AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Arch Manning scored a touchdown and ran for the game-tying score late in the fourth quarter, and No. 16 Texas beat No. 3 Texas A&M 27-17 on Friday night, spoiling the Aggies' undefeated season and knocking them out of the Southeastern Conference championship game.
Manning's 29-yard pass to Ryan Wingo in the third quarter gave Texas (9-3, 6-2 SEC, No. 16 CFP) a 13-10 lead in a tight defensive game. His 35-yard run up the middle on third down with 7:04 left in the game put the Longhorns up 27-17.
Texas, which started the season No. 1 and was unranked at one point, beat a top-10 opponent for the third time this season to keep its slim hopes of making the College Football Playoff for the third straight time alive.
The Aggies (11-1, 7-1, No. 3 CFP) have all but secured the No. 1 playoff spot, but a loss to their archrival will hurt the program for a long time. Texas A&M has not played for an SEC title since joining the league in the 2012 season.
Texas A&M defensive end Marcel Reed, who became a late-season Heisman Trophy contender and led the Aggies in a stunning second-half rally against South Carolina two weeks ago, threw two fourth-quarter interceptions against the Longhorns, one of them at the Texas 3.
Texas A&M led 10-3 at halftime before Texas took control with 17 straight points in the third quarter.
The Aggies pushed the lead to 20-17 before Manning's big touchdown run. Facing third-and-short, Manning ran down the right side of the line, found a seam to slide into the secondary, and grabbed the ball tightly as it crossed the goal line ahead of a rushing defender.
Conclusion
Texas A&M: The Aggies couldn't find any rally magic this time as the offense was stalled by three quick punts in the decisive third quarter.
Texas: A game that had been missing for most of the season picked up steam in the second half as Texas took control. Quintrevion Weiser rushed for a season-high 155 yards.
Next
Texas A&M: Expects final CFP rankings Dec. 7.
Texas: Waiting for a bowl spot with an eye on the CFP rankings.
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