Arch Manning passed for one touchdown and rushed for another as No. 16 Texas kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive with a 27-17 victory over No. 3 Texas A&M on Friday night in Southeastern Conference play at Austin, Texas.
Ryan Wingo caught a touchdown pass, Nick Townsend rushed for a score and Jack Endries had four receptions for 93 yards for the Longhorns (9-3, 6-2 SEC), who dominated the second half after trailing 10-3 at halftime.
Manning completed 14 of 29 passes for 179 yards and rushed for 53 yards on seven attempts. Quintrevion Wisner rushed for 155 yards on 19 carries – his highest total since going for 186 yards in last year’s win over the Aggies.
Marcel Reed completed 20 of 32 passes for 180 yards and two fourth-quarter interceptions for Texas A&M (11-1, 7-1). The Aggies aren’t in danger of missing the College Football Playoff, but the setback eliminates Texas A&M from a spot in next weekend’s SEC Championship.
Georgia clinched a spot due to the Aggies’ loss. The Bulldogs will play either Alabama or Ole Miss, depending on the Crimson’s Tide result against Auburn on Saturday.
KC Concepcion rushed for a touchdown for Texas A&M. Reed rushed for 71 yards on 12 carries.
The Aggies moved within 20-17 when EJ Smith scored on a 13-yard run with 9:15 remaining in the game.
Texas answered with a four-play, 63-yard drive in which Manning kept the ball and avoided one tackle and raced 35 yards to give the Longhorns a 27-17 lead with 7:04 to play.
On Texas A&M’s next possession, Reed was intercepted by Michael Taaffe at the Texas 3-yard line with 3:41 remaining. When the Aggies got the ball back, Reed was picked off on the first play by Kobe Black at the Longhorns’ 32 with 2:26 remaining and Texas ran out the clock.
Texas scored the first 17 points of the second half to turn a seven-point deficit into a 20-10 advantage.
Mason Shipley booted a 46-yard field goal to bring the Longhorns within four with 11:56 left in the third quarter before Wingo caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from Manning with 7:12 remaining to give Texas a 13-10 lead.
Manning’s 54-yard pass to Jack Endries late in the quarter set up another Longhorns’ touchdown. Endries caught the pass at the Aggies’ 38, but Texas A&M couldn’t get him down until the 2.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Townsend scored from the 2 as Texas took a 20-10 lead.
Concepcion’s 8-yard scoring run with 56 seconds left in the second quarter gave the Aggies a 10-3 halftime lead.
Shipley kicked a 41-yard field goal to give Texas a 3-0 lead with 12:04 left in the second period. The Aggies tied it on Jared Zirkel’s 31-yard field goal with 6:41 left in the half.
