Dave Martin/Associated Press
Texas A&M receiver Ryan Swope after making a first-down catch in the fourth quarter Saturday. Swope had 11 catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. More Photos »
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — At some point Saturday, the glare was supposed to be too much for the Texas A&M Aggies, the new arrivals in the Southeastern Conference, who were not supposed to be ready for the ferociousness of this kind of SEC road game. It was Alabama's top-rated defense against this phenomenon called Johnny Football, and surely the Aggies would compete for a quarter or two and then go away once their redshirt freshman quarterback, Johnny Manziel, had his face mask shoved into the turf at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Manziel, a target throughout the second half for Alabama's blitzing defense, did not crumble under a pile of anxiety before 101,821 frothing fans, and neither did the rest of his team. Instead, he accounted for 345 yards rushing and passing, and the Texas A&M defense, shredded in the second half, made a goal-line stop with 1 minute 36 seconds to play as the 15th-ranked Aggies stunned No. 1 Alabama, 29-24.
Texas A&M improved to 8-2 over all and 5-2 in the SEC; the only losses in its first season in the conference were by 3 points to Florida and by 5 to Louisiana State. All this season, the Aggies were expected to be fodder for the rest of the SEC, but now they are the rude newcomers who might have ended the conference's run of six national titles. Alabama (9-1, 6-1) got to the national title game with one loss last season, but this year the Crimson Tide will need considerable help, with Oregon, Kansas State and Notre Dame still unbeaten and the season winding down.
Manziel completed 24 of 31 passes for 253 yards and did not throw an interception. He also ran for 92 yards, and his playmaking helped Texas A&M convert on 11 of 18 third downs. Manziel was Johnny Magician in the first quarter as the Aggies built a 20-0 lead with his improvised runs and throws. They included bobbling a ball, snatching it out of the air and throwing a touchdown pass.
"If you're around him every day, you know it's not too much for him," Texas A&M Coach Kevin Sumlin, a native of Alabama, said when asked about Manziel's being a target of defenses. "There hasn't been a moment that's been too big for him."
Manziel, who is not permitted to speak with reporters, brought plenty of help to Alabama to compete against a program that had won 14 straight games and two of the last three national titles.
Alabama should have been concerned. Texas A&M had won five straight road games and arrived with two N.F.L.-caliber offensive tackles, the juniors Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews, who kept Manziel safe as the Aggies built that 20-point lead.
"It just shows we can compete with anyone in this league," said wide receiver Ryan Swope, who caught 11 passes for 111 yards.
Alabama will insist it gave the game away. Quarterback A J McCarron came into the game with a streak of 289 passes without an interception, and no interceptions this season. He threw two against Texas A&M, including the one caught by the Aggies' Deshazor Everett at the goal line with 1:36 to play.
After its defense held, Alabama was poised to get the ball back for one last chance after a Texas A&M punt, but it jumped offsides to give a first down to the Aggies, who proceeded to run out the clock.
In the first half, Manziel did not just look like the best quarterback in the country, he looked like the best point guard. The Aggies' offense moved smoothly up the field with Manziel throwing darts into the numbers of his receivers or scampering away from defenders. Texas A&M went 73 yards on nine plays in just 2:50 on its first possession, with running back Christine Michael scoring from the 1.
When Alabama got the ball back, McCarron threw his first interception of the season. The pass bounced off his receiver, and linebacker Sean Porter returned the ball to the Crimson Tide 41. Manziel completed a 32-yard pass play to Kenric McNeal. Two plays later, Manziel scampered out of trouble in the pocket, ran right, then threw to Swope in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown.
"We seemed like we were a little bit out of gas," said Nick Saban, the Alabama coach.
After a punt by the Tide, Manziel and the Aggies went to work again with a 73-yard, 14-play drive. Michael scored again with 41 seconds left in the first quarter. But something finally went right for Alabama when Taylor Bertolet missed the extra-point kick.
Down by 20, Alabama finally found a remedy for Manziel and the A&M offense: it held on to the ball.
The Crimson Tide went on one touchdown drive of 5:37 and another of 3:51 to make the score 20-14 at halftime.
But Manziel never committed the turnover that would allow Alabama to build momentum and overtake the Aggies.
Play after play, he kept his poise, and the only meltdown was by Alabama.
"Two of the three national championship teams that I've coached both lost a game," Saban said, before adding, "There is still a lot for this team to play for."
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