 52-yard touchdown.
The Katy, Texas, native struggled on the ground because he was sacked six times. Milroe finished the day with -31 rushing yards, though he recorded a 12-yard run.
Special teams shines when it needs to
At about the nine-minute mark of the fourth quarter, Tide linebacker Chris Braswell blocked a 41-yard field goal attempt and recovered the football. Braswell returned the ball into the end zone, but a personal foul nullified the score.
When Texas A&M went for an onside kick with 2:11 left in the game, Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry got his hands on the ball. Alabama held on to the ball for the remainder of the game to secure the victory.
False starts, penalties hinder the Tide
Alabama was called for five false starts in the first half. It also sustained an unsportsmanlike conduct in the first 30 minutes. The Tide then committed four false starts in the final half. Those infractions cost the Tide 50 yards.
On the other side of the ball, the Tide were called for roughing the passer, pass interference, personal foul and holding. Those penalties combined for 49 yards. Despite Alabama committing 14 accepted penalties, it overcame those mistakes.
