Texas A&M’s National Title Hopes Trampled in Colorado
“This is like a dream come true.”
More like a nightmare for the Texas A&M Aggies.
Those words were uttered by Jon Hessler after Colorado’s backup quarterback authored a 29-21 win over No. 3 Texas A&M on Sept. 23, 1995. The Aggies saw their hopes and dreams get trampled by the Buffaloes that day, as A&M’s national title run ended after just the third game of the season.
No Texas A&M season since 1995 has started with as much hype and fanfare – until this one. So with the No. 5 Aggies (1-0) headed back to Colorado on Saturday, albeit Denver, we look back on that fateful game in Boulder and how the Aggies fell short with so much on the line.
The Aggies were 2-0, coming off impressive non-conference wins over LSU and Tulsa. Running back Leeland McElroy looked every bit of the Heisman candidate he was, accounting for more than 400 yards of offense in those two games.
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But that was just a warmup to the contest circled on the calendar long before that season kicked off. The Colorado Buffaloes were ranked No. 8 at the time, and the program was just five years removed from its only national title.
CU was a power in the Big Eight, and certainly the kind of measuring stick the Aggies needed to snap in order stay in the running for a championship. It was also the last season of the Southwest Conference and A&M was the overwhelming favorite to capture the final league crown.
The Aggies were deep on both sides of the ball. Senior quarterback Corey Pullig, a four-year starter, was unspectacular but solid. Junior college transfer Albert Connell bolstered the receiving corps. McElroy had emerged from the shadows cast by Greg Hill and Rodney Thomas.
A&M coach R.C. Slocum had built the Aggies into an SWC juggernaut. All that was left was winning big on the national stage, and this seemed to perfect moment to shine. College Gameday was there. A record crowd filled Folsom Field.
The game started with promise. Texas A&M cornerback Ray Mickens drilled CU quarterback Koy Detmer on a blitz. The ball was knocked free and into the end zone, where A&M end David Maxwell recovered for an early Aggies’ 7-0 lead.
Detmer would leave the game later in the first quarter with an ACL injury, turning the reigns over to Hessler. The sophomore had taken just three snaps in his career up to that point.
A&M had to feel good about its chances.
Hessler and the Buffaloes had other ideas. A Pullig interception set up CU at the Texas A&M 1-yard line. Hessler scored on the first play of the second quarter, giving the home team a 10-7 edge. Hessler found the end zone again on Colorado’s next possession for a 17-7 advantage.
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The Aggies would close the gap to 17-14 late in the first half after McElroy powered his way in from 5 yards out. Colorado closed the half with a field goal to head into the locker room up 20-14.
Pullig found Connell on a 38-yard touchdown pass midway through the third quarter. The Aggies, up 21-20, wouldn’t score again.
Hessler threw his lone touchdown early in the fourth to make it 26-21. Another field goal by with 7:20 left gave Colorado an eight-point lead.
The Aggies never seriously threatened again. After a fourth-down try failed near midfield, Hessler and the Buffs pretty much ran out the clock.
The Aggies, with so much riding on this game, could only wonder “what if.”
“It’s not a shock, it’s just a great disappointment,” Slocum said back then. “To make the mistakes we made in a game like this is frustrating. Anytime two Top 10 teams play, it’s not a shock when one team beats the other.”
Pullig, plagued by a number of drops from his receivers, completed just 15 of 31 passes for 182 yards. McElroy, facing stacked fronts, gained just 52 yards on 23 carries. CU coach Rick Neuheisel said after the game that “there were 11 gold helmets looking for No. 34 every time they broke the huddle.” That was McElroy’s number.
“It just didn't happen for us today,” McElroy said at the time. “I can’t take anything away from (Colorado). They are a great team. It’s very frustrating to go out and not be a big part of the team. I was waiting and waiting for the chance to make a big play, but the time just ran out.”
The hangover lasted into the next week, as the Aggies were upset by Texas Tech. A&M would right the ship some with six consecutive wins, but the national championship hopes were long gone. The designs on an SWC title were dashed when Texas scored a 16-6 win at Kyle Field to close out the regular season.
Texas A&M did beat Michigan in the Alamo Bowl to close the season 9-3 and ranked 15th. Yes, any other year that would have been a successful season, but 1995 started with so much more promise and expectation.
A&M hasn’t had a season begin with such aspirations until now. Colorado just happens to be up next once again.
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