No. 5 Texas A&M continues perfect start with 34-17 win over Florida Gators – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Marcel Reed threw for 234 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score as No. 5 Texas A&M continued its perfect start with a 34-17 victory over Florida on Saturday night.
It’s the first 6-0 start for the Aggies since 2016 and they improved to 3-0 in Southeastern Conference play.
Florida (2-4, 1-2) was unable to build off last week’s 29-21 upset over then-No. 9 Texas that snapped a three-game skid as coach Billy Napier fell to 0-14 on the road against ranked opponents.
Texas A&M scored touchdowns on its first three possessions but managed only a field goal after that until Rueben Owens scored on a 2-yard run that made it 31-17 with about 4 1/2 minutes to go.
That score came after Florida couldn’t take advantage of a turnover and Texas A&M took more than eight minutes off the clock on the drive. The Aggies led by 7 when Jordan Castell intercepted Reed in the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter. DJ Lagway’s pass was deflected and fell incomplete on fourth-and-6 near midfield to give Texas A&M the ball back to start the drive that ended in the score by Owens.
Dayon Hayes sacked Lagway and forced a fumble that the Aggies recovered on the first play of Florida’s next drive and they tacked on a field goal to seal the victory.
The Gators looked good early and it was tied at 14 at the end of the first quarter before Texas A&M outscored them 20-3 the rest of the way.
Lagway threw for 245 yards with two touchdowns and Vernell Brown III had six receptions for 77 yards as the Gators faced their fourth straight opponent ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll.
The Aggies had 183 yards rushing a week after running for a season-high 303 yards despite starter Le’Veon Moss leaving before halftime with an apparent injury. Owens ran for 51 yards and Moss had five carries for 46 yards and a touchdown before limping off the field in the second quarter.
Brown fumbled early in the third quarter and it was recovered by Taurean York on the Florida 29. Texas A&M couldn’t move the ball and settled for a 26-yard field goal that made it 24-14.
Florida cut the lead to 24-17 on a 45-yard field goal with about seven minutes left in the third quarter.
Lagway put the Gators up early with his 1-yard TD pass to Amir Jackson on their first drive.
The Aggies evened it up when Reed scrambled eight yards for a score on the second play and their first possession. A 67-yard grab by Mario Craver set up that score.
Texas A&M took a 14-7 lead on Reed’s 22-yard pass to Jamarion Morrow later in the first quarter.
It was tied again after Lagway found Dallas Wilson for a 6-yard touchdown on the next drive. That touchdown came two plays after Lagway connected with Brown for a 31-yard gain.
Moss ran through a defender and dashed 22 yards for a score that gave A&M a 21-14 lead early in the second quarter.
The takeaway
The Aggies should move up at least one spot after No. 3 Oregon lost at home to Indiana Saturday. The loss drops Napier to 21-23 in four seasons in Gainesville with a tough upcoming schedule which includes games against No. 10 Georgia and fourth-ranked Ole Miss.
Up Next
Florida: Hosts Mississippi State next Saturday.
Texas A&M: At Arkansas next Saturday.
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