No. 9 Texas A&M falters as Kentucky's Stein wins first road game

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Kenny Minchey threw two touchdown passes and CJ Baxter added two scoring runs as Kentucky used a huge third quarter to stun No. 9 Texas A&M 31-21 on Saturday.

Led by rookie coach Will Stein in his first road game, Kentucky beat a ranked opponent for the first time since downing No. 6 Ole Miss 20-17 on Sept. 28, 2024.

Stein had vowed to do better after Kentucky (2-1, 1-1 SEC) led then-No. 12 Alabama 17-13 at halftime last week before being outscored 32-0 in the second half of a 45-17 loss.

The game pitted Texas A&M's offense against Kentucky defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, who spent the last two years in the same position with the Aggies. He seemed to have Texas A&M's number, keeping the Aggies off-balance all day and limiting Marcel Reed to 26 of 49 passing for 236 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

Minchey, a transfer from Notre Dame, found Kenny Darby wide open for a 42-yard touchdown on the first drive of the second half to break a 7-all tie.

Baxter's two touchdown runs came on the next two possessions to extend Kentucky's lead to 28-7.

The Aggies had been stopped on three straight possessions when Reed scored on a 5-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 28-14 with about 11 1/2 minutes remaining.

The Wildcats made it 31-14 on a 52-yard field goal by Adam Zouagui that deflected off the upright and through with less than nine minutes remaining.

Texas A&M (2-1, 0-1) was driving after that, but Jordan Castell intercepted Reed on a the 7-yard line.

The Aggies cut the lead to 31-21 when Reed connected with Micah Riley for a 5-yard score with less than four minutes to go.

Minchey was 14 of 18 for 252 yards and Baxter had 19 carries for 87 yards.

The Aggies had punted on their previous two possessions when they went for it on fourth-and-2 from their own 33. But Reed's pass fell incomplete to give the Wildcats great field position.

They took advantage of it when Baxter scored his second touchdown on a 2-yard run near the end of a third quarter in which they outgained A&M 196 yards to 20.

The Aggies took a 7-0 lead when Carsyn Baker's 2-yard touchdown run capped a 14-play, 79-yard drive with about five minutes left in the first half.

Minchey found Henry Boyer wide open for a 3-yard touchdown pass that tied it with about two minutes until halftime. That score was set up by a 53-yard reception by DJ Miller two plays earlier.