LUKE MEREDITH, AP Sports Writer Courtesy of San Antonio Express
Updated 11:14 a.m., Sunday, October 23, 2011
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| Iowa State quarterback Jared Barnett (16) fumbles as he is hit by Texas A&M defensive lineman Spencer Nealy, left, and defensive lineman Gavin Stansbury, right, during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011, in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State recovered the fumble. Texas A&M won 33-17. Photo: Charlie Neibergall / AP |
AMES,
Iowa (AP) — No team in the country had given up more yards through the
air than Texas A&M entering Saturday's road game at Iowa State.
That's why the Aggies were so relieved to see the first pass the Cyclones threw fall into the hands of Trent Hunter.
Hunter's interception set up the first of Randy Bullock's four field goals and set the tone for an improved defensive effort from Texas A&M (5-2, 3-1), which beat Iowa State (3-4, 0-4) 33-17.
The Cyclones scoring output was the fewest points allowed by the Aggies since they held Idaho to just one touchdown on Sept. 17.
"I think we played well. Our keys were our (defensive) line played well," linebacker Sean Porter said. "I think they really stepped up and played well. Our secondary played well. I think we had a good all-around on defense."
That they did.
Texas A&M held the Cyclones to just 305 yards of offense and three trips inside the Aggies 20-yard line and forced them to punt nine times.
Perhaps the biggest boost Texas A&M's defense got out of Saturday night's win, though, was how it responded to some unexpected adversity in the second half.
Christine Michael's 9-yard TD run put the Aggies ahead 30-7 early in the second half, seemingly putting the game out of reach for the Cyclones.
But Iowa State and its new quarterback, freshman Jared Barnett, promptly went 74 yards in eight plays to pull within 30-14. The Cyclones then caught a break when a punt bounced off A&M's Desmond Gardiner and gave them the ball on the Aggies 26-yard line.
Had Iowa State scored another touchdown, it would have been a new game.
But the Aggies' defense stepped up, holding Barnett to a 1-yard run and a pair of incompletions to Darius Reynolds, the Cyclones best receiver.
Iowa State kicked a field goal, but it wouldn't score again.
Though the Aggies were thrown a bit off guard when the Cyclones pulled starter Steele Jantz in favor of Barnett, who was seeing the most significant action of his young career, they adjusted well.
Barnett completed 16 of 36 passes for 180 yards. That was less than half the 361. 3 yards passing Texas A&M had allowed entering play — a somewhat misleading number considering A&M had played pass-happy opponents such as SMU, Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Texas Tech and Baylor.
Barnett also ran for 66 yards, but the Aggies held the Iowa State to less than four yards a carry on 33 attempts and to just 6 of 18 on third downs.
"He wanted to run around a lot so we had to end up spying him kind of like Robert Griffin last week," said Porter, who helped contain the Baylor star in last week's 55-28 victory. Barnett "is a pretty good quarterback for a freshman. They were out there doing some good things. We got to him as much as we needed to to win."
It was far from a perfect effort from the Aggies, who dropped a lot of passes that could have and should have been caught and settled for four field goals, including a pair on drives that stalled out inside Iowa State's 10-yard line.
But thanks in large part to its defense, Texas A&M won a road game in a league where those can be precious and few.
The Aggies next host Missouri — a team that's arguably much tougher than its 3-4 record suggests — ahead of a grueling road swing through Oklahoma and unbeaten Kansas State.
"Defense played great," said quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who was 24 of 43 passing for 263 yards despite a number of drops. "They were in a couple of tough spots. Came up big on third downs, had a lot of pass breakups
That's why the Aggies were so relieved to see the first pass the Cyclones threw fall into the hands of Trent Hunter.
Hunter's interception set up the first of Randy Bullock's four field goals and set the tone for an improved defensive effort from Texas A&M (5-2, 3-1), which beat Iowa State (3-4, 0-4) 33-17.
The Cyclones scoring output was the fewest points allowed by the Aggies since they held Idaho to just one touchdown on Sept. 17.
"I think we played well. Our keys were our (defensive) line played well," linebacker Sean Porter said. "I think they really stepped up and played well. Our secondary played well. I think we had a good all-around on defense."
That they did.
Texas A&M held the Cyclones to just 305 yards of offense and three trips inside the Aggies 20-yard line and forced them to punt nine times.
Perhaps the biggest boost Texas A&M's defense got out of Saturday night's win, though, was how it responded to some unexpected adversity in the second half.
Christine Michael's 9-yard TD run put the Aggies ahead 30-7 early in the second half, seemingly putting the game out of reach for the Cyclones.
But Iowa State and its new quarterback, freshman Jared Barnett, promptly went 74 yards in eight plays to pull within 30-14. The Cyclones then caught a break when a punt bounced off A&M's Desmond Gardiner and gave them the ball on the Aggies 26-yard line.
Had Iowa State scored another touchdown, it would have been a new game.
But the Aggies' defense stepped up, holding Barnett to a 1-yard run and a pair of incompletions to Darius Reynolds, the Cyclones best receiver.
Iowa State kicked a field goal, but it wouldn't score again.
Though the Aggies were thrown a bit off guard when the Cyclones pulled starter Steele Jantz in favor of Barnett, who was seeing the most significant action of his young career, they adjusted well.
Barnett completed 16 of 36 passes for 180 yards. That was less than half the 361. 3 yards passing Texas A&M had allowed entering play — a somewhat misleading number considering A&M had played pass-happy opponents such as SMU, Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Texas Tech and Baylor.
Barnett also ran for 66 yards, but the Aggies held the Iowa State to less than four yards a carry on 33 attempts and to just 6 of 18 on third downs.
"He wanted to run around a lot so we had to end up spying him kind of like Robert Griffin last week," said Porter, who helped contain the Baylor star in last week's 55-28 victory. Barnett "is a pretty good quarterback for a freshman. They were out there doing some good things. We got to him as much as we needed to to win."
It was far from a perfect effort from the Aggies, who dropped a lot of passes that could have and should have been caught and settled for four field goals, including a pair on drives that stalled out inside Iowa State's 10-yard line.
But thanks in large part to its defense, Texas A&M won a road game in a league where those can be precious and few.
The Aggies next host Missouri — a team that's arguably much tougher than its 3-4 record suggests — ahead of a grueling road swing through Oklahoma and unbeaten Kansas State.
"Defense played great," said quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who was 24 of 43 passing for 263 yards despite a number of drops. "They were in a couple of tough spots. Came up big on third downs, had a lot of pass breakups
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/article/A-M-defense-steps-up-in-33-17-win-at-Iowa-State-2232308.php#ixzz1bck1jBKo
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