Post-Game Review: #22 A&M 59, #23 Louisiana Tech 57

SHREVEPORT, La. — Texas A&M scored touchdowns on its first three possessions, but had to hold on to post a tense 59-57 college football victory over No. 23 Louisiana Tech on Saturday night.

Here are some highlights from the Aggies’ fifth straight win.

Rising: Johnny Manziel. The A&M quarterback is gaining momentum as a serious Heisman Trophy candidate. Manziel broke the SEC total yardage record he set two weeks ago with 576 yards. He rushed for 181 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 395 yards and three touchdowns.

Falling: Texas A&M’s defense. True, Louisiana Tech came into the game averaging 53.2 points per game and A&M was without defensive backs Deshazor Everett, Steven Campbell and Howard Matthews and linebacker linebacker Steven Jenkins, but that’s no excuse for the plague of missed tackles. The Aggies were ranked 45th in the nation in total defense. But after allowing 615 yards they’re going to drop.

Best hit: Taylor Bertolet. Already holding a comfortable lead midway through the second quarter, Texas A&M Coach Kevin Sumlin opted for a 54-yard field goal attempt when a drive stalled at the Louisiana Tech 36. Bertolet, a redshirt freshman, went into the game having converted just 5 of 8 field goal attempts and his longest was from 46 yards. However, he hit the career-best 54-yarder for a 27-0 lead.

Best hands: Mike Evans. The redshirt freshman receiver made perhaps his second-best grab of the season (nothing tops his clutch sideline catch against Ole Miss).

Louisiana Tech had just scored its first touchdown midway through the second quarter, but needed just one play to regain the momentum. Manziel threw deep to Evans, who reached out to make the catch and then sprinted away from defensive backs Dave Clark and Craig Johnson for a 75-yard touchdown.

Turning point: The outcome was in doubt until Ben Malena’s recovery of Louisiana Tech’s onside kick with less than a minute remaining. That’s right. A game in which 116 points were scored came down to one player catching a bouncing ball.

Standing 'O': Ryan Swope. The senior from Austin became joined Jeff Fuller as the only players in A&M history to notch 200 career receptions. His 200th catch was a five-yard reception on the Aggies’ second series.

It was his only catch of the game. Later in that drive he sustained an apparent concussion when hit in the head by Louisiana Tech’s Johnson after an incompletion. The hit drew a personal foul penalty.