Texas A&M’s passing game has been doing its part through two games of the 2026 season, and that’s exactly why the Aggies’ biggest concern against Kentucky on Saturday at Kyle Field sits somewhere else.
Marcel Reed has done a solid job keeping turnovers down. Isaiah Horton has clicked with him quickly.
Mario Craver and Reed have already rekindled the connection they built last season. So if Texas A&M runs into trouble against the Wildcats, it likely won’t be because of the air attack.
The more pressing issue is the backfield. The Aggies’ running backs have been productive enough to stay in the background of two lopsided wins, but the room hasn’t produced a true breakout yet.
Rueben Owens II is averaging 4.1 yards per carry and has scored once, finding the end zone against Arizona State in the 48-20 Week 2 win. Jamarrion Morrow has been less efficient and scored his touchdown in the 50-0 Week 1 rout of Missouri State, long after that game was decided.
Carsyn Baker flashed against the Bears, but against Arizona State he was limited to a pair of three-yard carries.
That lack of punch has been made worse by an offensive line that is still settling in. The guard spots haven’t generated much movement, and center Mark Nabou Jr. and his new linemates are still building chemistry along the interior.
That’s not an ideal setup against Kentucky, which brings one of the nation’s top run defenses into College Station.
The Wildcats showed what they can do against Alabama. Even as the game slipped away late, Kentucky held Keelon Russell and the Crimson Tide offense in check for much of the first half and went into halftime leading 17-13. A big reason was three-tech defensive tackle Tavion Gadson, who logged two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Through the first two games of the 2026 season, Kentucky’s defense has also ranked in the top tier of EPA per rush allowed.
That makes this a tricky matchup for Texas A&M. The Wildcats are built to take away the run, and that could ripple into everything else the Aggies want to do on offense.
That’s why Reed may need to matter more as a runner. His impact on the ground has been limited so far, and part of that was intentional against Arizona State in the second half after an early injury scare. Designed runs would give Texas A&M another way to attack Kentucky’s strength.
The problem is whether Reed’s health will let that happen.
How Holmon Wiggins adjusts at Kyle Field will go a long way toward determining whether the Aggies can solve the one big question facing their offense this weekend.
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Kentucky arrives in College Station at 1-1 after a loss to Alabama, bringing a conference test that should say plenty about where the Aggies stand right now. The setting will have a clean look to it, with Texas A&M in all maroon and Kentucky in all white, and ESPN will carry the matchup for a national audience as the Aggies try to answer the lingering question that still hangs over the offense. [Read more 🡒]
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