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Longhorns’ Sarkisian, Aggies’ Fisher attend annual THSCA convention in San Antonio
Two of Texas' top collegiate football coaches -- Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian and Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher -- were in San Antonio on Sunday addressing 15,000 coaches attending the annual Texas High School Coaches Association convention.
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‘We’re here to win’: Head coach Jimbo Fisher breaks down Aggies’ 2020 season, DeMarvin Leal, future expectations
After posting his best season at the helm of the Aggies football program, Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher sits down with KSAT's Greg Simmons to discuss the self-described toughest season of his coaching career, Judson alumnus and defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal's growth, and his expectations for the future of the team as they prepare for the 2021 season.
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New Texas Longhorns coach Sarkisian defends ‘The Eyes of Texas’
(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)AUSTIN, Texas – Fresh off a national title with Alabama, Steve Sarkisian plans big changes to Texas’ football program. Sarkisian said that while discussion about "The Eyes of Texas "and other issues are welcome, “'The Eyes of Texas' is our school song. We support that song.”Sarkisian spoke as the Longhorns coach for the first time a day after helping Alabama win its sixth national championship in 12 seasons. Texas, without a conference championship since 2009, is itching to see if Sarkisian can produce similar results in Austin. Asked about scheduling A&M again, Sarkisian said “I would love to play that game.”Sarkisian is Texas’ fourth head coach since 2009.
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Texas A&M runs past North Carolina in Orange Bowl, 41-27
Texas A&M head coach Jumbo Fisher raises his hands during the trophy presentation at the Orange Bowl NCAA college football game, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Texas A&M defeated North Carolina 41-27. 14 North Carolina 41-27 on Saturday night — capping a winless bowl season for the Atlantic Coast Conference. North Carolina: The Tar Heels gave up 24 points in the fourth quarter, after allowing just 17 points in the first 45 minutes. North Carolina still could finish ranked for only the fourth time in the last 27 seasons. North Carolina: An ACC opponent likely awaits in Week 1 next season.
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Gordon scores with 0.9 left; Texas A&M beats Auburn 68-66
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Andre Gordon scored 10 points including the game-winner with 0.9 seconds left as Texas A&M held off Auburn 68-66 on Saturday. Gordon drove the lane, pivoted and faked a shot before scoring off the glass. Emanuel Miller had 16 points and five rebounds for Texas A&M (6-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference), which bounced back from a 77-54 loss at LSU on Tuesday. Miller leads the Aggies in scoring and rebounds, and his 9.2 rebounds is first in the SEC. Auburn (6-4, 0-2) cut a nine-point deficit with 5:34 left and tied it 66-all with 14 seconds remaining.
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Texas A&M, North Carolina look forward, await Orange Bowl
13 CFP) in the 87th edition of the Orange Bowl. “I always say this: The Orange Bowl is as good as it gets,” Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said Friday. Thing is, neither of those running backs — Michael Carter and Javonte Williams — chose to play in the Orange Bowl. “That’s 4,000 yards worth of offense and our leading tackler on defense and two captains,” North Carolina coach Mack Brown said. With them gone, it means even more pressure will be on North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell.
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Snubbed by committee, Texas A&M will face UNC in Orange Bowl
An Orange Bowl spot against North Carolina will be its consolation prize. It will be North Carolina’s first time in the Orange Bowl, and the first meeting between the schools. This will be just the seventh January bowl game for North Carolina. BOWL WINNERSThe Orange Bowl coaches certainly know how to end seasons with victories. WELCOME BACKFor Fisher, it’s a return to a stadium where he’s gone 6-0 — including a pair of Orange Bowl victories.
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CFP: Alabama-Notre Dame, Clemson-Ohio St as Aggies left out
Notre Dame was picked Sunday over Texas A&M for the final spot, ending what little drama there had been. Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State have also held the first four spots in the AP Top 25 since Oct. 25. The Atlantic Coast Conference is the second league to have two teams in the playoff, joining the SEC in 2017. After sitting second in the CFP rankings for a month, Notre Dame was blown out 34-10 by Clemson in the ACC championship. Barta said the disparate number of games played by contenders — along with far fewer cross-conference games than usual —- was a challenge for the committee all season.
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No. 5 Texas A&M makes last CFP case in 34-13 win over Vols
5 Texas A&M to close its case for a spot in the College Football Playoff with a 34-13 victory over Tennessee. 5 CFP) finished their regular season and hoped for an upset or two within the CFP’s top four. Texas A&M's advantage went to 17-7 when the Aggies turned a Bailey fumble into a 23-yard field goal by Seth Small. Tennessee: After the second game of the season, the Vols were tied with Notre Dame for the longest winning streak among FBS teams. A victory over winless Vanderbilt ended the skid, but the loss to Texas A&M ended the regular season on a sour note.
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Mond, No. 5 Texas A&M finish strong in 31-20 win over Auburn
Kellen Mond passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third and the fifth-ranked Aggies scored 17 points in the fourth quarter of a come-from-behind 31-20 victory over Auburn on Saturday. Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher wasn't interested in speculating on how the win might affect his team's playoff chances. He completed 18 of 23 for 196 yards, highlighted by two TDs to Jalen Wydermyer, and ran for 60 yards. The Aggies ran for a season-high 313 yards and held a 16-minute advantage in time of possession. Auburn: Was outgained 168-21 in the fourth quarter.
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No. 5 Aggies visit Auburn hoping to keep playoff hopes alive
But Auburn has won the past three meetings and the last two have come by a total of 12 points. “More like pro football than any league in college football. That “we belong with the big dogs, and not just in the SEC but all of college football. But Auburn is the only team in the Aggies’ closing stretch that has a winning record, with Tennessee and Mississippi set to visit College Station in the coming weeks. “That’s something we love to do.”___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
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Miami has 3 games PPD by virus; A&M on pause for 2nd week
So we can complain about this and this and that but, listen, we’re still getting to play football,” Fisher said. Last week, 15 FBS games were called off because of COVID-19, the most yet this season. Major college football conferences have been tweaking policies to provide their schools flexibility to schedule games on short notice. That probably won't work for LSU-Alabama, which was among four SEC games postponed last week. __Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at https://westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
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Miami has 3 games PPD by virus; A&M on pause for 2nd week
The number of games across major college football scheduled for this weekend that have already been called off is up to six, after three went down Monday, including Mississippi at No. So we can complain about this and this and that but, listen, we’re still getting to play football,” Fisher said. Major college football conferences have been tweaking policies to provide their schools flexibility to schedule games on short notice. That probably won't work for LSU-Alabama, which was among four SEC games postponed last week. __Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at https://westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
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Virus postponements hit SEC, Big Ten; 8 games across FBS
Among the three SEC games still on for this Saturday, Arkansas will visit No. Orgeron said he expects most of his players in quarantine due to contact tracing back next week. Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said his team only had two positive cases as of Wednesday afternoon, but contact tracing had taken a toll. “Candidly, the numbers around contact tracing have emerged as one of our biggest challenges to playing. “The contact tracing has the potential to magnify even one positive test,” Sankey said.
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No. 5 Texas A&M pauses after 2 positive virus tests
5 Texas A&M paused in-person activities on Monday after a player and a staff member tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from a win at South Carolina. Coach Jimbo Fisher said the Aggies (5-1) would not do anything on campus Monday and would instead conduct all work through Zoom sessions. He said the team was undergoing additional testing and contact tracing on Monday to see if the coronavirus had spread. “We’re doing everything from a safety issue with our players and our staff to keep them as safe as possible.”Fisher said he hoped his team could return to campus on Tuesday. He was also confident on Monday that his team would be able to play on Saturday at Tennessee (2-4), but said he wouldn’t know for sure until they had completed testing and contact tracing.
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Postponement, outbreaks: SEC takes a hit from COVID-19
The conference on Monday postponed Saturday’s game between No. 20 Auburn and Mississippi State because of positive COVID-19 cases and quarantining within the Bulldogs’ program. 5 Texas A&M paused in-person activities after a player and a staff member tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from a win at South Carolina. LSU is battling an outbreak that could put Saturday's game against No. ___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25.
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The Latest: Tom Izzo tests positive for COVID-19
(AP Photo/Michael Woods)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo has tested positive for COVID-19. 20 Auburn and Mississippi State because of positive COVID-19 and quarantining within the Bulldogs’ program that the school says left the team below the minimum threshold of 53 available scholarship athletes. 5 Texas A&M paused in-person activities on Monday after a player and a staff member tested positive for COVID-19 after the team returned from its weekend trip to South Carolina. ___Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman has tested positive for COVID-19 and could miss the Razorbacks’ game at No. Pittman was tested Sunday as part of the team’s regular protocol and learned Monday that his test came back positive.
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No. 7 Texas A&M, Kellen Mond throttle South Carolina 48-3
Kellen Mond threw four touchdown passes to become the school's career leader, Isaiah Spiller ran for 131 yards and the Aggies routed South Carolina 48-3 on Saturday night. Learning to win each play and, in turn, the bigger picture is coming together.”Especially when Mond, Spiller and the Aggies defense play like this. South Carolina has surrendered 1,071 yards and 100 points in losses to LSU and the Aggies its past two games. The offense gave Mond a safe, clean pocket to work from while the defense limited South Carolina to 50 yards rushing. "It was very tough going early, just kept pounding, pounding, pounding, and pounding.
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Mond sets school record, leads No. 8 Texas A&M to 42-31 win over Arkansas
“An SEC win is always going to be a big win for us but we’re never going to be satisfied," he said. Reed made a 34-yard field goal in the third quarter to cut the Aggies' lead to 28-17 after missing two longer tries in the first half. Mond’s second TD pass was on a 6-yard reception by Wydermyer, which extended the lead to 21-7 about seven minutes before halftime. Tyson Morris got the Razorbacks within seven with a 1-yard touchdown catch later in the second quarter. The last time Mond was sacked was in the second quarter of the team's season-opener against Vanderbilt.
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No. 8 Texas A&M looks for 9th straight victory over Arkansas
Arkansas has won two Southeastern Conference games this season after going winless in the league the past two years. The Aggies have won eight straight meetings in the series with the last victory by Arkansas coming in 2011. Johnny Football led the Aggies to a 45-33 victory in 2013. Mond is already Texas A&M’s leader in career yards passing (8,363), completions (693) and attempts (1,191). Pittman has been impressed with Mond’s development this season and raved about his work behind Texas A&M’s experienced offensive line.
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No. 11 Texas A&M beats Mississippi State 28-14
11 Aggies beat Mississippi State 28-14 on Saturday. Mississippi State (1-3) had little offensive rhythm for the third straight game. Mississippi State had minus-2 yards rushing and just 217 yards of total offense. THE TAKEAWAYThe Aggies continue to put points on the board, scoring 28 or more points for the second straight week. Meanwhile, Leach’s maiden voyage in Starkville continues to take on water in a second straight home loss.
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Spiller helps No. 21 A&M top No. 4 Florida 41-38
“Now I want to see what do you follow up with?”Isaiah Spiller rushed for 174 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 21 Texas A&M beat fourth-ranked Florida 41-38 on Seth Small’s 26-yard field goal as time expired Saturday. Spiller helped get the Aggies get into position for Small’s decisive kick, sending A&M to its first win over a top-five team since a 41-38 victory over No. Florida led 28-24 early in the fourth when Spiller struck again, running 19 yards for a touchdown on a fourth-and-2 play. Spiller bounced off several defenders before waltzing into the end zone and then hitting the Florida fan section with a Gator chomp.
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Lone Star Sadness: Horns, Aggies form Axis of Underachievers
At the top of USA Today's most recent revenue rankings for college athletic departments are Texas and Texas A&M. The Longhorns and Aggies seemingly have it all, revenue, resources and location. Texas and Texas A&M have everything you need to put out national championship-level football program. The Aggies and Longhorns refuse to play each other, but combine to form an Axis of Underachievers in the Lone Star State. For now, though, Texas and Texas A&M continue to prove the old adage that money can't buy happiness.
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Jones throws deep, No. 2 Alabama tops No. 13 Texas A&M 52-24
Briefly threatened early, Jones and the Crimson Tide (2-0) flexed their considerable big-play muscle in the passing game to put away the Aggies (1-1). “Our guys stayed the course and kept competing in the game,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “We won, so it's a good game,” Jones said, when asked if it was his best performance. Smith, a converted receiver, emerged as another needed threat in the passing game. Alabama: Any questions about production of the Tide's passing game after Tua Tagovailoa, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III have been answered.
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Week 5 Preview: Top-25 matchups in SEC; ACC title rematch
including the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, highlights the fifth week of the college football season. 4 Georgia on Saturday night as the second month of the season starts, but only the second week of SEC play. The first of three games that decide the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy might have sneaked up on college football fans. The Falcons will play six conference games to go along with Navy and Army. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
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Spiller leads No. 10 Texas A&M over Vanderbilt 17-12
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher admitted that he’d be mad all week after the way his 10th-ranked team played against Vanderbilt on Saturday night. Isaiah Spiller had 117 yards rushing, Ainias Smith ran for a touchdown Texas A&M overcame three turnovers in a mistake-filled game to beat Vanderbilt 17-12 in the season-opener for both teams. Spiller had 5 five yards rushing in the first half before getting going after halftime. But Vanderbilt had to punt it back to allow Texas A&M to hold on for the victory. Vanderbilt led 3-0 in the first quarter before Smith ran 25 yards for a touchdown to put A&M on top.
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Texas A&M, Jimbo Fisher handed recruiting penalties by NCAA
COLLEGE STATION, Texas Texas A&M's football program was placed on probation and coach Jimbo Fisher given a six-month show cause order by the NCAA on Thursday after the Aggies were found to have violated recruiting and other rules beginning in January 2018. Fisher, who had just been hired by Texas A&M, and an assistant coach had impermissible contact with a recruit, the NCAA said without identifying the coaches by name. The negotiated resolution with the NCAA came after it found Fisher failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance." The program itself was fined $5,000 and given several other recruiting restrictions after the NCAA found that several players exceeded activity limits on multiple occasions during the 2018 offseason. They said circumstances resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic could impact how the remaining recruiting restrictions are implemented.