Alabama 31, Texas A&M 20: Russell's two early fourth-quarter scores flip a 20-17 deficit

No. 13 Alabama trailed Texas A&M 20-17 entering the fourth quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday. It then scored twice in a span of 4:54 to win 31-20.

Keelon Russell threw both of those touchdowns, finishing 19 of 30 for 311 yards and three scores. The Aggies controlled the clock for 33:10, but three turnovers, one returned for a touchdown, left them chasing a game they had led twice.

Alabama moves to 6-2 and ends a two-game losing streak. Texas A&M falls to 4-4.

How it was won

Alabama scored first without its offense. Dijon Lee Jr. intercepted Marcel Reed and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown at 11:24 of the first quarter.

Reed answered with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Mario Craver, and Conor Talty's 47-yard field goal put Alabama back ahead 10-7 at the end of the quarter. Reed's 4-yard run gave the Aggies a 14-10 lead early in the second. Russell found Daniel Hill for a 3-yard score to retake it, and David Olano's 32-yard field goal tied the game 17-17 at halftime.

Olano added a 25-yard field goal at 8:38 of the third quarter, the only points of the period, and Texas A&M led 20-17.

The fourth quarter belonged to Russell. He hit Marshall Pritchett for 5 yards with 14:55 left, then Kaleb Edwards for 8 yards at 10:01. The Aggies did not score again.

The box score shows how the game tilted. Alabama outgained Texas A&M 379 to 278, and 311 of those yards came through the air. Rico Scott caught six passes for 156 yards, and Lotzeir Brooks added three for 73. Alabama ran for only 68 yards; Hill led with 36 on nine carries.

Reed completed 14 of 21 for 163 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He carried 17 times for 23 yards and a score. KJ Edwards ran eight times for 43 yards, and Craver led the Aggies with six catches for 45 yards. Isaiah Horton added three for 34.

Texas A&M converted 4 of 11 third downs and lost the turnover battle 3-1. Russell threw one interception, but it did not cost Alabama points.

Against the number

Alabama closed as a 13.5-point favorite. The 11-point margin means Texas A&M covered by two and a half points. The Aggies stayed inside the number despite trailing by 11 for the final ten minutes.

The total closed at 49.5, and the 51 combined points sent it over. Alabama's late touchdown at 10:01 pushed it past the line.

On the moneyline, Alabama closed at -600 and Texas A&M at +440. The favorite won outright, but backers of the Aggies with the points were paid. Full odds history is on the game page.

What's next

Both teams are off next week and return on Saturday, November 7.

Texas A&M travels to South Carolina. The Aggies are 4-4, with all four wins coming at home and all three road games ending in losses: 6-35 at LSU, 6-27 at Missouri and now 20-31 at Alabama. They have scored 20 or fewer points in each of those defeats.

Alabama goes to Baton Rouge to face No. 18 LSU. The Tide had lost close games to Georgia (20-17) and at Tennessee (26-10) before Saturday. The trip to LSU is its third ranked opponent in four games.