Texas A&M Aggies vs. Florida Gators Week 3 Preview: Keys to the Game

Both the Texas A&M Aggies and Florida Gators will get their first taste of SEC competition in Week 3, and as such, it could go either way. Here are the keys for each team to take home a win.

Sep 23, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Conner Weigman (15) looks to throw the ball during the second quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Kyle Field. / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

The Texas A&M Aggies will hit the field against Florida Gators in Week 3, and in order for them to come out victorious, they’ll need to play their best game.

Between it being early in the season and being on the road, the Aggies are due for a test. Coach Mike Elko and company will still be in an adjustment period, not to mention their matchup against the Gators will be their first road game of the year. That’s hard enough as it is.

Florida adds to that difficulty, however. It didn’t find much success last season but isn’t likely to fall flat in the same way, and the Aggies didn’t exactly have their best year in 2023. So, dealing with the improved Gators and their weapons on both sides of the ball makes for a challenge.

The game is certainly winnable for the Aggies, however. They, too, have weapons to throw at the Gators and will look to utilize them. The best way to do so remains the question.

That being said, here are the keys to the game for both sides:

The Texas A&M Aggies will win if…

They start fast. It’s not a secret that finding success on the road is almost always dependent on the momentum built by the road team. Entering the game, Florida will have its entire crowd behind it, especially with the added stakes of the first SEC matchup of the season. That will make things difficult for Texas A&M initially, but if it can generate some fast offense and points behind Conner Weigman, the crowd can be taken out of the equation.

If not, Florida could be in for a field day.

The Florida Gators will win if…

They win the second half. Unless the Aggies go on a holy crusade in The Swamp during the first two quarters, the Gators will likely be in contention for the win down the stretch. That’s where they can benefit from their home field the most. As the game winds down, if Florida can shut down the Aggies and put some points on the board at the same time, it could completely take back the momentum and ride it to the end of the fourth quarter to send Texas A&M back home disappointed.