Justin Tucker’s game-winning kick serves as lasting memory of Texas-Texas A&M rivalry-ZoomTech News

Justin Tucker does not “consider in rating techniques.” Do not ask him who the GOAT is — Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant or LeBron James — as a result of he is most likely not going to single any of them out. He’d reasonably simply recognize nice moments.

Nevertheless, on the subject of all of his game-winning kicks — and there are many them — the Baltimore Ravens kicker and future Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer says the 40-yard discipline purpose he nailed to seal Texas’ 27-25 win over Texas A&M again in 2011 is, the truth is, excessive on the record.

“I would need to put it up close to the highest,” Tucker just lately informed a small group of reporters.

It was Nov. 24, 2011, Thanksgiving night time in Faculty Station, Texas. It was the ultimate showdown between bitter in-state rivals Texas and Texas A&M — not less than till additional discover — as a result of the Aggies have been leaving the Large 12 for the SEC. There have been no convention championship or nationwide title implications — neither crew was notably good that yr.

Greater than something, everlasting bragging rights have been on the road. And in a university soccer rivalry as heated and acrimonious as this one, successful would imply every thing. “Nothing else mattered,” former Texas linebacker and present FOX Sports activities school soccer studio analyst Emmanuel Acho stated.

Texas A&M led 25-24 with three seconds remaining when Tucker stepped as much as kick. Gamers on each sidelines knelt on the bottom, linked arms and held arms. Some prayed. Others shielded their eyes. Tucker was iced by A&M as soon as, after which crossed his chest and let it rip. When the ball sailed by means of the uprights as time expired, Tucker’s teammates dog-piled on him on the Kyle Subject turf.

And for the previous 13 years, that is been the lasting reminiscence. 

The heated rivalry might be renewed on Saturday night time when the No. 3-ranked Longhorns and No. 20-ranked Aggies lastly play once more (7:30 p.m. ET) in Faculty Station. Texas A&M (8-3) is in search of redemption after being upset by Auburn per week in the past, whereas Texas (10-1) is hoping Quinn Ewers and the offense can begin quick.

Texas joined the SEC earlier this yr, which rekindled the in-state rivalry, and this time, there’s arguably extra at stake than ever earlier than. The winner will clinch a spot within the SEC Championship Sport towards No. 7 Georgia. A Faculty Soccer Playoff berth is within the playing cards, too, although the eventualities will be dizzying. 

“That is as massive because it will get in school soccer,” Acho stated.

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Tucker saved the Longhorns on that late-November night time, 13 years in the past, however what’s typically forgotten is the drive that arrange his game-winning kick.

It was a tricky, tight recreation. Texas solely had 12 first downs and fewer than 100 dashing yards. A&M, led by future prime 10 NFL Draft decide Ryan Tannehill, took a 25-24 lead with 1:48 left to play.

That is when Texas quarterback Case McCoy — Colt’s youthful brother — gathered his offense collectively to arrange them to go the size of the sphere.

“Case offers this ‘Friday Evening Lights’ sort of speech,” former Longhorns working again Jeremy Hills stated, laughing. “I do not know if you happen to’ve spent any time in Graham, Texas [where the McCoys are from], but it surely is ‘Friday Evening Lights.’ You possibly can barely hear Case as a result of it is so rattling loud, however he comes into the huddle, and he is like, ‘OK, boys! We have simply gotta string it collectively one play at a time.'”

The Longhorns dinked and dunked down the sphere and located themselves close to the 50-yard-line with about 40 seconds left. On first down, McCoy seemed for his favourite goal, extensive receiver Jaxon Shipley, however he slipped popping out of his break. With the Aggies’ protection in Cowl 2 man, McCoy had area to run so he took off and scrambled for 25 yards.

“I am extensive open,” Hills stated with a chuckle. “And I am pondering, Case has to throw me this ball, proper? And he actually screams, ‘Go block!’ And he begins working. And Case is just not quick in any respect.”

Hills jumped into motion and began lead blocking, zig-zagging everywhere in the discipline, attempting to guard McCoy. The QB finally went down with the ball at A&M’s 23-yard line, positioning Texas for a possible game-winning discipline purpose.

“Case is on the underside of this pile, and he is bought this little grin on his face like he simply robbed a financial institution and bought away with it,” Hills stated. “He knew he may need simply received us the sport.”

Then it was Tucker time. Again then, he was a robust kicker — his 83% accuracy remains to be tied for second finest in program historical past. However he wasn’t “Mr. Automated,” Acho stated, like he is develop into within the NFL.

“I had no thought if he was going to make it or miss it,” Acho stated. “I do know [former coach Mack Brown] talked to him. I did not know what Tuck was going to do.”

As he ready for the kick, Tucker had it in his thoughts how school kickers throughout the nation — from Alabama to Boise State to Stanford to Virginia Tech — struggled in pivotal moments throughout that individual season. And so, whereas the environment was as loud because it might be, Tucker centered on ensuring his kick did not get blocked or go extensive.

“I had sort of already made the choice that it doesn’t matter what, I am simply going to verify I kick it clear off the bottom, strike the ball within the candy spot, however largely, get the ball up and out and provides it an opportunity,” Tucker stated, including that this thought course of has sustained him as knowledgeable.

As quickly because the ball left his foot, Tucker noticed it was going straight. Then there was an “explosion of emotion,” he stated.

“The stadium goes loopy at this level and when he kicks that ball, I imply, you may hear it come off his foot,” Hills stated. “After which as you see it undergo the uprights, it is like someone hit the mute button. That entire stadium went useless quiet. It was one of many extra euphoric emotions I had taking part in school soccer.”

All the crew ran after Tucker, tackled him to the bottom after which hoisted him up on their shoulders in pure jubilation. 

But it surely wasn’t till they bought again into the locker room that Tucker realized the magnitude of the second.

“We actually simply hit the dagger on this rivalry for a few years to come back,” Tucker stated. 

“I can look again and actually say that if I didn’t make that kick, I do not know if I’ve any probability at getting my foot within the door with any NFL crew to compete for a job,” Tucker, who’s a seven-time Professional Bowler and a Tremendous Bowl champion, added. “I believe I needed to make that kick to offer myself an opportunity to play on the subsequent degree.”

When Tucker bought again on campus, it wasn’t like a scene from a film the place a whole bunch of scholars gave him a standing ovation when he walked into an auditorium. Tucker stated he noticed that generally, like if Vince Younger or Kevin Durant have been again on campus taking courses. However he was a senior majoring in recording know-how within the music faculty and was taking smaller upper-division programs with 8-10 different college students who weren’t at all times listening to sports activities.

“It was nonetheless fairly cool to have that feeling strolling by means of campus like, ‘Man, I am a part of what makes this college what it’s,” Tucker stated.

*** *** ***

This technology of Texas and Texas A&M gamers have solely heard tales about what this recreation is like. It has been greater than a decade for the reason that colleges have met, and whereas the Longhorns have performed in some wild atmospheres — they received at Alabama in 2023 and at Michigan and Arkansas this yr — nothing will examine to what they will expertise at Kyle Subject on Saturday night time.

“That is an setting the place phrases cannot do it justice,” Acho stated. “You hear about Midnight Yell Observe, but it surely’s not till you get there, and it is nighttime, and also you lookup, and the entire stadium is swaying. It is like there’s an earthquake. After which [they’re waving] towels and also you swear it is a white-out, but it surely wasn’t all white a second in the past.

“It is loopy, man.”

Whereas the applications haven’t performed in 13 years, it will likely be the 119th assembly, relationship again to 1894. Texas leads the all-time collection, 76-37-5. And this version is perhaps the costliest ticket ever, with common costs hovering round $1,000, in line with ticket vendor TickPick.

“It may be an electrical manufacturing facility,” Tucker stated.

Numbers apart, Texas gamers from that 2011 crew welcome the revival of the rivalry, even when it means they will not at all times have the final phrase.

“I believe Texas and Texas A&M is simply so particular for school soccer,” Tucker stated. “For this recreation to come back again, and for the implications to be what they’re, I believe that makes for excellent TV. It makes for excellent leisure.”

Hills shared that sentiment, including that that is the kind of recreation that defines school soccer’s rivalry week.

“There’s not a extra poetic approach for this common season to come back to a conclusion,” Hills stated. “In the end, they wish to beat us so dangerous. It is a no-love-lost sort of factor. It may be a really bodily recreation. A whole lot of these youngsters know lots of people on the opposite facet of the sphere [from growing up]. You see buddies again residence and may say, ‘Hey, I informed you we have been going to beat y’alls ass.’ It does not get extra private than this. That is it.”

Tucker stated he’ll most likely watch the sport on his sofa in his basement together with his spouse and his son. They will be decked out in Texas gear and make their Christmas tree mild up in burnt orange. He will not be inserting any bets – particularly not with Ravens teammate and Aggie alum Nnamdi Madubuike.

“I do not wish to topic myself to the shame of even remotely fascinated by carrying something with that Texas A&M brand on it,” Tucker stated in jest. 

He does, nonetheless, have some recommendation for Longhorns kicker Bert Auburn in case he finds himself in an analogous scenario.

“A number of the finest recommendation I ever bought was from my grandfather, who handed away final yr,” Tucker stated. “I used to be attempting out for the varsity soccer crew at Westlake my sophomore yr of highschool, and he was strolling across the monitor that day and he sort of simply occurred to catch me as I used to be in between drills or going to seize a sip of water. 

“He simply stated to me together with his massive Texas drawl and his massive voice, he goes, ‘Justin, simply kick the rattling ball.’ And ever since then, I’ve taken it to coronary heart and sort of made it my very own: See the ball, strike the ball, simply kick the rattling ball. And every thing will work out identical to it is alleged to.”

Laken Litman covers school soccer, school basketball and soccer for FOX Sports activities. She beforehand wrote for Sports activities Illustrated, USA At present and The Indianapolis Star. She is the creator of “Sturdy Like a Girl,” printed in spring 2022 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX. Comply with her at @LakenLitman.

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