Texas spoils No. 3 Texas A&M's bid at perfect season

Arch Manning threw a touchdown pass and ran for the clinching score late in the fourth quarter, and No. 16 Texas beat No. 3 Texas A&M 27-17 on Friday night to spoil the Aggies’ undefeated season and knock them out of the Southeastern Conference championship game.

- JIM VERTUNO

ARCH MANNING rallied Texas, throwing for a touchdown and running for one.

(STEPHEN SPILLMAN Associated Press)

Manning’s 29-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo in the third quarter gave Texas (9-3, 6-2 SEC) a 13-10 lead in what had been a tight, defensive game. His 35-yard run up the middle on third down with 7:04 left to play put the Longhorns up 27-17.

Texas, which started the season No. 1 and at one point was unranked, beat a top-10 opponent for the third time this season to keep alive any faint hopes of making the College Football Playoff for the third consecutive time.

"We are absolutely a playoff team," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said, "and worthy of an opportunity to play for a national championship."

Texas would be the first three-loss team to make the playoffs. Two of those losses came against No. 1 Ohio State and No. 4 Georgia, but an early loss to Florida could doom the Longhorns’ chances.