Texas A&M Aggies finished 8-1 in the SEC, their one loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Why did they not make the College Football Playoffs?
Instead, Aggies took their talents to the Orange Bowl, where the North Carolina Tar Heels await.
The game went back and forth until the Tar Heels, down seven, went for it on fourth down with 2:30 remaining on the clock and three-time outs. The Aggies took over on downs and stopping the Tar Heels. The game lost its sizzle.
Aggies defeat the Tar Heels 41-27 on Saturday night — capping a winless bowl season for the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Texas A&M is now 3-0 in bowl games under Head coach Jimbo Fisher.
“If you saw me thirty pounds ago, I really had some explosive speed,” Fisher said. “I’m not very good for a long time, but I am good for one time.”
Fisher pulled a hamstring as he tried to avoid the players who wanted to give him a celebratory Gatorade bath. It was that kind of night.
Texas A&M: Scheduled to open 2021 against Kent State on Sept. 4.
North Carolina: An ACC opponent likely awaits in Week 1 next season. The Tar Heels’ first non-ACC game is currently set for Sept. 11 against Georgia State.
Kellen Mond passed for 232 yards and ran for a score for the Aggies (9-1), who were in the Orange Bowl for the first time since 1944 and but many argue they should be playing in the College Football Playoff field.
Mond earned his vitamin C while Devon Achane was serving the oranges. Achane had two touchdowns in the final 3:44, including a 76-yarder that put Texas A&M ahead to stay and sealing the MVP.
“Ain’t nobody catching me,” Achane said.
Texas A&M should remain No. 5 and match its best AP poll finish since finishing No. 1 in 1939.
Tar Heels were so close and did not help the Atlantic Coast Conference. With 25 bowl games played. The ACC and Conference USA have had the losing team in 48% of them. Like the ACC, C-USA also went 0-6 this bowl season.
The Tar Heels gave up 24 points in the fourth quarter after allowing 17 points in the first two quarters.
“They should be a playoff team,” Tar Heels coach Mack Brown shared.
Sam Howell passed for 234 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to Josh Downs, for the Tar Heels (8-4). North Carolina was without leading rushers Javonte Williams and Michael Carter, leading receiver Dyami Brown and top tackler Chazz Surratt — all of whom opted out of the bowl game.
The beat goes on.
Texas A&M: Scheduled to open 2021 against Kent State on Sept. 4.
North Carolina: An ACC opponent likely awaits in Week 1 next season. The Tar Heels’ first non-ACC game is currently set for Sept. 11 against Georgia State.
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