Unranked Kentucky stuns No. 9 Texas A&M at home behind big third-quarter barrage

COLLEGE STATION - Kentucky stunned No. 9 Texas A&M with 21 consecutive points during the third quarter Saturday to pull off a 31-21 upset victory.

The Wildcats gained 196 total yards in the third quarter while the Aggies netted only 20 yards and failed to convert a fourth down deep in their territory, shifting a 7-7 halftime score at a 28-7 deficit for A&M.

Wildcats quarterback Kenny Minchey threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns and former Texas running back CJ Baxter had two touchdowns.

The Aggies offense entered the game without wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman and running back Jamarion Morrow due to injuries.

Then wideout and returner Terry Bussey , who entered the game second in receiving yards, had to be carted off after suffering an injury on the opening kickoff.

But their absences weren't the main issue for the A&M offense. Instead it was execution and finishing drives.

A 4th-and-1 rush at the Kentucky 11 from Rueben Owens II got stuffed for no gain. A bad Marcel Reed interception terminated another promising first-half drive. A couple of Reed incompletions then cut short the Aggies' first half's final possession with the score tied at 7.

But luckily for Texas A&M , Kentucky entered halftime ruing missed chances of its own: a missed 39-yard field goal from Adam Zouagui and a drop from Kenny Darby on what would have been a touchdown pass if completed.

Darby got redemption at the start of the second half on a 42-yard touchdown pass. Then Baxter reached the end zone to cap the following two drives.

Meanwhile, Texas A&M couldn't get anything going on offense. The momentum was slipping so far away that Mike Elko elected to go for it on 4th-and-2 at his own 33 down 21-7. But Reed's pass while rolling out to Carsyn Baker hit the ground. A good pass would have moved the chains.

Texas A&M went for it on fourth down again in the fourth quarter, this time a desperate 4th-and-13 from its own 22 down 31-14. Reed scrambled through the middle of the field for a 40-yard gain.

But then just a few plays later he threw the ball well wide of wideout TK Norman and right into the hands of Jordan Castell for an interception.

Reed finished 26-of-49 for 236 passing yards plus 80 rushing yards.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

UK_Boyer 3 pass from Minchey (Zouagui kick), 1:59.

UK_Darby 42 pass from Minchey (Zouagui kick), 11:07.

TXAM_Riley 5 pass from Reed (Olano kick), 3:45.

RUSHING_Kentucky, Baxter 20-89, Patterson 6-58, Skinner 1-14, Minchey 7-(minus 2), (Team) 2-(minus 3). Texas A&M, Reed 10-79, Owens 18-74, Edwards 5-28, Riley 1-3, Baker 1-2.

PASSING_Kentucky, Minchey 14-18-0-252. Texas A&M, Reed 26-49-2-236.

RECEIVING_Kentucky, D.Miller 5-96, Rodriguez 3-22, Darby 2-64, Boyer 2-35, Baxter 1-28, Skinner 1-7. Texas A&M, Craver 11-119, Horton 5-61, Owens 2-9, Edwards 2-6, Warren 1-11, Ke.Johnson 1-9, Armstrong 1-8, Gregory 1-6, Riley 1-5, H.Thomas 1-2.

MISSED FIELD GOALS_Kentucky, Zouagui 39.