AGGIES DECLAW TIGERS

It took seven overtimes for Texas A&M to beat LSU 74-72 in the craziest college football game of the year

By Cindy Boren

The Washington Post
November 25, 2018

Let’s play seven.

Why not? Texas A&M and LSU hooked up Saturday in the highest scoring game in FBS history, with the Aggies coming away with a 74-72 victory in the seventh overtime. This game had everything, for better or worse. There was an erroneous celebration by the Tigers, a game-tying touchdown as the clock wound down in regulation, wildly gaudy stats, some questionable officiating and a stunning touchdown reception by Texas A&M’s Kendrick Rogers.

“I lost track of overtimes,” Aggies Coach Jimbo Fisher admitted. " ... it is the craziest game ever."

LSU appeared to have the game wrapped up when Aggies quarterback Kellen Mond threw an interception with less than 30 seconds left. LSU led 31-24 and players closed in on Tigers Coach Ed Orgeron for the celebratory, highly premature and ultimately erroneous Gatorade bath. But wait! Mond’s knee was down when he picked up a low snap! It was an eight-yard loss and not a turnover.

The game could have ended, again, two plays after Mond’s interception was overturned when the Aggies were facing fourth-and-18. Mond converted with a pass to Quartney Davis that looked short of a first down, but that little yellow line on TV is deceptive. In any event, the Aggies spiked the ball before the play could be reviewed. (These teams will go on to score 91 points!)

Kendrick Rogers hauled in a pass for a first down at the LSU 19 and the Aggies again quickly spiked the ball. Officials ruled that the spike came after time had expired, then decided, upon review, to put one second back on the clock.

“I just feel bad for those young men,” Orgeron said. “That second shouldn’t have been put on the clock, and I’m sticking to that.”

Touchdown, extra point and madness ensued.

The teams went back and forth, helped along the way with calls that left both sides scratching their heads, until Rogers secured a fourth overtime with one of the best catches this side of Odell Beckham Jr.

The game ended at 12:33 a.m. Eastern time, but not without one lass bit of controversy in College Station. LSU had already scored in the seventh OT and A&M scored on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Mond to Davis. The two-point conversion attempt — required by NCAA rules on all scoring plays after the third overtime — was incomplete but LSU’s Greedy Williams was flagged for pass interference and a personal foul. Of course there was a false start on the two-point attempt, but Mond then hit Rogers for the game-winner.

The teams combined for 64 first downs and 1,017 total yards, with Mond passing for six touchdowns and running for another. Both teams were spent, particularly Rogers, whose calves were cramping.

“These are moments you live for, so no matter what’s going on with your body you want to be out there,” said Rogers, who caught three passes for 53 yards and two touchdowns. “So you just have to talk yourself out of it, just mentally fight through it.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: Yep, in Texas the Aggies bear the brunt of jokes for doing crazy things.