Texas A&M looks likely to face Arizona State without safety Tawfiq Byard, adding another wrinkle to a defense already dealing with personnel questions.
Byard was not dressed out last week against Missouri State after sustaining an injury the week before, and the early signs point to another absence today. He was seen wearing his jersey and not going through warmups, a strong indication that he may sit again.
Texas A&M safety Tawfiq Byard is wearing his jersey and not going through warmups. Guessing another absence today is coming. pic.twitter.com/5plLWgndP8
- Tony Catalina (@Tony_Catalina) September 12, 2026
The Aggies were also without linebacker Daymion Sanford against Missouri State, though Sanford appears to be trending toward a return. He dressed last week but never got into the game as Texas A&M continued working him back after his spring game injury.
Byard’s absence would be felt most in the rotation. He isn’t one of the Aggies’ two starters at safety - those jobs belong to Marcus Ratcliffe and Dalton Brooks - but the Colorado transfer was expected to play a major role. His physical style and quick trigger against the run would have fit well in this matchup, especially against Arizona State’s offensive talent.
Even without Byard, Texas A&M has other safeties ready to absorb snaps. Chance Collins has drawn praise from insiders throughout the preseason, and Myles Davis logged a solid number of plays in the last game.
Ratcliffe and Brooks will handle the bulk of the work again, but depth matters, and the Aggies have valued having three starting-caliber safeties in the mix. If Byard sits, that cushion gets thinner.
Elko did not reveal the specifics of Byard’s injury, but he also didn’t suggest it would turn into a long-term issue for the transfer. Texas A&M would obviously prefer to have his physical presence back on the back end sooner rather than later.
Still, the Aggies’ defense should remain in strong shape for this game. The secondary has the talent and depth to match up with Arizona State’s offensive threat, and while losing Byard trims some of that depth, it does not appear to change the overall quality of the unit.
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