5 Texas A&M barely survived a trip to Mile High Stadium and avoided an upset taking the game's first lead in the final minutes of Saturday's 10-7 win against Colorado.
Carl Dorrell's Buffalo took the lead with a touchdown drive late in the first quarter and held that advantage to a 2:41 point in the fourth quarter, when Aggies backup quarterback Zack Calzada avoided the pressure and hit Isaiah Spiller at a wheel. Touchdown strike to run back. Way out of the backfield. The score completed a crucial 11-play, 77-yard drive that included multiple third-down conversions for an offense that struggled to extend the drive for most of the game.
TOUCHDOWN AGGIES!@AggieFootball's @isaiah_spiller finds the end zone to give Texas A&M a 10-7 lead late in the 4th quarter 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/RRTdIrCBGH
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 11, 2021
Calzada is the result of the biggest growth for Texas A&M in the game at all - both in this game and for the season. Starting quarterback Haynes King left with a foot injury in the first quarter after only two pass attempts and was replaced by Calzada, who finished the game with 183 yards for 183 yards and seven. Another 29 rushing yards covered on attempts. . Texas A&M only confirmed that King was ruled out for the rest of the game with a lower leg injury, but the quarterback was seen without pads, wearing running boots and using a pair of crutches. .
For Colorado, the result is incredibly disappointing, considering how long it controlled the game. As long as Texas A&M continued to struggle on the third down, the Buffs seemed happy to play the field position, and that strong defense was eventually knocked down where he could not defend the lead with just one touchdown of the offense. Could do
Here are three things to know about the game:
The Calzada is almost another moving TD . Was
One of the biggest moments in the game came at the start of the fourth when the touchdown was reversed into an Aegis fumble and a touchback for Colorado to take the lead at Texas A&M. With about nine minutes left in the game, Calzada flew from the 12-yard line to third and made his way to the end zone. However, extending it to cross the plane of the end zone lost possession of the ball, and Colorado recovered the loose ball.
On top of that, A&M scored a post-play individual foul penalty, which boosted Colorado's field position after a touchback. In the moment, it looked like the kind of swing that could have decided the game, but credit for getting the stops needed for Texas A&M's defense.
Touchdown or fumble? 🤔
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 11, 2021
Sponsored by @allstate #AllstateGoodHands pic.twitter.com/rEF1nlaP3G
Colorado Pac-12 . I will be hard
Dorell's group wanted a shot at victory in the fourth quarter and that was exactly what they had on Saturday. The Buffs have a deep running back room that plays the ball well, with not only 2020 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year Jarek Broussard, but also Alex Fontaine and Ashaad Clayton, a talented freshman out of New Orleans. Clayton only had three carries, but he could be a big factor as the season progresses. Throw in quarterback Brandon Lewis's running ability, and this is a team that can cause problems by beating opponents on the line of melee.
This is not a team that wins on the periphery, especially against Texas A&M. So while it was okay to play field conditions and rely on defense for much of the game, the inability to add a second score to the tally kept the Buffs from getting upset in the top-five. Colorado will be tough for Pac-12 South candidates like USC, UCLA, Utah and Arizona State, but winning those games will require more success through the passing game.
A&M Isn't a Balanced SEC Contender... Yet
Talent on Mike Elko's defense was on full display for three scoreless quarters after going 7-0 down. While Texas A&M struggled early in the third down positions, it wasn't like Colorado was doing much better, finishing 4-for-14 in third place for the game. That group was put in a difficult position all day and it kept on answering the calls. If Texas A&M can set up a game plan with Calzada that leads to greater success, maybe we're just about as close to Alabama as the Aggies are in the election. For now, there's a noticeable level of tension between these two SEC West frontrunners. And it all starts with the offensive side of the ball and the quarterback position.
2-0. #GigEm pic.twitter.com/0PGjBEbGaY
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 11, 2021
Third down sack ✅
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 11, 2021
Fourth down stop ✅
1:40 to go! #GigEm pic.twitter.com/nHpb95Tn5e