A&M, Arkansas Set to Clash in Final Southwest Classic

Texas A&M and Arkansas get set to clash at AT&T Stadium in the final Southwest Classic on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m.

The game will air nationally on ESPN and also be available inside the ESPN App.

Texas A&M vs Arkansas

Saturday, September 28, 2024 • 2:35 PM CT
AT&T Stadium • Arlington, Texas

 

WATCH

TV: ESPN (Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, Taylor McGregor)
Watch Live: ESPN App

LISTEN

Radio: Texas A&M Sports Network (Andrew Monaco, Dave Elmendorf, Will Johnson)
1620 AM/94.5 FM (local), SiriusXM 191
Listen Live: 12th Man Mobile App

Spanish Broadcast: Click Here (Pedro Luna, Michel Gonzalez)
102.7 FM (local)
Listen Live: 12th Man Mobile App

FOLLOW

Live Stats: Click Here
Social Media: @AggieFootball on X

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• Texas A&M and Arkansas meet in Arlington for the final time Saturday before the series returns to campus sites ... The Aggies have claimed 11 of the last 12 in the series, including a 34-22 victory a season ago.
• Junior RB Le’Veon Moss leads the rushing attack and ranks seventh in the SEC with 88.5 yards per game, while his three rushing scores are tied for eighth in the league.
• Texas A&M boasts one of the best rushing offenses in the country, ranking eighth with 256.0 yards per game on the ground.
• After making the first start of his career at Florida, freshman QB Marcel Reed has led the Aggies to back-to-back victories this season, throwing for multiple touchdowns and racking up at least 80 yards rushing in both wins.
• The Aggies’ new-look offensive line has controlled the battle in the trenches, ranking first in the SEC and tied for fourth nationally allowing 6.0 tackles for loss, while the 3.0 sacks given up this season rank third in the league and among the top-20 in the country.
• The Aggies have disrupted the opposition’s aerial attack, tallying six picks on the season, which ranks second in the SEC and is tied for eighth in the nation.
• Sophomore DB Marcus Ratcliffe made it three straight games with an interception after a late pick in the end zone against Bowling Green ... He is tied for second nationally and leads the SEC with three picks on the year.
• Junior DB Will Lee III has brought veteran leadership to the secondary and currently ranks 11th in the SEC with 16 solo tackles while also contributing to A&M’s impressive interception total with a pick in the win over McNeese.

QUICK HITS

• The Aggie rushing attack has racked up over 200 yards in each of the last three games, putting up back-to-back 300-yard rushing performances for the first time since 2012 with 333 and 310 yards in the wins over McNeese and Florida, respectively.
• Freshman QB Marcel Reed ranks ninth in the SEC averaging 72.3 rushing yards per game, while his 6.8 yards per carry are good for 10th in the league ... Reed is the first Aggie quarterback to throw for two touchdowns and rush for 80-plus yards in consecutive games since Johnny Manziel in 2012 at Alabama and against Sam Houston.
• Junior RB Amari Daniels has played a key role in the Aggies’ success in the run game, ranking among the top-25 in the SEC with 49.3 yards per game and two touchdowns ... At Florida he joined the 1,000 yards club, currently boasting 1,048 career yards.
• Sophomore LB Taurean York is the nucleus of the defense and boasts a team-best 23 tackles on the year, good for 17th among league players and sixth among second-year players.
• The Texas A&M secondary intercepted three passes against Florida, including a pick-six from junior DB Bryce Anderson who recorded the first Aggie defensive touchdown of the season when he took his first interception of the year 45 yards to the house.
• Graduate K Randy Bond tallied 14 points in the win over Bowling Green, marking the ninth time in his career he has scored 10-plus points in a game ... Bond ranks fifth nationally with nine made field goals this season while his 40 total points are good for 20th.
• The Aggies have controlled the pace of the game early in the year, ranking third in the SEC averaging 32:20 in time of possession.
• Sophomore DL Nana Boadi-Owusu was named the 12th Man ahead of the 2024 season, becoming just the sixth student-athlete in program history to hold the season-long honor.

MILESTONES TO WATCH FOR

• Sophomore QB Conner Weigman continues to climb the Texas A&M record books in career completions and passing yards, and is in need of four touchdown passes to crack the top-15 all-time, entering the game with 18 career scoring strikes.
• Junior RB Le’Veon Moss is just 48 yards away from joining the 1,000 career yards club.
• Graduate WR Moose Muhammad III ranks 14th in career touchdown receptions at Texas A&M with 11 entering the week and his next scoring grab will move him into a tie with Chad Schroeder (2003-06) for 13th ... Muhammad is also seven catches and 50 receiving yards away from cracking the top-30 all-time at A&M.
• • Junior WR Noah Thomas is looking for a pair of touchdown catches to move into the top-20 all-time at A&M, entering the week with eight to-date.
• • Graduate K Randy Bond aims to break into the top-five of A&M’s career field goals list, entering the week with 48 to-date as he chases Todd Pegram (2002-05) and Tony Franklin (1975-78) who are tied for fourth with 56 makes ... Bond’s 230 career points are just four shy of taking sole possession of eighth on A&M’s kicker-only scoring list and 12th on the overall scoring list.

QUARTERBACK ROOM

• The Aggies boast proven depth in their quarterback room with three players that have made multiple starts in their A&M careers and each thrown for at least 290 yards and multiple touchdowns in a game.
• Sophomore Conner Weigman started the first two games of the season before being sidelined due to injury ... In the win over McNeese, Weigman guided the Aggies to touchdowns on all five drives he was in on in the first half, helping A&M take a 38-0 lead into the half.
• Through 11 career games Weigman has thrown for 2,100 yards on 178-of-295 passing, including three 300-yard passing games ... In his first career start in 2022, Weigman put up a freshman record 338 yards, connecting on four scoring passes.
• Freshman Marcel Reed has filled in nicely for Weigman, leading the Aggies to wins at Florida and against Bowling Green ... In his two starts, Reed has compiled 351 yards through the air and 174 on the ground ... In the victory over Bowling Green, Reed became the first Aggie quarterback to rush for 75-or-more yards in back-to-back games since Kellen Mond in 2019.
• Reed garnered SEC Freshman of the Week honors for his performance at Florida after throwing for 178 yards and two scores to go along with 13 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown.
• Junior Jaylen Henderson started the final four games of the 2023 campaign, accounting for four touchdowns in the lopsided win over Mississippi State in his first start for the Maroon & White ... He has completed 53-of-78 passes for 715 yards and six touchdowns as an Aggie, while also adding 104 yards on the ground and two scores.

MAROON GOONS

• The Texas A&M offensive line has been winning the battle in the trenches, playing with great consistency despite having to display its reliable depth early on ... The Maroon Goons have helped the Aggies boast one of the best rushing offenses in the country while also holding strong to protect their quarterbacks.
• The Maroon & White rank eighth in the country and lead the SEC, allowing just 8.0 tackles for loss, while also ranking 18th nationally and third in the SEC giving up just 3.0 sacks so far in 2024 ... A&M is the only team in the SEC to remain in single-digits in tackles for loss allowed this year.
• With the help of the o-line clearing the way, the Aggies rank eighth nationally and second in the SEC averaging 256.0 rushing yards per game and have racked up over 200 yards on the ground in three of the four games this season.
• The line is anchored by junior Trey Zuhn III, who was named a season-long team captain prior to the season and has been a staple at left tackle over the last two years.
• Zuhn started all 13 games last season and has logged 28 career starts as he helped clear the way for a 1,000-yard rusher in 2022 and helped A&M rack up over 400 yards of total offense in eight games last year.
• In the offseason, sophomore Chase Bisontis made the move to left guard after starting all 12 regular season games he played in at right tackle and the bowl game at right guard as a freshman in 2023 ... The Aggies added veteran experience with junior transfers Ar’maj Reed-Adams, who made 15 starts in 31 games played at Kansas and Kolinu’u Faaiu, who played in 16 games with eight of those being starts at center through three seasons at Utah.
• Offensive line coach Adam Cushing joined head coach Mike Elko in Aggieland after two seasons at Duke where his o-line kept its quarterback protected, ranking 12th among Power 5 schools allowing just 17.0 sacks and seventh nationally giving up just 51.0 tackles for loss in 2022 ... Duke also ranked in the top-18 among Power 5 schools in sacks and tackles for loss allowed in 2023.

ELEVATING THE RUN GAME

• Junior running backs Le’Veon Moss and Amari Daniels have made big improvements in the offseason and have been a dynamic duo in the backfield for the Maroon & White early this year.
• Moss set a new career high in every category through the first three games of the season, notching 20 carries against Notre Dame, scoring two touchdowns in the McNeese win and tallying 110 yards in the victory at Florida for his second-career 100-yard game ... He ranks seventh in the SEC averaging 88.5 yards per game and is tied for eighth among league players with three rushing TDs.
• Daniels registered the first multi-touchdown game of his career with two trips to the end zone against McNeese and joined the 1,000 career yards club with 68 yards on 13 carries in the win at Florida ... He ranks among the top-25 in the league with 49.3 y/g and two scores on the year.
• Dual-threat freshman QB Marcel Reed has also contributed to the robust rushing attack, ranking ninth in the SEC averaging 72.3 yards per game, while his 6.8 yards per carry average is good for 10th in the league.
• As a team, the Aggies are No. 8 in the country and second in the SEC in rushing offense, averaging 256.0 yards per game.
• After eclipsing the 300-yards mark in Week 2, the Maroon & White tallied 310 yards on the ground in the win at Florida, marking the first time they have tallied 300-plus rushing yards in back-to-back games since the 2012 season.
• In the win over McNeese, A&M racked up 333 yards on the ground and five rushing scores, marking the most rushing yards in a game for the Aggies since rushing for over 500 yards against Northwestern State to start the 2018 season and the most rushing scores since reaching the end zone five times on the ground in the Orange Bowl win over North Carolina to cap off the 2020 season.

STEADY BACKER

• Sophomore LB Taurean York immediately stepped into a leadership role as a true freshman in 2023, quarterbacking the defense at mike linebacker, and was selected as a team captain by his teammates ahead of the 2024 season.
• In the season opener against Notre Dame, York helped lead the defense with nine takedowns in the game ... He enters the week ranking 17th in the SEC with 23 tackles on the season.
• York started all 13 games last season, finishing second on the team with 74 tackles, which ranked in the top-20 among SEC players and third among league freshman ... His 8.5 tackles for loss were the most by an SEC freshman a year ago and ranked fourth on the team.
• He registered the first double-digit tackles game of his career with 11 takedowns against Auburn, including 2.0 for loss ... On the year, York tallied five-or more tackles in nine of the 13 games.
• York was a key contributor to the defense that led the SEC in rushing defense (108.8 y/g) and sacks (42.0), while also standing at second in the league and eighth in the nation with 99.0 tackles for loss and 19th in the country, third in the SEC, in total defense (316.2 y/g).

NEW-LOOK SECONDARY

• The Texas A&M secondary has seen a number of new faces in 2024, adding eight defensive backs in the transfer portal while returning sophomores Jayvon Thomas and Dalton Brooks have also made starts this season.
• Sophomore Marcus Ratcliffe has made an immediate impact for the Maroon & White after spending last season at San Diego State, starting all four games and helping lead the SEC while ranking second nationally with three interceptions on the year ... After a late pick in the end zone against Bowling Green, Ratcliffe became the first Aggie to register an interception in three consecutive games since Jason Glenn (1997-2000) did so in 2000.
• Junior Will Lee III, who came to Aggieland from Kansas State, ranks second on the team with 18 tackles while his 16 solo takedowns are good for 11th in the SEC ... He recorded his first interception as an Aggie in the win over McNeese.
• Thomas, who has started all four games at corner, made his first interception late in the fourth quarter at Florida, returning it 15 yards and getting the ball back in A&M’s hands to close out the victory.
• Lone veteran Bryce Anderson registered the first touchdown of his career when he came up with a tipped pass and returned it 45 yards to the house at Florida, becoming the third Aggie to have scored a defensive touchdown in their career.
• As a team, the Aggies rank eighth nationally and are second in the SEC with six interceptions on the season.

DEPTH ON THE D-LINE

• Texas A&M boasts one of the most talented and unpredictable defensive lines in the nation, led by the veteran experience and consistent production of senior Shemar Turner.
• Turner and junior Nic Scourton have led the dynamic inside-out attack from the defensive line as both Aggies  are tied for 14th in the SEC with 3.5 tackles for loss this season ... Turner started the 2024 season with a career-high seven takedowns against Notre Dame and made a pair of solo tackles for loss in a game for the second time in his career with 2.0 against Bowling Green ... Scourton has played with consistency early on, registering at least 1.0 tackle for loss in three of A&M’s four games.
• Juniors Shemar Stewart and Albert Regis have earned starting jobs on the line this season after being part of the Aggies’ consistent second rotation last year ... Stewart has come on strong in the last two games, getting to the quarterback in back-to-back victories while matching his career high with five tackles at Florida.
• In the win at Florida, the Aggies limited the Gators to just 52 yards on the ground and one rushing score and made it back-to-back weeks of keeping their opponent in double figures on the ground when they limited Bowling Green to just 89 yards and one score.

SPECIAL TEAMS SUCCESS

• Graduate K Randy Bond was one of the nation’s leading scorers a season ago and continues to rank among the best in 2024 while also climbing A&M’s all-time scoring, field goals made and extra point lists.
• Bond currently ranks fifth nationally and third in the SEC with nine made field goals this season, while his 10.0 points per game and 40 total points land among the top-25 in the country and top-eight league scorers.
• Bond has posted double-digit points in a game nine times in his career, racking up 14 points in the win over Bowling Green and 10 points in the win over McNeese this season.
• He recently eclipsed the 200-point mark for his career adding 10 points in the win over McNeese and added 14 points against Bowling Green to crack the top-15 of A&M’s all-time scoring list with 230 to-date ... His 48 career made field goals are good for sixth all-time at A&M while his 86 career PATs rank among the top-15 in program history.
• Last season, Bond registered a new career-long with a 52-yarder against ULM and he later connected from the same distance against South Carolina and Mississippi State.
• Four Aggies on the 2024 roster have registered a blocked kick in their careers ... Senior DL Shemar Turner blocked a pair of field goal attempts last season, getting his hand on the ball in back-to-back weeks against Ole Miss and Mississippi State, and junior DL Albert Regis blocked a field goal attempt in the win over Miami in 2022, and senior WR Jahdae Walker blocked a punt a year later in Miami ... Prior to arriving in Aggieland, graduate DB Trey Jones III registered a blocked kick against Eastern Michigan in 2022.

THE ELKO EFFECT

• Known as one of the top defensive minds in the country, head coach Mike Elko has consistently produced highly disruptive and productive defenses throughout his career, most recently putting the Texas A&M defense on the map during his time as defensive coordinator and carrying the same standard as the head coach at Duke.
• In 2023, Duke led the ACC and ranked 16th nationally in scoring defense (19.0 ppg) while registering a top-five rush defense among league teams and standing in 17th in the country with 67 passes defended ... In Elko’s first season as a head coach, the Blue Devils ranked in the top-35 in the nation in scoring defense, rush defense, rushing touchdowns allowed and passes defended.
• After not finishing in the top-50 nationally in total defense for more than a decade, Elko’s first stint in Aggieland as defensive coordinator from 2018-21 coincided with consistent top-35 finishes, including a top-10 ranking in the 2020 final FBS total defense standings.
• Elko has produced top-50 defenses in 11 of the last 12 years with multiple programs (Duke, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Bowling Green).