Texas A&M Aggies Still Looking For More Despite Domination

The Texas A&M Aggies still have more work to do after a convincing victory.

Jon Alfano | 2 Hours Ago

Nov 16, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies tight end Theo Melin Ohrstrom (17) motions during the first quarter against the New Mexico State Aggies at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

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Texas A&M Aggies

Saturday night's game was a dress rehearsal of sorts for the Texas A&M Aggies, and while they succeeded for the most part, there's still plenty of room for improvement.

Facing an overmatched New Mexico State Aggies team, A&M jumped out to a 24-0 lead early in the second quarter and essentially went on cruise control the rest of the way. Even still, the way A&M let up after building that big lead didn't sit well with the team, and it will be a point to address going forward.

"We came out of the locker room the way I wanted to. We started fast. We built the lead," head coach Mike Elko said postgame. "The second quarter was a little bit disappointing. We lost focus and then really let off the gas a little bit. Challenged them at halftime to go out in the third quarter and put the game away. They did it, and then we were really able to empty the bench in the fourth quarter."

It wasn't completely a conscious choice to let off the gas. A&M took some costly penalties in the second quarter, which contributed to punts on back-to-back drives. In total, the team finished with eight penalties for 71 yards.

On the final drive of the half, A&M drove down the field and threatened to extend the lead, only for Marcel Reed to throw an interception with just a few seconds remaining. Reed played well for the most part, completing 20 of 31 passes for a season-high 268 yards and two touchdowns (plus one rushing), but there were some mistakes as well.

"There was some good," Elko said. "Certainly some throws he wishes he would have had back, some reads he wishes he would have had back. Certainly a big learning moment at the end of the first half. That is obviously something that we can't do. …

"But he took some big strides. It was the most passing yards he has thrown for (this season). He threw some really good footballs out there."

At the end of the day, though, this game was essentially a tune-up for what's to come, and A&M won by 35 points. All of A&M's goals are in front of it, and with two games to go, that's what truly matters.

"This is everything that you want, right? We have not been in this position as a program ever," Elko said. "There has been no time ever where Texas A&M has been in the SEC, in the last two games, controlled their own destiny to go to Atlanta.

"So what you work for. It is the opportunity that you have trained for. They are extremely excited to get that opportunity, go to Auburn and do what we got to do."