No. 4 Football Downs Arkansas in Fayetteville, 45-42

Saturday, October 18

Fayetteville, Ark.

4:30 PM

Texas A&M

7-0 , 4-0

Arkansas

2-5 , 0-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Texas A&M

Arkansas

Oct 18, 2025 | Football

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Notes Postgame Quotes Highlights Postgame: Elko Postgame: Bethel-Roman Postgame: Ratcliffe Photo Gallery

By: Athletics Communications

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 4 Texas A&M improved its record to 7-0 for the first time this century after handling Arkansas, 45-42, to claim its 13^th win over the Razorbacks since joining the SEC in 2012.

With the win, the Aggies are 7-0 for the first time since 1994 and are 4-0 in conference play in back-to-back seasons under Mike Elko.

Offensively, the Maroon & White tallied 497 total yards and scored on seven of its nine drives. The attack was led by redshirt sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed, who completed 23 passes on 32 attempts and tossed for 280 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 55 rushing yards with one score. Saturday's game marked the eighth contest in which in Reed notched at least one score on the ground and through the air. Redshirt sophomore running back Rueben Owens II carried the ball 14 times for 69 yards for a career-high two rushing scores.

On the defensive side, Dalton Brooks filled the stat sheet with nine tackles, one sack, two and a half tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries. Junior DJ Hicks and freshman Marco Jones also registered a sack in the win.

How It Happened

Arkansas tallied the first points of the game on the opening drive, converting a 22-yard field goal attempt.
The Aggies responded with a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive that ended in a 24-yard receiving touchdown for Ashton Bethel-Roman to give the Maroon & White a 7-3 advantage.
In the opening seconds of the second quarter, Reed punched in a 4-yard rushing score to boost the Aggie edge to 14-3.
Arkansas kicker Scott Starzyk tacked on his second field goal of the contest on the following drive with another 22-yard conversion.
Texas A&M capitalized on a 14-play, 75-yard drive that took 7:45 off the clock as Reed connected with Nate Boerkircher on a 1-yard score.
The Razorbacks answered on the ensuing drive with a 27-yard rushing touchdown from Taylen Green, making it a 21-13 game.
O'Mega Blake of Arkansas hauled in a 7-yard receiving score in the final seconds of the first half to shorten the Aggie lead to 21-20 at the break.
The Aggies got off to fast start in the first two minutes of the second half as Reed found KC Concepcion in the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown.
Randy Bond drilled a 29-yard field goal midway through the third quarter to up Texas A&M's advantage to 31-20.
Green punched in a 1-yard rush in the end zone to put the Razorbacks within a score, 31-27.
Rueben Owens II scampered in with a 14-yard rushing touchdown to put the Maroon & White out in front 38-27 in the closing seconds of the third quarter.
The Razorbacks began the final quarter with a 4-yard receiving touchdown to Jaden Platt. The opposition converted the two-point conversion attempt on a receiving score to Rohan Jones to make it a 38-35 ballgame.
Owens II punched in his second rushing score of the game from 14 yards out to push the lead to 45-35.
Arkansas' CJ Brown hauled in a 4-yard receiving score with 10 seconds to go to cap the scoring at 45-42.

Game Notes

For the second straight game, the Aggies opened the game with a trio of touchdown drives, including two that covered 75 yards and used 10-plus plays. It's the first time in more than a decade that the Maroon & White has opened consecutive games with three straight touchdown drives. The 2012 Aggies, directed by future Heisman winner Johnny Manziel, did it in three straight games against Auburn, Mississippi State and Alabama.
Additionally, the Aggies had touchdown drives to open both halves for the first time in 2025.
Junior S Dalton Brooks posted season-high nine tackles, while surpassing the 100-tackle plateau for his career. He also contributed career highs with 2.5 tackles for loss and two QB hurries, and had a sack.
With the 45-42 victory, Texas A&M improved to 7-0 for the first time this century, matching the start of the 1994 Aggies that finished with an unbeaten 10-0-1 record.
Since joining the SEC in 2012, the Aggies have compiled a 13-1 record against the Razorbacks.
Redshirt sophomore QB Marcel Reed had a strong game, accounting for four touchdowns to match his career high, with three passing scores and one via rush. He logged his career high with a 71.9 completion percentage (in games with more than two pass attempts) as he connected on 23-of-32 passes for 280 yards. He added 55 rushing yards to raise his total yards output to 335 for the game.
The trio of Reed, redshirt sophomore RB Rueben Owens II and graduate student RB EJ Smith all gained over 50 ground yards as the Aggies gained 219 yards on 34 carries (6.4 average). Owens II was the top ground gainer with 69 yards and a career-high two touchdowns on 14 carries.
The Aggies were the national leaders in third down defense entering the game, while Arkansas was converting on 57.1% on third down situations. Texas A&M held Arkansas to 4-of-10 on third-down tries.