http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/sports/ncaafootball/alabama-buries-texas-am-with-help-from-record-quarter.html 2014-10-19 03:41:33 Alabama Buries Texas A&M With Help From Record Quarter Blake Sims passed for 268 yards and three touchdowns and scored on a 43-yard run while leading the No. 7 Crimson Tide to 35 second-quarter points and a pummeling of the No. 21 Aggies on Saturday. === TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Blake Sims passed for 268 yards and three touchdowns and scored on a 43-yard run while leading No. 7 Alabama to 35 second-quarter points and a 59-0 pummeling of No. 21 Texas A&M; on Saturday. The Crimson Tide (6-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) shut down the No. 4 offense in the Football Bowl Subdivision and dominated a game that had produced thrillers in the teams’ past two meetings. Led by Sims, T. J. Yeldon and Amari Cooper, Alabama outgained the Aggies by 602-172. Texas A&M; (5-3, 2-3) has lost its past three games, all to teams now ranked in the top 10. Alabama set a program record for most points in a quarter and matched the second-most scored in a half en route to a 45-0 halftime lead. It was Alabama’s largest margin of victory since a 62-0 defeat of Tulane in 1991, and the biggest under Coach Nick Saban. It was also Alabama’s most lopsided win in the SEC since beating Vanderbilt 66-3 in 1979. Alabama fell only four points shy of the largest margin of victory over a Top 25 team, trailing No. 8 Florida State’s 63-0 win over No. 25 Maryland in 2013 and UCLA’s 66-3 win over No. 11 Texas in 1997. Yeldon had 114 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries, all in the first half. Cooper gained 140 yards on eight catches with a pair of touchdowns. Sims completed 16 of 27 passes before leaving during the third quarter. By halftime, it seemed Alabama could name its score. Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M; had set a record for an Alabama opponent with 628 total yards last season in a 49-42 loss. The Aggies came in averaging 565 yards a game, but Kenny Hill could never get the offense going. He was 17 of 26 passing for just 138 yards — 220 below his average — and was intercepted for the sixth time in three games. Kyle Allen, a freshman, replaced him in the fourth quarter and chased down a high snap in the end zone on his first play. Texas A&M; did not receive the spark it expected from the return of the star receiver Malcome Kennedy, who had a separated shoulder that sidelined him for two games. Kennedy gained 4 yards on four catches. The Crimson Tide scored on its first eight possessions, all touchdowns after the opening drive. Alabama entered halftime with a 449-51 advantage in yards and no doubt about the outcome. The Crimson Tide did have some standout plays in a game full of highlights for the team. Sims flashed his running ability with a touchdown run when he faked to Yeldon, made two defenders miss and won a footrace to the end zone. Yeldon set up his second touchdown run with a 31-yarder after appearing bottled up at the line of scrimmage. He scored on fourth-and-goal from the 1. Texas A&M; missed an early opportunity when Deshazor Everett dropped a possible interception — a near-certain touchdown — on the Crimson Tide’s opening drive. Alabama settled for a field goal. Alabama had 30 first downs to Texas A&M;’s eight, after a 14-13 win over Arkansas and a loss to No. 3 Mississippi. Saban said he grew frustrated that some fans were disappointed by such a close win, but that was not an issue in this game.