BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION (AP) — Isaiah Spiller ran for 141 yards and a touchdown and Buddy Johnson returned an interception for a score in No. 5 Texas A&M’s 20-7 victory over LSU on Saturday night.
Texas A&M (6-1, No. 5 CFP) extended its winning streak to five games in its first contest since Nov. 7 after the team couldn’t play the last two weeks because of a coronavirus outbreak.
“I thought we could have played better,” Spiller said. “We were a little rusty.”
The Aggies relied on their running game and tough defense on a wet and soggy night where rain fell steadily and made passing difficult. Kellen Mond had a season-low 105 yards passing in his first game this season without a touchdown pass. LSU’s 123rd-ranked pass defense broke up eight of his passes in the first half and finished with 11.
“Our offense was way too inconsistent, didn’t get a rhythm (but) our team found a way to win the game and that’s what’s important,” coach Jimbo Fisher said.
TJ Finley threw for 118 yards and had an interception in the second quarter for LSU (3-4) before he was benched for Max Johnson after Buddy Johnson’s Pick-6 in the third quarter.
Texas A&M beat the Tigers for the second time in three years, limiting LSU to 36 yards rushing and allowing just two of 16 third-down conversions.
LSU fumbled on a punt return with about six minutes left in the third, but the Aggies were unable to take advantage of the miscue when Mond was sacked on third down to force a punt.
Texas A&M made it 20-0 when Johnson picked off a pass Finley threw under heavy pressure and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown with about 4 1/2 minutes left in the third.
Max Johnson, who played briefly in the first half, finished the game and had 113 yards passing and a 3-yard TD pass that made it 20-7 with less than a minute remaining.
Spiller had a 52-yard touchdown run, dragging a defender with him for the last couple of yards, to extend Texas A&M’s lead to 10-0 late in the first quarter.
The Tigers looked to have cut the lead to 3 on a long TD catch by Kayshon Boutte with about nine minutes left in the second quarter. But the play was reviewed and ruled an incomplete pass.
The Aggies got the ball back on the next play when Finley’s pass was tipped and intercepted by Jaylon Jones.
Cade York’s 34-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left with about four minutes left in the first half to leave the Tigers scoreless.
Texas A&M led 13-0 at halftime after Seth Small made a 40-yard field goal at the end of the second quarter.
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Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics