COLLEGE STATION – Three Arizona State turnovers in the fourth quarter, including two pick-sixes, turned a close game into a 48-20 victory for Texas A&M on Saturday at Kyle Field.
Defensive end Marco Jones notched the first interception. Fellow lineman TJ Searcy got to Cutter Boley and hit his arm as he threw. The ball popped up into the air and then into the arms of Jones, who ran down the field unencumbered for a 55-yard touchdown to go up 38-20.
Advertisement
Then after a fumble recovery by safety Dalton Brooks on the next possession led to a field goal, cornerback Julio Humphrey fought through Omarion Miller to intercept a Boley pass and return it for a 45-yard touchdown.
It wasn’t just the defense making game-changing plays for the No. 10 Aggies (2-0). Texas A&M had three important special-team plays with the subsequent drives resulting in 17 points.
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 12: Terry Bussey #6 of the Texas A&M Aggies rushes for a first down against Roman Pitre #5 of the Arizona State Sun Devils in the first half at Kyle Field on September 12, 2026 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) (Tim Warner/Getty Images)
The Aggies opened the ledger in the first quarter after Cory Butler Jr. muffed Tyler White’s booming punt to set up the Aggies inside the 10-yard line. Rueben Owens crossed the goal line less than a minute later.
Advertisement
NO. 10 TEXAS A&M 48, ARIZONA STATE 20
|
Arizona St. |
7 |
3 |
10 |
0 |
– |
20 |
|
Texas A&M |
7 |
10 |
7 |
24 |
– |
48 |
First Quarter
TXAM_Owens 2 run (Olano kick), 4:55.
ASU_Harris 21 pass from Boley (Ca.Smith kick), :21.
Second Quarter
TXAM_Horton 4 pass from Reed (Olano kick), 9:15.
ASU_FG Ca.Smith 30, 6:15.
TXAM_FG Olano 22, :03.
Third Quarter
ASU_FG Ca.Smith 35, 10:19.
TXAM_Horton 13 pass from Reed (Olano kick), 5:53.
ASU_Harris 58 pass from Boley (Ca.Smith kick), 3:39.
Fourth Quarter
TXAM_Craver 33 pass from Reed (Olano kick), 14:20.
TXAM_Jones 55 interception return (Olano kick), 8:38.
TXAM_FG Olano 39, 5:58.
TXAM_Humphrey 45 interception return (Olano kick), 4:25.
___
|
ASU |
TXAM |
|
|
First downs |
16 |
14 |
|
Total Net Yards |
369 |
255 |
|
Rushes-yards |
29-115 |
35-92 |
|
Passing |
254 |
163 |
|
Punt Returns |
3-6 |
1-21 |
|
Kickoff Returns |
1-20 |
1-16 |
|
Interceptions Ret. |
1-0 |
2-100 |
|
Comp-Att-Int |
21-34-2 |
15-25-1 |
|
Sacked Yards Lost |
1-4 |
2-9 |
|
Punts |
4-41.5 |
4-53.0 |
|
Fumbles-Lost |
4-2 |
1-0 |
|
Penalties-Yards |
9-62 |
1-5 |
|
Time of Possession |
30:04 |
29:56 |
___
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Advertisement
RUSHING_Arizona St., K.Brown 13-66, Boley 6-31, Gillis 4-14, Rigdon 3-4, Mack 1-2, Giggey 1-0, (Team) 1-(minus 2). Texas A&M, Owens 10-35, Morrow 8-27, Edwards 3-22, Reed 7-17, Baker 2-6, Bussey 2-0, (Team) 2-(minus 5), T. White 1-(minus 10).
PASSING_Arizona St., Boley 21-34-2-254. Texas A&M, Reed 15-25-1-163.
RECEIVING_Arizona St., Harris 9-189, O. Miller 9-29, K. Anderson 1-21, Vines-Bright 1-13, K. Brown 1-2. Texas A&M, Bussey 4-58, Craver 3-34, Horton 3-33, Morrow 2-18, R. Anderson 1-13, Owens 1-7, Bethel-Roman 1-0.
MISSED FIELD GOALS_None.
Then with 30 seconds before the two-minute timeout in the first half, the Sun Devils (1-1) ran a fake punt on a 4th-and-1, directly snapping the ball to James Giggey. The play failed and Texas A&M got the ball at the Arizona State 42, leading to a David Olano field goal and a 17-10 halftime lead for the Aggies.
Advertisement
In the third quarter, Terry Bussey caught Nick McLarty’s punt at the 35 and burst straight up the field for 21 yards to give Texas A&M another possession starting in Sun Devil territory.
Marcel Reed – who finished with three touchdowns, an interception and 163 yards passing – capitalized three plays later when he found Mario Craver on a 33-yard touchdown pass to go up 31-20.
It wasn’t all perfect for the Aggies on special teams. White dropped the ball on a punt attempt in the fourth quarter, giving Arizona State its best field position on the day.
But the Texas A&M defense responded right away with Jones’s interception.
Advertisement
Up next for Texas A&M is its SEC opener at 2:30 pm next Saturday against Kentucky.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Subscribe
There’s more to Houston with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.
This article originally published at Big plays from defensive power No. 10 Texas A&M to rout of Arizona State.
