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Texas A&M Football

The 50: Ranking Aggie football's greatest plays (5-1)

June 2, 2017
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Oh my gracious, there have been dozens of great plays in Texas A&M football history.

With that in mind, TexAgs is ranking the greatest 50 plays in Texas A&M football history. The list will be revealed five plays at a time from No. 50 to No. 1.

There were big runs, big catches, big hits, big kicks and big returns. Some produced iconic moments. Some clinched championships. Some contributed to stunning upsets. Some even came in losses. There was “The Hit,” “The Texas Special” and “Bo No Go.” There was Johnny Football, Sirr Parker and Toooombs.

They will bring back great memories. They will cause great debates. There will be questions like “How could that play not be higher?” or “Why was this play omitted?”

Oh Doctor, it was hard compiling our list. See how closely yours matches ours.

Click here to review plays 6-50.

5. Haskell Hurricane hits New Orleans (Jan. 1, 1940): The unbeaten Aggies were aiming to validate their 1939 national championship against Tulane in the Sugar Bowl. A&M, however, was trailing 13-7 late in the fourth quarter, and the Aggies were facing fourth-and-six at the Green Wave 22. From there, quarterback Cotton Price passed into the right flat to Herbie Smith, who then lateraled to Jarrin’ John Kimbrough, a.k.a. “The Haskell Hurricane” at the 18-yard line. Kimbrough fought his way to the end zone as the New  New Orleans Tribune recounted: “… brushing off Green tacklers like Gulliver flicking Lilliputians off his coat lapel.”



4. Johnny Manziel touchdown pass vs. Alabama (Nov. 10, 2012): Already holding a 7-0 first quarter lead, the Aggies were facing third-and-goal at the Alabama 10-yard line. Manziel dropped back to pass and was moving in the pocket when he bumped into right guard Cedric Ogbuehi. That contact made him lose the football for a split second. He quickly regained control, rolled left and then located a wide-open Ryan Swope in the end zone for a touchdown that staked A&M to a 14-0 lead. The play prompted announcer Verne Lundquist to exclaim: “Oh my gracious! How about that!"



3. Quentin Coryatt administers “The Hit” vs. TCU (Nov 7, 1991): TCU was attempting to convert a third-and-five when receiver Kyle McPherson tried to catch a slant pass. Instead, McPherson was hit by Coryatt, who seemed to get all of his 250 pounds into the collision. McPherson was knocked unconscious and broke his jaw in three places. The Aggies won 44-7, and the play was named the “Hit of the Year” by ESPN.



2. Matt Bumgardner catch vs. Texas (Nov. 26, 1999): Just days after the Bonfire tragedy that took the lives of 12 students, an emotional Kyle Field crowd witnessed the inspired Aggies’ bid to upset the No. 5 Longhorns. The Aggies trailed 16-13 with just over five minutes remaining, but had driven to the Texas 14-yard line. There, the Aggies faced second-and-11 when quarterback Randy McCown lofted a pass to Matt Bumgardner near the right pylon. Bumgardner made an adjustment on the ball and leaped over Texas cornerback Ahmad Brooks for a touchdown that provided the winning points in a 20-16 A&M victory.



1. Sirr Parker’s touchdown vs. Kansas State (Dec. 5 1998): Though Texas A&M was a two-touchdown underdog in the Big 12 Championship Game, the Aggies came back from an eight-point fourth quarter deficit to force overtime. Trailing 33-30 in the second overtime period, the Aggies faced third-and-17 at the 32-yard line. Quarterback Branndon Stewart hit running back Sirr Parker on a slant. Parker ran through one attempted tackle, veered right and outran another K-State defender to the pylon for a touchdown that lifted the Aggies to the Big 12 championship.


Discussion from...

The 50: Ranking Aggie football's greatest plays (5-1)

28,207 Views | 16 Replies | Last: 7 yr ago by BigJim49 AustinNowDallas
saw em off
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I think y'all forgot one in all of this. Unless this is number 51.

StickTogetherAgs
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Texags Meltdown
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AG
John Kimbrough's run against Tulane to put the Aggies up 14-13
Ag_from_birth
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AG
Great list - thanks for the trip down memory lane. Couple others that I would add:

Curtis Dickey's run at #6 Penn State 1979,
Warrick Holdman sack/fumble/TD vs #2 Nebraska in 1998 ("the whole stadium is shaking"),
Goal line stand vs tu in 1985 for SWC championship,
Carl Roaches reverse play, 1st play from scrimmage vs #5 tu in 1975.
W
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AG
it was a great list.

since the JF memories are still strong, I think that's why the 2012 & 2013 seasons dominated the list (with 9 of the 50 plays) leaving out a lot of great plays before that time. If the list is done 10 years from now, several of these might squeeze into the #25 to #50 range:

-- Curtis Dickey's TD run in 1979 to beat the sips at Kyle. The 79 game is arguably the biggest A&M upset in the history of the series. The Ags were 5-5. The horns were 9-1 coming into that game.

-- Albert Connell's spectacular TD catch in the south endzone to beat SMU in the final seconds at Kyle in 1995.

-- Warrick Holdman's fumble recovery in the endzone vs. Nebraska in 1998.

-- Reggie's electrifying 62-yard TD run in the final minute to seal the win vs. Kansas State in 2004 at Kyle. That was a huge morale boost to the fanbase after the depressing 2003 season.

-- Keith Woodside's 90-yard TD run vs. t.u. in the 1987 game which decided the SWC championship.

-- and the oft forgotten 1986 thriller vs. SMU in Texas Stadium...Murray to Woodside for a 50-yard catch & run down the sidelines with 2 minutes to go to win the game 39-35

W
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AG
also I believe Lester Hayes had a big scoop & score in the 1974 A&M-Baylor game. There was mega-hype surrounding that October game. It held the attendance record at Floyd Casey for 21 years. A&M shut out Baylor that night 20-0
W
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AG
and someday Armani Watts' interception to seal the Tennessee OT win at Kyle in 2016 will be held in higher regard. Even though both A&M's and the Vols' seasons did not finish strong...that was still a top 10 matchup at Kyle. The first one the Ags had won since 1975
Rod Tidwell
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AG
Great idea for a list. Fun to look at this each day over the last 2 weeks.

Damn it's still a long ways til football season.
dcAg
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Kip Corrington hit against a Razorback in the mid 1980's on 4th down to secure the victory.

Eric Franklin's 47 yard field goal against SMU as time expired in 1986 I believe.
AgPediRPh
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AG
Mike Goodson's improbable screen pass TD vs tu in 2007. Put the Ags up 7-0 and set the tone for the upset victory.
Amazing Moves
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Quote:

Keith Woodside's 90-yard TD run vs. t.u. in the 1987 game which decided the SWC championship.
Shoulda snuck in there.

Domingo Bryant in the 86' cotton bowl is another.

Kyle Bryant's 54 yd. FG at BYU in 96' with under 2 minutes remaining to take the lead. So clutch.

Crooms blocked punt in the 89' Baylor game.

Separating both of Detmer's shoulders has to be mentioned.


Great list. Nice work overall.
malenurse
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AG
Great list. It's fun to argue the choices and the one's left out.

I think Tony Franklin's 65 yard field goal vs Baylor should have made the list. It blew Grant Teaff's mind and forced a change in the NCAA rule books.
aggiejim70
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AG
Amen on Dickey's run in '79. I was at that game with my dad, class of '50, who got into with the cops later that night. But that's another story.

Couple of runs that maybe should have made it. Wendell Housley's (sp?) run up the gut against Bama in the '68
Cotton Bowl and Thomas Saunders' run against t.u. in '80.
The person that is not willing to fight and die, if need be, for his country has no right to life.

James Earl Rudder '32
January 31, 1945
TAMU74
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AG
Saw em off...Regarding the Woodside run against the sips, who threw the "de-cleater" block down field that cleared the way for Woodside?
That sip never knew what hit him as he flew out of bounds..
Lateralus Ag
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Meh, let me know when we have a top play in a national title run....
BigJim49 AustinNowDallas
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Lateralus Ag said:

Meh, let me know when we have a top play in a national title run....
See Kimbrough above !
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