AUSTIN, Texas — Despite committing 15 penalties and a poor performance by its offensive line, No. 1 Alabama was able to avoid an upset and beat unranked Texas 20-19 on a last-minute field goal Saturday.
Alabama quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young was constantly harassed by the Texas defense, getting sacked twice and hurried seven times, but he still managed to move the offense with his arm and his legs.
Young completed 26 of 38 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown. He ran for 38 yards on seven carries.
But no run was more pivotal than his 20-yard scramble into Texas territory with less than 2 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The play set up a game-winning 33-yard field goal by Will Reichard.
The kick kept Alabama’s streak of 53 consecutive nonconference regular-season wins alive. The last time the Tide lost a nonconference game during the regular season was 2007 — Nick Saban’s first season at Bama.
Saban will have a lot to dwell on after the team committed 15 penalties — the most during his time at Alabama and one off the school record of 16.
Texas had the ball with only 5 seconds left, but a pass from Hudson Card, who replaced injured starter Quinn Ewers late in the first quarter, fell short, ending the game.
Ewers suffered an apparent left shoulder injury and did not return.
Card completed 14 of 22 passes for 158 yards and no touchdowns.