COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M confronted fourth-and-1 from the 10-yard line and an opportunity to strike first in its opener in opposition to no. three Texas. As a substitute of enjoying for discipline objectives, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko determined to take an opportunity. He known as a timeout and let his offense come again down the sector.
Operating Again Amari Daniels took the ball on an inside carry. He was stuffed on the line of scrimmage. The No. 20 Aggies finally failed to attain any offensive factors in a 17-7 loss to the Longhorns as they misplaced their third straight SEC sport to overlook the SEC Championship Recreation. As a substitute, the bitter rival Longhorns head to Atlanta, having already defeated the Aggies of their first season as SEC members. Texas A&M has by no means made the SECCG.
Whereas the ultimate numbers don't absolutely bear it out, Texas A&M's protection was up for the problem. The Aggies turned over star Texans quarterback Quinn Ewers twice and held the nation's No. 16 group to simply 17 factors. The one factors of the sport for the Aggies got here on a punt on six by Will Lee III that was returned 93 yards.
“I advised the group there's a giant distinction between the SEC Championship Recreation and the Music Metropolis Bowl or the Texas Bowl,” Texas A&M linebacker Taurean York stated. “A type of you wish to play in, a kind of you don't. We're going to play a kind of video games that individuals don't care about, individuals don't watch. Who is aware of the way it shakes out, nevertheless it hurts as a result of you already know what was at stake and also you're minutes away from being there and going through a extremely good Georgia group.”
Sadly, Texas A&M's offense fully deserted the protection within the largest moments. The Aggies rushed for simply 102 yards on 34 carries. Apart from quarterback Marcel Reed, qualifying place gamers have mixed for simply 42 yards on 20 makes an attempt. Daniels managed simply 21 yards on 13 carries, together with two failed fourth-down conversions.
With the operating sport stifled, Reed's passing sport was primarily a non-factor. He accomplished 16 of 23 passes for 146 yards and threw an interception on certainly one of his solely deep drives. The Aggies solely hit one cross over 16 yards and many of the motion befell inside 10 yards.
“I attempted loads of various things; none labored,” Elko stated after the sport. “When you may't win the road of scrimmage and your operating again is averaging 1.6 yards a carry, it's going to be actually powerful. We had runs in opposition to the lightboxes and couldn't block the sides. The sides completely dominated us. tonight.”
Whereas the season numbers don't look horrible for the Aggies, they masks what has turn into a wildly inconsistent unit for Texas A&M. In three of 4 losses, this system failed to attain greater than 20 factors. The one exception was a four-overtime sport in opposition to Auburn the place the Aggies mustered simply seven factors within the first half and wanted a livid comeback simply to drive extra time. In opposition to Texas, the offense had nothing.
In a very depressing sequence to shut out the sport, Texas A&M miraculously blocked a discipline purpose. Defensive again Dalton Brooks tried to select up the ball and return it for a rating, however misplaced his footing. Texas A&M received to the sting of the tip zone, however was once more stuffed within the pink zone after choosing a landing as a substitute of a discipline purpose.
“I really feel like in opposition to loads of defenses that we've performed, we've been in a position to make changes,” Reed stated. “I don't assume we have been in a position to make any changes tonight. We couldn't transfer the ball down the sector and we weren't profitable operating, in order that they stopped us tonight.”
Texas A&M employed Elko due to his observe file of manufacturing powerful groups and bodily defensive models. Rapidly, the Aggies proved to be a drive on that facet of the ball. However like so many defensive coordinators earlier than him, Elko struggles with a lackluster offense.
After all, offensive coordinator Collin Klein is a rising star in teaching circles. He helped information alma mater Kansas State to a Large 12 championship in 2022 and generated a top-10 offense in 2023. For all of the warts, Texas A&M is No. four within the SEC in whole offense in convention play.
That stated, teaching within the SEC is a distinct form of stress. With a defensive unit this good, the clock is now ticking for the offense to step up.
Beginning in November, Texas A&M managed its strategy to the SEC Championship Recreation. After surprising LSU, the Aggies sat in sole possession of first place within the convention and wanted to win only one sport in November to succeed in Atlanta. As a substitute, the Aggies have misplaced three straight convention video games and can sweat a bowl mission till December.
The excellent news? A visit to Music Metropolis or the Texas Bowl doesn't look like within the playing cards, in line with CBS Sports activities projections.
“It's not sugarcoated, there's no smooth phrases round it,” Elko stated. “We had our alternatives and we didn't make it. It's disappointing.”