Moss runs to the rescue as Aggies outlast Hogs, 21-17

"Arkansas, Texas A&M, and AT&T Stadium, how else would you expect it to go?" coach Mike Elko said after the Aggies (4-1, 2-0 SEC) beat the Razorbacks (2-2, 1-1 SEC) 21-17. It's the ninth win in 10 games at AT&T Stadium and 12 in the last 13 meetings for the Aggies.

Typically, the game started with an explosive play by Arkansas, as normally happens in this series. Under pressure on a 3rd and 11 from his own 24, quarterback Taylen Green (23-41, 279 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) found a wide open Isaac Teesla, who had blown past nickel Jaydon Hill for a 76-yard touchdown. Three plays in, the Aggies were down 7-0.

"Obviously, three guys around them, you know, we got to make that play," defensive end Nic Scourton (4 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble) said.

A&M went three and out on their first drive, then found their footing on their second possession. After two carries by Le'Veon Moss (13 carries, 117 yards) picked up 12 yards, quarterback Marcel Reed (11-22, 153 yards, 2 TD) found a wide open Noah Thomas deep in the Arkansas secondary. Thomas discarded Arkansas corner Kee'yon Stewart, then outran Razorbacks defenders for a 58-yard score to tie the game at 7 with less than five minutes gone.

But, as is normal for this series, the Razorbacks would come back with a trick play. After a sack by Hill forced Arkansas into a 4th and 15 at their own 46, punter Devin Bale rolled to his right and simply took off, exploiting a huge gap for a 25-yard gain. Running back Ja'Quinden Jackson scored three plays later on an 8-yard run to put the Hogs up 14-7.

Arkansas then forced A&M to punt on the next two possessions, but punter Tyler White put both inside the Razorbacks 10-yard-line. After the second pinned them at their 9, Aggie defensive end Shemar Stewart stormed into the backfield untouched and slammed into Jackson as he took the handoff, forcing a fumble. Linebacker Scooby Williams recovered, setting the Aggies up at the Arkansas 10.

Reed scampered in from 5 yards out two plays later, tying the score at 14 with 8:58 to go in the half. The score would stay there through the rest of the half and the entire third quarter.

Arkansas finally broke the deadlock with a 45-yard field goal by Kyle Ramsey with 13:24 in the game. It looked like the Razorbacks were in control, thanks to A&M's inept offensive performance after the second touchdown, but little did anyone know things were about to change.

Le'Veon Moss had changed into his green cleats.

"I started the game with my white cleats, as y'all had seen," he said. "I think it was third quarter I think I changed them up. Beginning of the third quarter, I changed them up and just went uphill from that."

The Aggies got the ball to their own 49 before the Razorbacks felt the fury of the green cleats. On 3rd and 4, Moss got the carry, ran over an Arkansas defensive lineman and carried defenders for 23 yards down to the Razorbacks' 28. Running with a scarcely controlled rage, Moss carried for 8 and 15 more yards to set the Aggies up at the Arkansas 5. Reed then found a wide open tight end Tre Watson for a 5-yard touchdown pass, the first of Watson's Aggie career.

"(Moss) got dinged up a little bit early and so we didn't have him a good part of the middle of the game. He was kind of working through some different things, and we finally got him healthy and ready to roll when it was time," Elko said, "and he was able to go out there and rip off some really big runs."

The Razorbacks got the ball back with exactly nine minutes left in the game and moved the ball to the Aggie 40 before Scourton tackles Green for a 3-yard loss and Stewart provided pressure on third down that forced a contested throw. But Dale's punt was nearly perfect, and the Aggies had to start a foot from their own goal line.

In a daring call, offensive coordinator Collin Klein called for Reed to roll out to his right and throw, and the pass was on the money to Jabre Barber for a first down at the 11. After an offsides penalty moved the ball to the 16, Moss broke loose for a 30-yard run, getting the Aggies into Arkansas territory after a facemask penalty added 15-more yards.

"I'm a big fan of Lev (Le'Veon). I love the way Lev plays. He runs the ball super hard," Scourton said. "Watching him go out there and make plays and watching the offense go out there and make plays, it was special. I couldn't sit down. I was excited."

The Aggie drive would stall, but White would come through again, forcing Arkansas to start at their own 10 with 2:44 to go in the game. While that much time has been an eternity in this series, Scourton was ready to get back out on the field.

"Coach Tony [Jerod-Eddie was] slapping the hell out of us and telling us to go get a sack. I mean, that's all it was," he said. "We were about to go rush. This is what you dream of as a D-lineman."

Arkansas moved the ball out to their own 34 before Scourton made the game's decisive play. On first and 10, Green was pressured and rolled to his right. Scourton, who was behind him, was lying in wait.

"I was thinking, 'Just get a good get off.' I know he loves to roll out to that throwing hand," Scourton said. "When I seen him get stuck in his read, I knew he was going to run. That's when the instinct just kicked in, you know, get the ball out."

That is exactly what he did, swatting the ball free for Hill to get some redemption, as he made the recovery at the Arkansas 28. A&M would then get slapped with 30 yards in unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, but they kept the ball. After Moss picked up 14 yards in two carries, the ball game was essentially over.

Elko praised his team for being unflappable in the face of adversity, as they came back twice and overcame a sluggish offensive performance to take the game.

"Nobody blinked on our sideline. I think that's a testament to where we are as a program from a culture standpoint," he said.

Moss, who ended up with 90 yards rushing in the decisive fourth quarter, said his teammates had one goal in mind.

"The focus was just bringing that (Southwest Classic) trophy back on the plane with us," he said. "We knew we were going to finish this game the right way."