SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 24, 2012
No. 10 Texas A&M 59, Missouri 29: Johnny Manziel shook off an injury to throw for 372 yards and three touchdowns, and added two rushing scores, as the host Aggies dominated while snapping a three-game skid against the Tigers in the teams' initial meeting as SEC foes.
Seeking to become the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, Manziel broke 2010 Heisman winner Cam Newton's single-season SEC record for total offense, finishing with 4,600 yards. He posted his sixth game of multiple scores passing and running for Texas A&M (10-2, 6-2), which reached double-digit wins for the first time since 1998 after dismantling former Big 12 rival Missouri (5-7, 2-6).
Manziel left after being tackled by his lower left leg while stretching for extra yards during the Aggies' third possession of the game. But the scare proved short-lived, as he donned a knee brace and returned after missing only three plays, and immediately drove Texas A&M to a 28-0 advantage on his 3-yard strike to Ryan Swope with 12:12 remaining in the second quarter.
The Aggies scored on all six of their first-half drives (save for a kneel-down at the end) and at one point had outgained the Tigers 436-75 in total offense while piling up a 42-0 lead. Mike Evans (team-high eight catches), Malcome Kennedy and Swope all caught at least seven passes for Texas A&M.
Missouri punter Trey Barrow's 20-yard scamper on a fake kick set up a 4-yard scoring run by Kendial Lawrence that made it 42-7 at halftime. Corbin Berkstresser tossed two touchdown passes and dove in for another in the second half for the Tigers.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Missouri starting QB James Franklin sat after suffering a concussion in last week's loss against Syracuse. Berkstresser finished with 276 yards, including a 74-yard TD pass to L'Damian Washington. กญ Evans, a freshman, had 99 receiving yards to surpass 1,000 for the season. กญ The Aggies converted 12 third-down attempts before finally missing. กญ Texas A&M's slim shot at reaching the SEC title game ended Friday when LSU beat Arkansas.