No. 10 Texas A&M turned a tight game into a runaway late, using a flurry of takeaways to bury Arizona State 48-20 on Saturday afternoon in College Station, Texas.
Marcel Reed did his part on offense, throwing three touchdown passes and completing 15 of 25 attempts for 163 yards. He was also intercepted once. But the real separation came from the Aggies’ defense and special teams-style chaos, as Marco Jones and Julio Humphrey each returned interceptions for touchdowns and Texas A&M forced four turnovers overall.
Isaiah Horton caught two of Reed’s touchdown throws, Mario Craver added another scoring grab, and Rueben Owens II powered in a rushing touchdown for Texas A&M, which improved to 2-0.
Arizona State’s Cutter Boley finished 21 of 34 for 254 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Boley had thrown for six touchdowns against Morgan State in Week 1 in his Sun Devils debut after transferring from Kentucky.
Reed Harris was the bright spot for Arizona State. He set new career highs with nine receptions and 189 receiving yards, and he found the end zone twice for the second straight week.
For much of the afternoon, the Sun Devils kept hanging around. Texas A&M took a 24-20 lead into the fourth quarter, and then the game snapped open. The Aggies scored 24 unanswered points in the final period, starting with Reed’s 33-yard touchdown pass to Craver that pushed the lead to 31-20 with 14:20 remaining.
The next dagger came when Boley’s pass was tipped by T.J. Searcy and floated into the air, where Jones snatched it and sprinted 55 yards for a touchdown. That made it an 18-point game with 8:50 left.
Arizona State’s next drive ended in more misery. Sam M'Pemba forced Kyson Brooks to fumble, Dalton Brooks recovered at the Sun Devils’ 26-yard line, and David Olano finished the possession with a 39-yard field goal to make it 44-20 with 5:58 remaining.
Then Humphrey slammed the door. Boley threw toward the left flat, Humphrey picked it off and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown, stretching the lead to 48-20 with 4:25 left.
The Aggies had already started to build their edge before the fourth-quarter avalanche. Owens opened the scoring with a 2-yard touchdown run at 4:55 of the first quarter. Arizona State answered when Boley hit Harris on a 21-yard touchdown pass with 21 seconds left in the period.
Reed then connected with Horton on a 4-yard touchdown to put Texas A&M ahead 14-7 with 9:15 left in the first half. Smith trimmed the margin with a 30-yard field goal three minutes later, but the Aggies restored a seven-point cushion when Olano drilled a 22-yard field goal with three seconds left before halftime.
Texas A&M went into the break up 17-10, and after Arizona State got within four on Carson Smith’s 35-yard field goal with 10:19 left in the third quarter, the Aggies answered again. Reed found Horton for a second time, this one a 13-yard score, to make it 24-13 with 5:53 left in the quarter.
Arizona State responded once more, as Boley and Harris hooked up on a 58-yard touchdown with 3:39 left in the third. That pulled the Sun Devils back within striking distance - until the turnovers hit, and Texas A&M buried them.
In Other News...
Arizona State Showed Real Promise Before One Costly Problem Took Over
Arizona State had plenty to like in the numbers against No. 10 Texas A&M, even in a 38-20 loss that got away late. The Sun Devils outgained the Aggies in total yards and first downs, and Cutter Boley put together a strong passing day with 254 yards and two touchdowns. Reed Harris also broke out in a big way, catching nine passes for 189 yards and two scores.
The problem was everything around those bright spots. Four turnovers, nine penalties and two special teams mistakes kept handing Texas A&M extra chances, and the Aggies made the most of them as the game slipped into the fourth quarter. Boleys two interceptions in the final period were especially costly, turning a competitive night into one Arizona State will spend plenty of time replaying. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona State Is About To Learn How Real This Hot Start Is
Arizona State opened with the kind of statement win that turns heads fast, rolling past Morgan State 70-7 behind Cutter Boleys six-touchdown day and a Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week nod. Now the Sun Devils get a much better read on where they stand, with a trip to No. 10 Texas A&M at Kyle Field offering a far steeper test than anything they saw in Week 1. The Aggies answered with a 50-0 win over Missouri State, so this one arrives with both teams carrying plenty of early momentum.
For Arizona State, the first real question is whether Boley can carry that same comfort into a much harsher environment than he saw in the opener. The second is on the other side of the ball, where the Sun Devils will have to sort out a Texas A&M offense led by Marcel Reed, a matchup that could quickly expose any softness in the early-season glow. If this start is as real as it looks, Saturday should help prove it. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona State Showed Fight But One Problem Changed Everything
Arizona State showed enough resistance early to keep things from getting out of hand at Kyle Field, but the Sun Devils could never clean up the mistakes that put them in a hole against Texas A&M. The Aggies turned four turnovers into points, with Marco Jones bringing back an interception 55 yards for a touchdown and Marcel Reed throwing for 163 yards and three scores as the home team controlled the game from the opening stretch.
The frustrating part for Arizona State is that the scoreboard still had some life attached to it late, even after the problems piled up. A muffed punt in the first quarter, a failed fake punt, another interception that went the other way for six and a steady stream of penalties left the Sun Devils chasing the game, and Texas A&M was able to finish the job with a burst that put the result away. [Read more 🡒]