Texas A&M Aggies vs North Carolina Tar Heels Match Player Stats On Jan 02, 2021

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