College Football

Texas A&M Football: The Ten Biggest Moments of the 2016 Season

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:47 p.m. ET

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Fansided, Matthew Bartlett/FanSided via Gig Em Gazette

Through the highs and lows of a long season, the 2016 Texas A&M football team gave us plenty of memorable moments worth reliving and a few we’d rather forget. Here are the top ten most significant plays, both good and bad, of 2016.

10. Josh Reynolds‘ second touchdown against Kansas State

With less than eight minutes to go in the Advocare V100 Texas Bowl  the Aggies trailed by 12 points. Josh Reynolds was already having a career day. Then he caught his second touchdown of the game, cutting the deficit to five points.

Kansas State quarterback Jesse Ertz had just led a six minute touchdown drive capped off with a one yard rushing touchdown of his own. That score created the largest deficit of the game for Texas A&M. The Aggies needed an answer if they were going to have any hope of pulling out the victory.

Then Trevor Knight completed three passes for 75 yards and a touchdown in just over one minute of play. That included Reynolds’ second touchdown of the day. The Aggies weren’t playing their best game on either side of the ball, but that didn’t stop Reynolds from going off.

Following the touchdown, Reynolds would catch one more pass for 17 yards. That reception broke the All-Time Texas A&M bowl record for receptions (11) which Reynolds had set himself the previous season against Louisville in the Music City Bowl.

Had the result been different folks would be pointing to that drive as the moment that the Aggies seized the momentum and began their comeback. The Aggies lost, but that touchdown was an emphatic exclamation point on a tremendous Aggie career.

9. Trevor Knight hits Christian Kirk for a touchdown against Alabama

The Alabama Crimson Tide defense did not surrender a touchdown in the month of November. In four games against No. 14 LSU, Mississippi State, Chattanooga, and No. 13 Auburn the Tide allowed just 18 points – all on field goals.

The last team to score a touchdown against Alabama before the SEC championship game? Texas A&M. On the opening drive of the second half Trevor Knight led the offense down the field swiftly before hitting Christian Kirk on a 25 yard strike. Daniel LaCamera would convert the extra point and the Aggies would become the first team all season to lead at any point in the second half against Alabama.

Nick Saban hadn’t abandoned hope when his team got behind, but for a brief moment the mighty Alabama looked mortal. After all, hadn’t the Aggies beaten Saban in Tuscaloosa not too long ago?

The Aggies trailed early in the game 13-0 and had managed to hang around thanks to a pair of defensive stands which resulted in Alabama field goals. With four minutes remaining in the first half, Alabama had a 94.4 percent win probability.

After a late second half touchdown to Josh Reynolds, the Aggies had shortened that likelihood to 81.1 percent. When Knight hit Kirk the Crimson Tide’s winning percentage dropped to 62.1 percent.

Alabama might have seemed untouchable. It would have taken a near-perfect second half for the Aggies to win. But for just a few moments, Aggies had reason to believe that an upset was possible.

Sep 3, 2016; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Trevor Knight (8) goes in for the one-yard touchdown run in overtime against the UCLA Bruins. Texas A&M won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports

8. Trevor Knight’s 4th down touchdown in overtime against UCLA

The UCLA Bruins were ranked No. 16 in the nation when they squared off with Texas A&M at Kyle Field on September 3. The rest of their season didn’t turn out well, but the injury to Josh Rosen seemed to crush the Bruins’ year. Say what you want about the caliber of the Aggies’ opponent that day, this win will go down as one of Kevin Sumlin‘s best at Kyle Field.

After taking a 24-9 lead into the fourth quarter, Rosen led two scoring drives to knot the game at 24 where it would stay for the remainder of regulation.

Texas A&M got the ball first against a UCLA team that seemed to have all of the momentum after their late game surge. Trayveon Williams got the ball down to the one yard line in the first possession of overtime, but was unable to punch it in on three carries.

That left Sumlin with a tough decision to make. Take the three points or risk it all? Wisely or not, Sumlin decided to roll the dice and keep the ball in the hands of his quarterback on fourth down. Knight perfectly executed a read option and scampered around the tackle for the one yard score.

The Aggie defense would hold on fourth down, giving Texas A&M another season-opening victory.

7. Ricky Seals-Jones‘ fingertip touchdown grab against Kansas State

Early in the second quarter of the Aggies’ bowl game against Kansas State Ricky Seals-Jones made one of the finest catches of his Texas A&M career. In response to another Wildcat touchdown drive, Knight drove the team down the field, setting up Seals-Jones for this highlight reel touchdown.

Shortly before the game kicked off, word got out that this would likely be the final game in maroon and white for Seals-Jones. The former five star recruit would be announcing his intention to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft following the game.

After plenty of hype in his recruitment, Seals-Jones never really seemed to live up to expectations at Texas A&M. Part of that is due to the emergence of guys like Josh Reynolds and Christian Kirk. That said, even when he had the opportunity he wasn’t able to produce consistently.

The catch against Kansas State was Seals-Jones first touchdown of the season. He caught six passes for 34 yards in the first half against the Wildcats and was unable to haul in a few other targets. It was clear that the big man was a huge part of the initial gameplan for the Aggies, but when Josh Reynolds got hot Seals-Jones’ targets disappeared.

His catch might not have made much of a difference in the grand scheme of the season, but the “wow factor” is undeniable.

Nov 12, 2016; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Speedy Noil (2) makes a reception during the second quarter as Mississippi Rebels defensive back Derrick Jones (19) attempts to make a tackle at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

6. Speedy Noil drops a would-be touchdown pass from Christian Kirk against Ole Miss

Kevin Sumlin doesn’t have a lot of gadget plays in his arsenal, but he certainly has a favorite. After successfully completing the play in Texas A&M’s spring game, Sumlin went back to the wide receiver reverse pass at the beginning of the fourth quarter against Ole Miss.

Texas A&M led 21-6 at the time and looked to be 15 minutes away from righting the ship after back to back SEC road losses to Alabama and Mississippi State. Kirk took the exchange and delivered a near-perfect throw to Noil in stride in the north endzone. The pass would clank off of Noil’s hands and bounce harmlessly to the ground.

At the time, it seemed to be a bad break for the team, as the result of the game didn’t seem to be in doubt. After all, the Aggies had a 15 point lead, had yet to surrender a touchdown, and were playing against true freshman Shea Patterson in his first collegiate start.

Immediately following the pass, Texas A&M would turn the ball over on downs at the Ole Miss 31 yard line. Three Rebel touchdowns later, Ole Miss would line up for a game winning field goal and convert. You could feel the life being squeezed out of this team in the fourth quarter of that game. Not only was the College Football Playoff becoming a pipe dream, the November collapse was happening all over again.

5. Trayveon Williams fumbles out of the end zone against Tennessee

In a matchup of undefeateds, the Tennessee magic looked destined to upend the Aggies’ perfect season. In familiar fashion the Aggie offense started to click early. Texas A&M jumped out to a 21-7 halftime lead over the Volunteers. Then the Rocky Top voodoo, or whatever it was, began to take hold in the second half.

After a Trayveon Williams touchdown run to start the third quarter Tennessee would outscore the Aggies 28-7 over the final 25 minutes of regulation. It’s not that the offense went stale, but it did sputter. With three minutes left in regulation Knight took off for a 62 yard touchdown run to extend the Texas A&M lead to 35-21. Joshua Dobbs answered with a touchdown drive capped off by an Alvin Kamara touchdown run and the game was back within one score.

Texas A&M took over with 2:07 left in the game and just needed a few first downs to ice the game. Williams wasn’t content with just 10 yards. Instead, he burst through the Volunteer defense for what should have been a deafening 72 yard touchdown run.

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A Play that Changed Everything

A few steps short of the game-clinching score a Tennessee defender knocked the ball free and it rolled out the back of the endzone for a touchback. Tennessee ball. Dobbs would lead another touchdown drive and Aggie kicker Daniel LaCamera would miss a field goal at the end of regulation, sending the game into overtime tied 38-38.

Williams rushed for 217 yards in what would eventually be an A&M victory. Oh what a difference that one extra yard would have made.

Oct 22, 2016; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (93) returns a fumble for a touchdown against the Texas A&M Aggies during the third quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

4. Jonathan Allen‘s defensive touchdown

The Aggies, 6-0, were right in the middle of a tough, physical football game with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Trevor Knight led a 75 yard scoring drive on the Aggies’ first possession of the second half to take the lead over the number one team in the nation.

Alabama would respond with a 77 yard drive of their own to take back the lead, 20-14. The game was wide open. Don’t let any overhanging battered Aggie syndrome convince you otherwise. Both teams would trade punts before the Aggies got the ball with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter.

After picking up a first down across midfield, the team started moving backwards via a broken screen pass and a Tim Williams sack. Then, on third and 26, Keith Ford and Knight couldn’t execute a handoff. The ball ended up on the ground. Before you could say “Roll Tide” Jonathan Allen was standing in the endzone.

That might have been the moment when the Aggies’ championship aspirations, as feeble as they might have been, came crashing down to earth. Texas A&M would not score for the remainder of the game. Alabama went on to win by 19 points.

Nov 5, 2016; Starkville, MS, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Trevor Knight (8) moves in the pocket during the first quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

3. Trevor Knight’s shoulder injury against Mississippi State

Texas A&M had been named the fourth seed in the initial College Football Playoff rankings just days before the Aggies traveled to Starkville to play Mississippi State. Aggie fans were on top of the world. Discussions of the likelihood of running the table abounded.

Then came a crushing blow that nobody could have seen coming. After a less than ideal start against the Bulldogs, Trevor Knight took off for a 19 yard touchdown run to cut the Mississippi State lead to 14-7. On the play, Knight injured his throwing shoulder diving for the pylon and was forced to briefly leave the game.

Backup Jake Hubenak took over for a series before Knight was either deemed healthy enough to play or was able to convince the coaches that he needed to be out there. On that drive Knight took a vicious shot on third down as he scrambled towards the sideline. He did not re-enter the game.

Jake Hubenak played well in relief. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 222 yards  with two touchdowns and one interception. After the game it was announced that Knight would be done for the season.

Hubenak threw for 884 yards and 6 touchdowns on the season, but his lack of mobility combined with the absence of the Aggies’ clear on-field leader proved to be too much for this young team to overcome. Knight wasn’t the best quarterback in the SEC, but his value to this team cannot be overstated. His injury altered the course of the 2016 season.

2. Christian Kirk returns two punts for touchdowns against New Mexico State

There is a reason that sophomore wide receiver Christian Kirk received three different All-SEC first team selections. Number three was named first team wide receiver, all-purpose player, and return specialist.

While he found plenty of ways to wow the country on first, second, and third down it’s what he did on fourth down that has already cemented him in Aggie history.

On October 29 against the Aggies of New Mexico State, Kirk became the first Texas A&M player ever to return two punts for touchdowns in a single game. Consequently, when he returned another punt for six the following week he became the first Aggie ever to have three punt return touchdowns in a two week span.

Kirk was the only player in the nation to return three punts for scores this season. In just two seasons, Kirk owns the all-time Aggie record for career punt return touchdowns with five. He has three fewer than former Texas Tech wide receiver Wes Welker who is tied with Antonio Perkins of Oklahoma for the NCAA record with eight.

Win or lose, Aggie fans are guaranteed a show every time Kirk steps on the field. Thankfully they’ll have at least one more season with the young Aggie play-maker.

Oct 8, 2016; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive back Armani Watts (23) intercepts a pass by Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (not pictured) to seal the win during the second overtime at Kyle Field. The Aggies defeated the Volunteers 45-38 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

1. Armani Watts intercepts Joshua Dobbs in overtime to defeat Tennessee

Through all the highs and lows of the 2016 season I can’t think of a more euphoric (or crushing) moment than Armani Watts intercepting Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs in overtime. With the pick, the junior safety clinched Texas A&M’s most tremendous home victory in the Kevin-Sumlin era and propelled the Aggies into an apparent “winner-take-all” contest for the SEC West title with Alabama.

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The Volunteers took the ball first in overtime but were held to a field goal. The Aggies were kept out of the endzone in their overtime half.

Many Aggies had memories of Knight winning the UCLA game on a fourth down run in overtime and were anxious to say the least about entrusting the sophomore kicker with the Aggies’ then undefeated season.

Daniel LaCamera, who had missed the potential game winning 38 yard field goal at the end of regulation, answered with a field goal of his own to tie the game, 38-38.

After the field goal, Trevor Knight would convert another one yard touchdown run to put the Aggies ahead by seven. On first and ten, Dobbs aimed for the endzone. With the game on the line, Watts crashed in from deep coverage to snare the pass on the six yard line.

One of the Greatest Moments in the Aggies’ SEC History?

As far as memorable interceptions in SEC conference play, that pick is probably second only to Deshazor Everett‘s game clinching pick of AJ McCarron to seal the Aggies’ 2012 upset of unbeaten Alabama in Tuscaloosa. What stands out this time is the venue.

There have been plenty of memorable games in Kyle Field history, but it’s not often that the final play of a game proves to be this dramatic. In the years to come Aggie fans will look back and forever remember this very play. The season might not have ended in a championship, but for one night in College Station, anything was possible for this Texas A&M team.

Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments. Better yet, reply to this post with a gif of your favorite moment on Facebook or Twitter. 

***Stats from Sports Reference, ESPN, 12thMan.com***

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