Mike Goodson (left) scored two first half TDs to give Texas A&M a 14-3 lead, but Arkansas State used four second half Aggie turnovers to come back and shock the Aggies 18-14 in Mike Sherman's first game as head coach of the Aggies.
Arkansas State took the opening kickoff and drove to the Aggie 20-yard line before being forced to settle for a 37-yard field by Josh Arauco to take a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
Texas A&M quickly reponded by driving 69 yards in seven play. On the drive Mike Goodson rushed for 40 yards on 5 carries, including the 9-ard TD run to give the Aggies a 7-3 lead with 6:20 left in the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, the Aggies mounted a 12-play, 77-yard drive consuming almost nine minutes, and Mike Goodson scored his second touchdown on a 7-yard run to give Texas A&M a 14-3 lead with 4:23 left in the first half.
On Texas A&M's second possession of the 2nd half, Stephen McGee pass intercepted by Arkansas State's M.D. Jennings at the Ark St 41. Arkansas St drove to the Aggie 12-yard line before Josh Arauco kicked his second field goal to cut the Aggie lead to 14-6 with 5:28 left in the third quarter.
The next Aggie possession ended when receiver Howard Morrow fumbled and and Arkansas St recovered at the Aggie 47-yard line. Arkansas St used 4 plays to drive to the Aggie 8-yard line before Josh Arauco kicked his third field goal to pull within a touchdown of the Aggies 14-9 just before the end of the third quarter.
After the Aggies drove to the Arkansas St 3-yard line, Rickie Bean missed a 25-yard field goal that would have given A&M a 17-9 lead at the 9:30 mark of the 4th quarter. Arkansas State took advantage of the missed field goal by driving 80 yards in 10 plays, scoring a touchdown on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Corey Leonard to Kevin Jones, giving Arkansas State a 15-14 lead with 4:39 left in the game.
On the ensuing Texas A&M drive, Mike Goodson fumbled and Arkansas State recovered at the Aggie 41-yard line. Arkansas State used up over three minutes of clock in driving to the Aggie 20-yard line before Josh Arauco kicked his fourth field goal of the night, this from 37 yards, to give Arkansas State an 18-14 lead with 1:12 left in the game.
Texas A&M had one last chance, needing a touchdown to win. The Aggies drove to the Arkansas State 33-yard line before Arkansas State intercepted a Stephen McGee pass to end the game and cement a 18-14 shock win over Texas A&M.
Arkansas State not only won on the scoreboard but also in the stats, picking up 23 first downs to the Aggies 18, outgaining A&M 415 yards to 303, and leading in time of possession 33:14 to 26:39.
Two missed field goals and four second half turnovers proved too much for the Aggies to overcome.
Texas A&M will now try to regroup and prepare to host New Mexico next Saturday afternoon. New Mexico lost to TCU 26-3 on Saturday.