AM comes back from 17 down to take control of South
COLLEGE STATION, Texas(AP) Jorvorskie Lane rushed for two touchdowns and had his first TD catch as Texas A&M matched its largest comeback ever, rallying from 17 points down to beat Oklahoma State 24-23 on Saturday night to take over first place in the Big 12 South.
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The Aggies (5-1, 2-0) trailed 17-0 at halftime after mustering only 132 yards in the first half against the Cowboys' porous defense, which was allowing a league-worst 443 yards per game.
Matt Szymanski started the comeback by kicking a 22-yard field goal on A&M's first series of the third quarter.
Dantrell Savage fumbled on the Cowboys' first play after halftime and A&M safety Alton Dixon recovered at the Oklahoma State 17 and Lane scored on a 1-yard run six plays later.
Oklahoma State (3-3, 1-1) answered with a 15-play drive that chewed up more than seven minutes. Savage scampered for 25 yards on a third-and-22 to keep the Cowboys moving. But Dixon and Chris Harrington sacked Zac Robinson on a third-and-goal from the 1 and Jason Ricks kicked a 25-yard field goal to make it 20-10 late in the third quarter.
A&M called a running-back pass play to start the final rally. From midfield, Lane took a handoff from quarterback Stephen McGee and heaved a pass to Kerry Franks, who was tackled at the goal line by safety Andre Sexton. Officials reviewed the play to see if Franks scored, but placed the ball at the 1. Lane finished the drive with another 1-yard TD run.
Robinson was knocked out of the game with 13:13 left, after Harrington and Henry Smith hit him. Robinson was helped off the field by two trainers and Bobby Reid, demoted from the starting role in the second game of the season, replaced him.
The Aggies drove 61 yards for the go-ahead score. On third down from the 10, McGee dumped a short pass to Lane, who trotted into the end zone with 8:04 left in the game.
Reid guided the Cowboys to the Aggies' 8 inside the 5-minute mark. But a holding penalty stalled the drive and Ricks kicked a 25-yard field goal with 3:11 left to cut A&M's lead to 24-23.
The Cowboys forced an A&M punt, but Oklahoma State safety Quinton Moore was called for roughing punter Justin Brantly on a block attempt with 1:46 to go.
The Aggies killed the clock from there, matching their largest all-time comeback. In 1986, A&M trailed Baylor 17-0 and won 31-30.
Adarius Bowman caught two touchdown passes in the first half, one from Savage on a trick play. Robinson went 10-for-17 for 158 yards before he was injured.