COLLEGE STATION -- Kyle Field hosted a game on Saturday that rendered the entire college football world speechless.

I can tell you that Texas A&M beat No. 7 LSU 74-72 in the highest-scoring FBS college football game in history. We could say the Aggies were dead-to-rights on multiple occasions, to the point that LSU coach Ed Orgeron prematurely had Gatorade dumped on him – at the end of regulation. Even noting that the game went a record seven overtimes doesn’t quite do it justice.

“You say you have to make one more play,” Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. “We happened to make one more play.”

That’s putting it nicely. In the seventh overtime and nearing the fifth hour of play, Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Quartney Davis. One play later, Mond found wide receiver Kendrick Rogers on a crossing route for a two-point conversion. 

“Those are the type of games that we live for,” Mond said. “We showed as a team that we’re never going to quit and we did that for four quarters and way more.”

But to really understand what the heck happened in College Station on Saturday, you have to rewind all the way back to January 2011. The Aggies played LSU in the Cotton Bowl and was pummelled 41-24 by Stevan Ridley, Jordan Jefferson the Tigers. One year later, the Aggies joined the SEC West, and proceeded to lose seven straight to Louisiana’s finest.

Some of the games were close. Others were like a 45-21 shellacking last season in Death Valley. Regardless, the only consistent piece was losses. With just seconds remaining – one second, really – the Aggies looked like they would succumb once again.

But then, Mond threw a touchdown to Davis as time expired. Then, kicker Seth Small nailed a field goal after the Aggies got a huge break on a dropped ball by tight end Jace Sternberger. The Tigers and Aggies traded field goals, rushing touchdowns, passing touchdowns, field goals again, passing scores, a pass and a run, and finally a run and a pass. With 10 lead changes in the game, it was one of the wildest and most unpredictable games in college football history.

Mond threw for 287 yards and six touchdowns in the win, and added 42 rushing yards and another score. Running back Trayveon Williams paced the Aggies with 198 rushing yards and two scores. Rogers, Davis and Sternberger each finished with two touchdown catches. LSU quarterback Joe Burrow passed for 270, rushing for 100 and posted six touchdowns in a gutsy performance.

“I’m glad it was a W,” defensive end Landis Durham said with a smile. “That could have went either way. Seven overtimes is pretty crazy. We fought for 11 quarters and came away with a W.”

The win was the first over LSU since the 1995 season, when running back Leeland McElroy ran for 229 yards and three touchdowns in a 33-17. To state the obvious, it’s been a while. No players on either roster were born as yet.

But to be frank, Texas A&M paid Jimbo Fisher $75 million so the program can finally start winning games just like this. In so many ways, this game felt like a breakthrough, like the Aggies were finally excorcising some demons. 

“You hope this can be a catalyst win,” Fisher said. “It’s a hump they got over and they did it. If you build on things, that what we have to do right now. It’s time to get better. We’re not just going for a bowl game, we’re trying to build something.”

After the game, all the players agreed. The seniors were emotional about their last games at Kyle Field, but all were overjoyed for a win. Several seniors had some of their best games. Linebacker Otaro Alaka posted 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in the win. Defensive tackle Daylon Mack added two sacks of his own.

With Texas A&M’s win, the Aggies finish the 2018 season with an 8-4 record. But unlike previous seasons, there’s a direction in College Station. Everyone is focused on making sure wins like this are just the beginning.

“This is absolutely outstanding,” Williams said. “This really sets and paves the way for the new direction this program is growing. Words can’t explain how excited and thankful we are to have [Jimbo Fisher] as our head coach.”

Texas A&M’s regular season is now over, and the Aggies will wait until Dec. 2 to figure out their bowl assignment. They are likely to end up in either the Outback Bowl or Taxslayer Bowl.