COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Jalen Milroe passed for a career-high 321 yards and Jermaine Burton caught two touchdown passes as No. 11 Alabama beat Texas A&M 26-20 on Saturday to take control of the SEC West.
Burton had nine catches for 197 yards for the Crimson Tide (5-1, 3-0 Southeastern Conference). Milroe, the Texas native, completed 21 of 33 passes and was sacked six times.
The Aggies (4-2, 2-1) got within one score when coach Jimbo Fisher elected to have Randy Bond kick a 20-yard field goal with 2:11 remaining, but Alabama recovered an ensuing onside kick and moved the chains for a first down to run out the clock.
Max Johnson, who took over as the starting quarterback after an injury to Conner Weigman two weeks ago, passed for 239 yards and a touchdown for Texas A&M.
The Aggies upset Alabama in the Tide's last trip to College Station — with a backup quarterback in Zach Calzada — but this time couldn't overcome some key mistakes.
The Crimson Tide’s Caleb Downs intercepted a pass in the third quarter two plays after A&M got an interception of its own. Alabama’s Chris Braswell blocked A&M’s 42-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter and returned it for an apparent touchdown, only to have the score wiped out by a penalty.
The Crimson Tide got a safety to push its lead to 26-17 with 5:48 to play when a heavy pass rush forced Max Johnson into an intentional grounding foul in the end zone.
The two teams traded field goals in the first quarter. Alabama took a 10-3 lead on the first play of the second quarter on a 52-yard touchdown pass from Milroe to Isaiah Bond.
The Aggies responded with a 22-yard touchdown from Max Johnson to his brother, Jake, with 9:57 left in the half, and later took a 17-10 lead on Le’Veon Moss’ 1-yard touchdown run with 3:23 left in the half.
THE TAKEAWAY:
Alabama: The Crimson Tide now controls its own destiny in the SEC West as the only team unbeaten in the conference. Alabama was picked to win the division in the league’s preseason media poll.
Texas A&M: The Aggies’ three-game winning streak was snapped and again, they'll need help to reach Atlanta for the SEC championship for the first time.
POLL IMPLICATIONS:
Alabama is searching to get back into the top-10 after it dropped from No. 3 in Week 2 to as low as No. 13 in Week 4. A&M was receiving votes in this week’s poll, but will remain outside the Top-25 after a loss.
UP NEXT:
Alabama returns home next Saturday to host Arkansas.
A&M hits the road to face Tennessee.