Texas Teams

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- While the performance was far from impressive, No. 25 Texas A&M isn't complaining after what happened the last two weeks.

The banged-up Aggies snapped a two-game losing skid by outlasting Texas-San Antonio 23-10 on Saturday at Kyle Field.

"Coming back in the short week, with some energy and some confidence, was really what we wanted to get done today," Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said. "I thought for the most part that's what we did today."

Injuries have depleted the Aggies' defense in recent weeks, but one key defender looked as healthy as he's been all season. All-American defensive end Myles Garrett racked up 4 1/2 sacks in a dominating individual performance.

"It was great to finally be able to move and get off close to how I wanted to," said Garrett, just the eighth player in SEC history with at least 30 career sacks. "I just demonstrated at what level I can play at when I'm close to being healthy."

Aggies quarterback Jake Hubenak, filling in for injured starter Trevor Knight, passed for 248 yards and a touchdown in his second consecutive start. True freshman running back Trayveon Williams ran for 80 yards, including a 47-yard score in the third quarter.

The Aggies improved to 8-3 with their first win in November. Texas A&M started the month with high aspirations after debuting at No. 4 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings.

Losses to a pair of unranked SEC West foes -- Mississippi State and Ole Miss -- dashed any playoff hopes and sent the Aggies plummeting in the rankings.

Texas A&M did not overpower the Roadrunners, who were without leading rusher Jalen Rhodes and went from starting quarterback Dalton Sturm to backup Jared Johnson. UTSA hung close despite only 252 yards of offense.

"I thought our team played extremely hard today," Roadrunners first-year coach Frank Wilson said. "I thought the defense played lights out. Unfortunately, our best wasn't good enough today."

The visitors were down only 10-7 after Josh Stewart (six receptions for 76 yards) pulled in an acrobatic, one-handed 10-yard touchdown catch from Johnson in the second quarter.

Johnson was 15 of 24 for 186 yards.

"Every day I prepare like I'm going to play, so it's not a surprise to me whenever I get in or when I don't," he said. "I just take advantage of the opportunity that I have when it comes."

UTSA (5-6) heads into its regular-season finale needing to beat Conference USA foe Charlotte at home next week to qualify for a bowl for the first time since the program moved into FBS status in 2014.

The Aggies finish the regular season with a Thanksgiving home game against SEC West rival LSU.

"We're extremely excited about it," Hubenak said. "Obviously, it's a quick turnaround. We're excited for the challenge we have ahead of us, and ready to try and go get a win."

Texas A&M jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter behind Hubenak's 16-yard touchdown pass to Josh Reynolds (seven catches, 93 yards) and the first of three field goals by Daniel LaCamera.

Garrett, a junior, is considered a potential high first-round pick in next year's NFL Draft. He spent much of the afternoon in the Roadrunners' backfield in the non-conference matchup.

Garrett upped his season total to 8 1/2 sacks and 32 1/2 for his career, sixth on A&M's all-time list. Denver Broncos star Von Miller sits fifth with 33 career sacks.

NOTES: Broncos Super Bowl-winning coach Gary Kubiak, a former Texas A&M quarterback, received the school's Lifetime Achievement Award. ... A&M DE Daeshon Hall played his team-leading 50th career game. ... UTSA's three-game road stretch is the longest in the program's short history. ... Kevin Sumlin joined R.C. Slocum as the only A&M coaches to win at least eight games in each of their first five seasons. Alabama's Nick Saban is the only other SEC coach with at least eight wins in the last five years. ...The Roadrunners are 0-5 all-time against ranked FBS teams. ... UTSA will return to Kyle Field in 2019.