No part of Texas A&M’s 50-0 rout of Missouri State should have left the Aggies feeling flat, but the season opener still offered a clear reminder: the offensive line has work to do before Arizona State comes to town.
The No. 10 Aggies rolled in front of the biggest season-opening crowd in Kyle Field history, and Marcel Reed looked sharp while the run game piled up 236 yards. Even so, the first half showed some cracks, especially when the protection broke down at the worst possible moments.
Late in the first quarter, Reed broke free for a 14-yard scramble, Rueben Owens added a small gain, and then Reed was sacked on 2nd & 9 to create 3rd & 18. One play later, the pressure got home again, forcing A&M to punt and sending Tyler White out for his second action of the year.
That sequence did lead to points for the Aggies anyway. Missouri State returner Mekhi Miller muffed the punt, then intentionally kicked the ball out of the back of the end zone to prevent a touchdown return, which resulted in a safety for the Maroon and White. Still, the bigger point remained the same: the line put Reed in a bad spot when it didn’t have to.
Texas A&M only allowed two sacks all night, and the run blocking improved in the second half after a sluggish start. But against Missouri State, the margin was manageable. Against Arizona State, it may not be.
The Sun Devils are coming off a 70-0 win over Morgan State, and Jalen Thompson and Clayton Smith each got to the quarterback in that game. If A&M’s front plays the way it did early against Missouri State, it could invite serious trouble against a team that was playing for a national championship less than two years ago.
For Mike Elko’s group, the next test is straightforward: clean up the protection and avoid turning a strong opener into a warning sign.
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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
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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
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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 🡒]