-
dave wilson
College Station, Texas — Texas A&MHistoric season as quarterback ends with a gut punch marcel reidwho got the aggies there miami Threw an interception in the back of the end zone at the 5-yard line with 27 seconds remaining 10-3 Damage at Kyle Field.
Saturday’s loss in front of 104,122, the second-largest crowd in CFP history, ended the Aggies’ season at 11-2, tying A&M’s 1939, 1998 and 2012 teams for the second-most wins in program history, behind the 1992 team, which finished 12-1.
Aggies second-year head coach Mike Elko said the loss will be sad but it should not diminish what the team accomplished. When he took over before last season, he said this was not a typical program ready to compete for a national championship. In his first season, the Aggies finished 8–5 after a 7–1 start and went into the offseason vowing to place an emphasis on finishing games. They did this all year and started 11–0 but lost their final two games: to Texas in Austin and then to the Hurricanes, their first loss at home this season.
“We haven’t been able to tilt the odds in our favor in the last two games,” Elko said. “He’s gonna be a killer. A reason not to go to Atlanta [to the SEC championship]One for not going to the quarterfinals. So it’s a killer, but you have to swallow it and you have to move on like we did last year.”
Elko said that he and his staff believed that this team had “pretty slim odds” to succeed in each game, and the season played out exactly that way. He said that as an adult he can handle disappointment but that he is hurting his players. Still, he emphasized that he doesn’t want to overlook what his players have done to help turn the situation around for the Aggies.
Elko said, “I told the seniors who just played their last game, they have made a mark that will never fade in elevating this program. From where this program was two years ago to where it is now, I don’t think it can be overstated on people.” “I told the guys coming back, we still have another big step to take to close out the program. I think the last two games have shown that.”
Elko said their offense had become one-dimensional, and he credited Miami’s defense for preventing the Aggies from running the ball, allowing the Canes to attack Reed.
“Marcell Reed may not be our leading rusher,” Elko said of his second-year quarterback, who had 15 carries for 27 yards, 6 more than the running back. Reuben Owens II“He can’t have the most stuff, It can’t be that way,”
As the game ended after the interception, Reed sat dejectedly on the bench, with a towel wrapped around his head. Reed’s offensive coordinator, Collin Klein, is leading his alma mater, Kansas State, as the Wildcats’ new coach. The two talked after the game about how close their relationship is, with Reed saying that Klein is like a father to him.
“It didn’t really feel real,” Reed said. “I don’t want the season to end. There are a lot of changes going to be made after the season, so I really didn’t want it to end. It sucks.”
torian yorkThe Aggies’ All-SEC linebacker said he was proud of the steps the team has taken and called the season a “foundation-builder,” adding that A&M finally reached the big stage and plans to continue building.
“We’re really just scratching the surface of who we’re going to be in the future,” he said.
The Aggies battled Miami defensively all day, but carson beckshovel pass of Malachi Tony The game started with 1:44 left. The Aggies’ offense responded, giving them a chance to tie the game in the first bryce fitzgeraldReed’s second interception of the day ended A&M’s season and crushed the Kyle Field faithful.
“We were 5 yards behind and that’s something we’ll have to live with throughout the offseason,” Elko said. “But [I’m] Still proud of this team, proud of what they accomplished, proud of what they did.”
