Texas A&M 41, North Carolina 27
When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 2, 2021
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Temperature:
73°
Head Official:
Larry Smith
Attendance:
13737
By Field Level Media
Freshman running back Devon Achane ran 76 yards for a tiebreaking touchdown with 3:44 remaining, and No. 5 Texas A&M overcame No. 13 North Carolina to win the Orange Bowl, 41-27, on Saturday night in Miami.
The Aggies, who were denied a spot in the College Football Playoff, scored the game's final 21 points in the last 10 1/2 minutes. Their 24 fourth-quarter points were the most in the Orange Bowl for a team since Oklahoma in 1958.
Isaiah Spiller scored two rushing touchdowns for Texas A&M (9-1), but he departed with an injury, and that allowed Achane to move into the spotlight.
Quarterback Kellen Mond completed 16 of 26 passes for 232 yards.
After the go-ahead touchdown, the Aggies stopped North Carolina's fourth-and-2 play just 80 seconds later. Achane converted for a 1-yard scoring run, moving his rushing totals to 140 yards on 12 carries.
North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell threw two second-half touchdown passes to Josh Downs. Howell finished 18-for-31 for 234 yards and three touchdowns with an interception.
Howell threw 10 yards to Downs for a go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter, completing a 66-yard drive. After Mond's 4-yard touchdown run at the 10:11 mark, the Aggies clamped down defensively to prevent North Carolina from reaching a first down on its next three possessions.
Texas A&M led 17-13 at halftime after Spiller ran 3 yards for a touchdown with 20 seconds to play in the half. That capped a 75-yard march that consumed more than 4 1/2 minutes for the team's longest time for a possession in the half.
Texas A&M posted the game's first points on Spiller's 9-yard run on a fourth-and-1 play. That followed Andre White's interception of Howell that set the Aggies up at the North Carolina 28-yard line.
The Tar Heels (8-4) received field goals of 29 and 32 yards from Grayson Atkins before Seth Small's 25-yarder for the Aggies.
North Carolina went ahead for the first time on Dazz Newsome's 28-yard reception from Howell with 4:56 left in the first half.
North Carolina running backs Michael Carter and Javonte Williams, receiver Dyami Brown and linebacker Chazz Surratt all opted out of playing in the bowl.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
Rushing
Texas A&M |
|
North Carolina |
Devon Achane
|
Player |
British Brooks
|
12 |
Attempts |
15 |
140 |
Yards |
53 |
11.7 |
Avg Yards |
3.5 |
2 |
Touchdowns |
0 |
0 |
Long |
0 |
Receiving
Texas A&M |
|
North Carolina |
Ainias Smith
|
Player |
Josh Downs
|
6 |
Receptions |
4 |
125 |
Yards |
91 |
20.8 |
Avg Yards |
22.8 |
0 |
Touchdowns |
2 |
0 |
Long |
0 |
Team Stats Summary
|
Yards |
Scoring |
Defense |
Team |
Tot |
Rus |
Pas |
TD |
FG |
INT |
Sck |
FF |
Texas A&M
|
457 |
225 |
232 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
4.0 |
0 |
North Carolina
|
324 |
90 |
234 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
3.0 |
0 |