Texas A&M’s defense came out of the gate looking every bit like the group that finished last season among the program’s best in recent memory. In a 50-0 rout of Missouri State, the Aggies barely let the Bears breathe, surrendering just 67 total yards and only 1.7 yards per play. Missouri State also managed just one third-down conversion in 10 tries.
That performance set a high early bar, but the challenge changes fast this week. Arizona State arrives at Kyle Field after a 70-7 blowout of Morgan State, and the Sun Devils put up video-game numbers in the process. They rolled for more than 680 total yards, including 432 through the air, and transfer quarterback Cutter Boley was sharp from the start, going 21 of 27 for 387 yards and six touchdowns in his first start.
The catch, of course, is that both teams did what good teams should do against overmatched opponents. Arizona State was so far ahead that the coaches agreed to a 10-minute fourth quarter. Still, Texas A&M’s passing defense was so dominant against Missouri State - the Bears were held to 30 passing yards - that the Aggies’ secondary now stands as the clearest swing point in this matchup.
That’s where the real test begins. Arizona State’s passing game showed real juice in Week 1, with Boley averaging 14.3 yards per attempt and avoiding interceptions while throwing six scores. Texas A&M answered with a locked-down effort at home, earning an 84.0 PFF coverage grade against the Bears.
This week should tell us far more about both sides. Missouri State never came close to stressing the Aggies the way Arizona State can, and Morgan State wasn’t built to challenge the Sun Devils the way Texas A&M can.
Arizona State also brings a problem that goes beyond one quarterback. The Sun Devils have three wide receivers who all topped 100 receiving yards and scored at least once in Week 1, which forces a defense to cover every blade of grass. And the damage doesn’t stop at the catch point: 340 of ASU’s 432 passing yards came after the catch, a sign that the receivers can turn routine completions into big gains and help each other block in space.
That puts a premium on Texas A&M’s tackling in the open field and on keeping short throws from snowballing into explosive plays. Mike Elko said this is the best secondary he’s coached during his time at Texas A&M, and Arizona State should give a much clearer answer on whether that praise holds up.
In Other News...
Rival Coach Just Turned LSUs SEC Controversy Into A Bigger Story
Mike Elko did not need much prompting to weigh in on LSUs recent run-in with the SEC, and the Texas A&M coach used a pointed analogy to describe what happened around Baton Rouge. Speaking after LSUs dispute with the league over its attempt to roster former NFL players, Elko compared the episode to a child pushing limits before the consequences arrive, a sharp way to frame a controversy that briefly had the Tigers staring at possible expulsion.
The SEC ultimately backed off after LSU filled those roster spots with eligible student-athletes and severed ties with the former NFL rookies, defusing a situation that had threatened to become much bigger. Elko said he expects things to settle down and LSU to remain in the league, but his remarks added another layer to a strange little saga that already had the SEC office and one of Texas A&Ms biggest rivals in the middle of it. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Elko Just Turned Up Texas A&Ms LSU Tension Again
Mike Elko has a way of making the SECs biggest rivalries sound a little more personal, and his latest remarks only added to the edge around Texas A&Ms meeting with LSU. The Aggies coach drew a comparison between the conferences disciplinary response and a parent correcting a child, a blunt way of saying LSU is being kept in check as the league weighs the fallout from the Tigers offseason activity.
For Texas A&M, it is the kind of comment that keeps an old SEC tension simmering in public view rather than letting it fade into the background. With future games between the Aggies and LSU looming, Elkos framing only sharpens the sense that this is about more than one isolated conference issue, because the rivalry already has enough history without needing any extra fuel. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Is Bringing Back One Of Kyle Fields Most Meaningful Traditions
Texas A&M will add a familiar layer of meaning to its upcoming Red, White and Blue Game against Arizona State at Kyle Field, using the matchup to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The Aggies are planning to wear special red, white and blue helmets and gloves, reviving a tradition that stretches back to the years immediately after 2001 and has long tied the programs on-field presence to a larger moment of remembrance.
The game has also carried a charitable side in the past, with previous Red, White and Blue Games helping raise funds for organizations connected to 9/11 relief efforts. For a fan base that values the symbolism attached to Kyle Field traditions, this one will once again be about more than just the opponent across the field. [Read more 🡒]