Five Takeaways From Texas A&M's Huge Home Victory Over LSU

The Aggies struggled in the first half, but broke free in the second half to defeat the Tigers 38-23 and remain the lone undefeated team in the SEC.

Oct 26, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) is sacked by Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Nic Scourton (11) in the fourth quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images. / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

And then there was one.

The No. 14 Texas A&M Aggies were able to come back from a 10-point deficit at halftime to take down the No. 8 LSU Tigers 38-23 to take sole ownership of the top spot in the SEC rankings.

The Aggies have now won seven straight games and are now the only team in the SEC that is undefeated against their conference opponents.

In a game that was a sure roller coaster for the 12th Man, this has to be a positive going forward as the Aggies focus on defending the undefeated conference record.

Until then, here are five takeaways from the Texas A&M win against LSU:

Is There Still A Quarterback Debate In College Station?

As is the case with the past two games, Conner Weigman got the start for the Aggies tonight.

Only thing was, it didn't go as Mike Elko was probably expecting.

Weigman struggled to hit his receivers in the first half, as the Tiger defense held him to six completions on 18 attempts for 64 yards passing. Thankfully, no interceptions, but the production was not there from the redshirted quarterback.

Enter Marcel Reed... again.

Reed got the nod for the second half, as Mike Elko claimed the passing game "wasn't working out" and needed Reed's mobility in the backfield.

And boy, did he get it.

Right off the bat, Reed found his way into the end zone for the Aggie score, one of three rushing scores he had tonight. He finished with nine rushes for 62 yards and the three touchdowns.

Pass wise, Reed only threw two passes, completing both of them for 70 yards, including a 54-yard rainbow that landed right into the arms of Noah Thomas. Needless to say, it was a crucial part of the Aggie win tonight, and it will be interesting to see who Elko puts under center to start the game against South Carolina.

Run TAMC Strikes Again

After taking a bit of a load off against Mississippi State last week, the Aggies' in-your-face run game was back this week against the Tigers, in the form of both yards and points, combining for 242 yards and five touchdowns. Amari Daniels led the way with 91 yards on a dozen carries, Le'Veon Moss took 14 handoffs for 83 yards and two touchdowns, and as mentioned before, Marcel Reed contributed 62 yards and three touchdowns in his half of work. As is the case for any SEC game, trust your run game and reap the benefits.

You Come For The 12th Man, You Best Not Miss

Garrett Nussmeier is not the only quarterback that plays for an SEC team called the Tigers that has tested the 12th Man's volume levels this season.

Earlier this week in an interview, when asked about the atmosphere, Nussmeier responded that "Kyle Field was loud, but it's no Death Valley," referring to LSU's home turf, Tiger Stadium.

And history seems to have repeated itself.

LSU got hit with false start after false start. "Mo Bamba" blared through the Kyle Field speakers at a deafening volume throughout the entirety of the game. A decibel reader read 114 decibels. The Tigers struggled to put anything together in the second half, as Nussmeier threw a trio of interceptions that sent the six-figure crowd into an absolute frenzy.

It will be interesting to see if someone from New Mexico State or Texas tries to intimidate the 12th Man. As Missouri and LSU found out the hard way, you'll be in for a long game if you do.

The Defensive Halftime Adjustments Come Up Big Again

This was the story last week at Mississippi State as well. The team will give up big pass plays in the first half, and then become an absolute shutdown defense in the second half. Tonight was another prime example of that. Garrett Nussmeier finished the game with 405 passing yards and threw his two passing touchdowns in the first half.

Then came the second half, and the roles were reversed.

Nussmeier threw a trio of picks in the second half, including two to B.J. Mayes and one to Taurean York late in the fourth that essentially sealed the deal for an Aggie victory.

Of course, Mike Elko and Jay Bateman are going to want these guys to put two solid defensive halves together going forward, but with how the defense performed in the second half alone, maybe they can let the first half slide a little bit.

The Head of the Table in the SEC

The Aggies are now the only undefeated team in conference play in the SEC. This is great news now, but there is now a major target on the back of the Maroon and White. A target that South Carolina, Auburn, and Texas are sure to shoot their shot at.

If the Aggies stick to their guns and do what they've been doing on both sides of the ball, they should have no problem winning out, even against the Longhorns, and even locking themselves into the SEC Championship game when the smoke clears.

But, alas, this is the SEC, and that's a lot easier said than done.

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