COLLEGE ROUNDUP: Corbin’s kickoff return big in Aggies’ win over Razorbacks
Published 12:43 am Sunday, September 30, 2018
ARLINGTON (AP) — Jimbo Fisher got his first Southeastern Conference victory at Texas A&M. He was still far from happy with the performance.
Jashaun Corbin had the first 100-yard kickoff return to start a game for Texas A&M since 1994 and Trayveon Williams ran for 153 yards with two touchdowns, but the Aggies needed a late interception to seal a 24-17 victory over Arkansas on Saturday.
“Probably played our worst football game of the year by far and need to get things fixed,” Fisher said. “Had decent intensity. But our intelligence level, how to play and how to expect to win and play from ahead and do things that champions do and good football teams do, we’ve got to grow in it.”
The Aggies (3-2, 1-1 SEC) had a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter before Arkansas even had a first down. They were driving for another potential score when Kellen Mond threw his second interception, and they also missed two field goal attempts.
“We played in spurts,” said Fisher, whose A&M losses are to No. 1 Alabama and then-No. 2 Clemson. “We came out and started well, had some great things off the beginning, lost control of the game.”
This time against Arkansas (1-4, 0-2), which also has a new coach in Chad Morris.
Corbin, a true freshman, fielded his first career return at the edge of the end zone and took off before shooting through an open gap across the field toward the opposite sideline. He streaked by the A&M bench and scored untouched to put the Aggies ahead to stay.
No. 18 Texas 19, Kansas State 14
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Texas coach Tom Herman talked with one of his predecessors, Mack Brown, just as he does every week, and the old Longhorns coach warned him about playing Kansas State in Manhattan.
They’re a different team on the road, Brown said. They play with more energy, channeling the will of the crowd, and the team that was trounced by West Virginia last week wouldn’t show up Saturday.
“It was very much the way we told our players it would be,” Herman said.
The No. 18 Longhorns roared to a big lead, bogged down in the second half, then held on through a tense fourth quarter for a 19-14 victory that snapped a five-game road skid against the Wildcats.
“We won ugly, but the key is we won,” Herman said. “They all look pretty on Sunday morning.”
Sam Ehlinger threw for 207 yards and a touchdown, and D’Shawn Jamison returned a punt 90 yards for another score, as the Longhorns opened a 19-0 lead by halftime. Then, Keaontay Ingram churned for a first down with three minutes to go to help the Longhorns (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) seal the win.
“It shows our maturity, being able to overcome a lull in what’s going on,” Ehlinger said. “A lot of offenses would have curled up but we chose to finish.”
Skylar Thompson threw for 96 yards in relief of ineffective quarterback Alex Delton, and he led the Wildcats (2-3, 0-2) to a pair of touchdowns in the second half. But after they got the ball back with 7:12 to go, Thompson threw a pair of incompletions as Kansas State went three-and-out, and coach Bill Snyder’s offense never got another opportunity with the ball.
“All losses are painful. There is a variety of different reasons why didn’t win the ballgame,” Snyder said. “I think we became a little better football team, not necessarily because of this game but because of the way we practiced last week.”
No. 12 West Virginia 42, No. 25 Texas Tech 34
LUBBOCK (AP) — Will Grier sparked a 28-point first quarter for No. 12 West Virginia. Keith Washington ended any concern over a second-half collapse.
Grier threw for 370 yards with three touchdowns, Washington returned an interception 51 yards for what amounted to a clinching score and the Mountaineers held on for a 42-34 win over 25th-ranked Texas Tech on Saturday.
“I focused all week on starting fast,” West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said. “I guess I forgot to tell them there was a second half.”
Marcus Simms had nine catches for a career-high 138 yards — all in the first half — for his third straight 100-yard game. The Mountaineers (4-0, 2-0 Big 12) had 382 yards at halftime while building a 35-10 lead.
Texas Tech true freshman Alan Bowman, the nation’s leading passer coming in, didn’t return after getting injured in the first half when he was sandwiched on hits by Ezekiel Rose and Washington as he threw a pass. There was no update on his status.
Sophomore Jett Duffey had his first career touchdown pass and TD run filling in for Bowman and had the Red Raiders (3-2, 1-1) driving for a potential tying score when Washington made a leaping grab and cut toward the middle of the field on the return for a 42-27 lead.
It was the second interception for Duffey, who threw for 172 yards and ran for 86. Bowman was intercepted once while throwing a touchdown pass.
“The way we played in that first half is as bad as you can play,” Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said. “We fought and we didn’t give up, which is what you want to see. But it’s not good enough.”
No. 6 Oklahoma 66, Baylor 33
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Kyler Murray didn’t even start Saturday, yet his performance will go down in the Oklahoma history books.
Murray didn’t set his alarm clock properly Thursday night so he was late to practice on Friday, meaning he couldn’t start against Baylor because of team policy. He sat out the Sooners’ first offensive series, then came on to pass for career highs of 432 yards and six touchdowns and helped No. 6 Oklahoma defeat the Bears 66-33. Murray also ran for a touchdown.
Murray matched Baker Mayfield’s school record by accounting for seven touchdowns in a game, and his efficiency rating of 348 was a school record.
“He handled the situation before the game well,” Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said. “Didn’t freak out like I’m sure the rest of America did. It was what it was.”
Oklahoma (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) received the opening kickoff and converted one first down with Austin Kendall at quarterback before punting. Baylor muffed the punt, and Oklahoma recovered at the Baylor 10. On the second play, Murray found Lee Morris for a 9-yard touchdown pass.
“I just tried to go in there, wasn’t thinking about it too much,” Murray said. “Didn’t let it affect me. We had a good game.”
Marquise Brown caught five passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns, CeeDee Lamb had 101 yards receiving, Kennedy Brooks ran for 107 yards and two touchdowns and Morris caught two touchdown passes for the Sooners.
Sam Houston State 34, Central Arkansas 31, OT
HUNTSVILLE (AP) — Tre Honshtein nailed a 34-yard field goal in overtime to give Sam Houston State is first Southland Conference win, a 34-31 victory over Central Arkansas on Saturday.
The Bears had a shot at a 34-yarder in the first overtime series, but Scean Mustin jumped up to swat it away and opened the door for Honshtein’s game winner.
Ty Brock, in his first start at quarterback, threw for 305 yards and one touchdown and ran for two additional scores for SHSU (2-2, 1-1) which struggled to hold off the Bears (2-2, 1-1), the defending conference champions.
Honshtein booted a 32-yarder early in the fourth quarter to give the Bearkats a 31-17 advantage before Central Arkansas came roaring back to tie it 31-31. Kierre Crossley ran across from the 38, and Kirk Baugh hit Jack Short from the 3 with 2:20 left.
The Bearkats, leading by a touchdown, had driven into UCA territory when Brock lost a fumble that UCA’s Jackie Harvell scooped up. The Bears then marched 64 yards to tie the game and send it to overtime.
McNeese State 17, Stephen F. Austin 10
LAKE CHARLES (AP) — James Tabary passed for one score and David Hamm ran for another as McNeese State held off Stephen F. Austin 17-10 Saturday night to remain unbeaten in Southland Conference play.
McNeese (4-1, 3-0) jumped out to a 14-0 advantage in the first quarter and was up 17-0 going into the fourth when the Lumberjacks (1-3, 1-2) made a charge.
Hamm broke for a 55-yard touchdown run on McNeese’s third play from scrimmage. The next score took just three plays as the Cowboys got the ball on SFA’s 9 after Gabe Foster recovered a Josh McGowen fumble. Tabary passed to Parker Orgeron from the 6 for the touchdown. Gunnar Raborn tacked on a 29-yard field goal for a 17-0 lead with 3:13 remaining in the third quarter.
Foster Sawyer hit Terian Goree on a 5-yard scoring toss and six minutes later Storm Ruiz booted a 41-yard field goal as SFA closed to 17-10. McNeese was forced to punt on the ensuing drive but Sawyer was intercepted four plays later and the Cowboys secured the win.