AP photo by Vasha Hunt / Alabama defensive backs DeMarcco Hellams and Terrion Arnold signal no catch as Texas A&M wide receiver Evan Stewart falls to the ground on the final play of Saturday night’s matchup of SEC West foes in Tuscaloosa, Ala.TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama was plagued by turnovers and other mistakes and once again was pushed to the brink by Texas A&M, this time with Bryce Young watching from the sideline.
Things turned out differently than a year ago.
Jalen Milroe threw three touchdown passes in his first start, and No. 1 Alabama made a final goal-line stand to escape with a 24-20 Southeastern Conference victory over Texas A&M on Saturday night in a battle of backup quarterbacks.
Playing without Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner sidelined by a shoulder injury, the Crimson Tide (6-0, 3-0) needed two late stops from star linebacker Will Anderson Jr. and the defense. They got them, just barely, to survive four turnovers and two missed field-goal attempts against a team that beat them 41-38 in College Station last season when Alabama was also the nation’s top-ranked team.
“That was not our best football out there tonight,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “When you don’t have your quarterback out there and the second-teamer has to play, everybody’s got to play better.”
Texas A&M (3-2, 1-2) was in a similar boat, albeit with a more experienced substitute behind center.
Haynes King, playing in place of Max Johnson as he recovers from an injury to his throwing hand, drove the Aggies 69 yards in the final 1:50 with big passes to Evan Stewart and Moose Muhammad III. Jordan Battle appeared to end the threat with an interception in the end zone, but Brian Branch was flagged for pass interference.
That set up one final shot from the 2-yard line with three seconds left, but King’s pass to Stewart fell incomplete.
Milroe passed for 111 yards and ran for 183, but he also threw an interception and lost two fumbles. Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 159 yards a week after gaining 206 against Arkansas, with most of that generated after Young was injured early in the game against the Razorbacks.
The big question now is if Young will play against No. 8 Tennessee (5-0, 2-0) next Saturday in Knoxville.
“Jalen did some good things, but obviously a couple of turnovers,” Saban said. “He’s going to live and learn, and we’re going to live and learn with him. We’ll just see what progress Bryce makes.”
Young came out for warmups with the team and took snaps alongside the other quarterbacks, but he didn’t throw. Milroe said he found out he was starting before the game and “was ready to go,” adding that Young helped him “stay calm, cool and collected.”
Johnson watched from the sidelines in warmups.
King completed 25 of 46 passes for 253 yards and a pair of touchdowns with an interception but faced constant pressure. The Tide had three sacks, and Anderson was credited with eight quarterback hurries.
Coach Jimbo Fisher wasn’t buying any narrative that the Aggies kept it close because Alabama was without its star quarterback and made a number of mistakes.
“We’re playing the backup quarterback, too,” Fisher said. “Two good teams locked up and battled and went at it, and we showed what we’re capable of.”
Ultimately, Alabama got a double measure of revenge against the Aggies and Fisher. Another unranked Texas A&M team handed Alabama its only regular-season loss last year, and this past spring Fisher went no holds barred in response to Saban’s comments that the Aggies bought their top recruiting class with NIL money.
Once again, the Aggies hung ever so close with the top team, a 23.5-point favorite.
The loss apparently wasn’t far from Alabama players’ minds as they prepared for the game.
“We’re just saying we don’t ever want to feel that feeling again,” Anderson said.
Texas A&M cut it to 24-20 on Randy Bond’s 46-yard field goal with 3:32 left. The Aggies settled for the kick after twice getting flagged for false starts trying to go for it on fourth-and-long.
The defense then forced Alabama into a three-and-out possession, setting up one more shot for King and the Aggies.
“We went toe to toe with them,” Fisher said.
He went toe to toe with Saban in the offseason, but they went through the customary pregame and postgame exchanges.
“I told him he had a good team and wished him good luck the rest of the year,” Fisher said, “and he said the same to me.”
It was another blow for an Aggies season that started with a No. 6 ranking and hopes of SEC and national championship contention, but the offense showed late signs of life in a gutty performance that fell just short.