Bennett, Aggies rumble past Baylor

By Stephen Hawkins - Associated Press Sports Writer     Oct 29, 2006

? Martellus Bennett was watching himself on the large video screen in the end zone ahead of him as he rumbled down the field. No, the Baylor defenders weren’t going to stop the big tight end’s impression of a Heisman Trophy winner.

That 75-yard touchdown was one of several big plays the 6-foot-7, 248-pound Bennett made for Texas A&M in a 31-21 victory over Baylor on Saturday night that broke a tie for second place in the Big 12 South.

“Great players make great plays in close games,” coach Dennis Franchione said.

Bennett had five catches for 133 yards, including two touchdowns and a long third-down conversion on the drive when the Aggies (8-1, 4-1) went ahead to stay.

Layne Neumann’s 22-yard field goal with 6:32 left put A&M up 24-21, ending a 14-play drive on which Bennett’s 17-yard catch converted a third-and-13.

Bennett gave the Aggies a 21-14 halftime lead when he took a third-down dump pass from Stephen McGee, broke an initial tackle and rumbled 75 yards. The Bears (4-5, 3-2) didn’t get another hand on him until Anthony Arline tripped Bennett, who saw the defender and already had decided to dive into the end zone.

“I was looking at the small TV screen up there. I saw the guy behind me,” Bennett said. “I felt like Reggie Bush. I always wanted to dive into the end zone. It was a perfect situation to dive.”

Jorvorskie Lane, the Aggies’ bruising 274-yard runner, ran 13 times for 53 yards and his 17th TD, a two-yard run.

Mike Goodson added a clinching 64-yard TD run with 2:15 left.

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