Ava Hunt’s freshman year at SMU is shaping up to be a memorable one.
Moments after the 11-2 Mustangs were announced as the final addition to the expanded College Football Playoff bracket as the No. 11 seed, the daughter of Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt celebrated the historic inclusion on social media.
Hunt, a member of SMU’s Spirit Team, re-shared a post from the ACC’s page congratulating the Mustangs, now set to make their first CFP appearance in program history when they face No. 6 seed Penn State (11-2) in the first round of the 12-team playoff field — a seismic shakeup from the previous four-team bracket.
Ava Hunt (r.) celebrated SMU’s inclusion in the 12-team College Football Playoff field. Gracie Hunt/InstagramThe SMU cheerleader took to Instagram to celebrate the Mustangs’ historic moment. Ava Hunt/Instagram
Hunt’s family, including older sister Gracie Hunt, were in attendance.
“Not the result we were hoping for, but so proud of our Ponies!” Gracie exclaimed on Instagram.
Hunt announced her commitment to SMU in March.
Ava Hunt (l.) announced her commitment to SMU in March 2024. Ava Hunt/Instagram
“It’s official!! So beyond thankful for the opportunity to keep doing what I love!” she gushed on social media at the time, adding the hashtags “SMU Cheer” and “Pony Up.”
Hunt committed to the Mustangs one month after her beloved Chiefs won their second consecutive Super Bowl.
The Chiefs topped the 49ers in the championship contest in February, defending their title after the team’s 2023 victory over the Eagles.
Ava Hunt celebrated the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win in February 2024. Ava Hunt/Instagram
“BACK TO BACK CHAMPS!!” Hunt shared from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where the Chiefs knocked off the 49ers in overtime, 25-22.
Ava Hunt is cheering on the Chiefs in their quest of a Super Bowl three-peat. Ava Hunt/Instagram
The Chiefs’ quest for a Super Bowl three-peat is well within reach as the team clinched a playoff berth in late November following a win over the Raiders.
The Chiefs (11-1) will host the Chargers (8-4) on this week’s edition of “Sunday Night Football.”
The Mustangs will visit the Nittany Lions on Dec. 21.
CLEMSON — No. 14 South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer made a few things very clear after the Gamecocks’ thrilling 17-14 win Saturday over rival No. 12 Clemson in the Palmetto Bowl.
South Carolina (9-3) defeated the Tigers (9-3) after quarterback LaNorris Sellers ran 20 yards for a touchdown with 1:08 to play. He also rushed for a 25-yard score, giving him both of the Gamecocks’ touchdowns.
“LaNorris Sellers is the best player in the country,” Beamer said. “All you media people that vote on the Heisman (Trophy award), if you’re not voting for that guy in the mix for the Heisman Trophy you are out of your minds. Name a player in the country who has done more than that kid has, particularly today. In the environments he’s done it in, in the moment he’s done it in, he put our team on his back today … players needed to step up and make plays (for South Carolina), and that kid sure as hell did. What a performance.”
Sellers, a redshirt freshman, rushed 16 times for 166 yards − an average of 10.4 yards per carry − and was 13-for-21 passing for 164 yards with an interception.
South Carolina picked up its sixth consecutive win for its best finish in four seasons under Beamer and with at least a bowl game ahead. Beamer (29-21) broke former coach Steve Spurrier’s record of 28 wins in the first four seasons at South Carolina.
The Gamecocks are potentially in College Football Playoff territory with the win, but no decisions are made until Dec. 8. They couldn’t think about the CFP unless they defeated Clemson, which was No. 12 in the CFP rankings released Tuesday, with South Carolina No. 15.
MORE:Where South Carolina ranks in fourth College Football Playoff poll: See full list
“I do believe we deserve a spot in the 12-team playoff,” Beamer said. “I get it − the committee has a really tough job. … I get it − we got three losses. I understand that, but it’s hard for me to sit here and say that we aren’t one of the 12 best teams in the country. When you look at our strength of schedule, our wins on the road. … We go in hostile environments every single week.”
The Gamecocks picked up their fourth win over a Top 25 team after defeating Texas A&M, Missouri, and Vanderbilt earlier this season. Clemson marked the seventh ranked opponent they faced. They fell by a combined total of five points to two Top 20 teams, Alabama and LSU, but South Carolina lost 27-3 to Ole Miss on Oct. 5, another three-loss SEC team hoping for a CFP spot.
“I get it − there’s some very deserving teams out there − but if the committee’s job is to pick the 12 best teams, you tell me, you tell me on Selection Sunday everybody across the country if South Carolina pops up in that bracket, I don’t know any team that would be excited to play this team the way we are playing right now,” Beamer said.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin
We understand that this is the week when turkeys have their day. We have nothing against actual well-prepared poultry, of course. But this space is all about helping you, the discerning college football viewer, avoid figurative turkeys, even in this week of feasting.
Bearing that in mind though, some of these games that will have an impact on the playoff pursuit might not end up with fantastic finishes. But we think they’ll be the ones to pay the most attention to as the final Saturday of the regular season unfolds.
Here are our top seven recommended games to watch in Week 14.
No. 3 Texas at No. 19 Texas A&M
Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC.
Why watch: You have to ask? It’s the long-awaited renewal of acquaintances for these two Lone Star State programs that love to hate each other. As if that weren’t enough, a spot in the SEC title game opposite Georgia is also on the line. The Aggies need that more, as a fourth loss would be fatal to any playoff aspirations, but the Longhorns will have no interest in falling to the at-large pool. Texas QB Quinn Ewers has faced hostile environs before, but Kyle Field at night could set a new standard for noise. He has dependable short-game options like TE Gunnar Helm and RB Jaydon Blue, but an early deep connection with WR Isaiah Bond would help neutralize the crowd. The Aggies’ defense can be inconsistent, but DE Nic Scourton must be accounted for by the Longhorns’ protectors. A&M QB Marcel Reed has a deep crew of pass catchers but fewer breakaway threats. He isn’t afraid to keep the ball, but Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr. will likely have him under surveillance.
Why it could disappoint: Quite simply, the Aggies have been maddeningly inconsistent all season. The Longhorns will want to make short work of it, as the longer they let the Aggies hang around, the more the crowd becomes a factor.
No. 14 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson
Time/TV: noon ET, ESPN.
Why watch: The Palmetto showdown won’t alter the conference picture for either participant, of course. But it’s an important contest nevertheless with the winner able to claim a quality result and keep its name in the at-large playoff discussion. South Carolina is arguably the hottest team in the SEC, closing out its league slate with four consecutive wins. The Tigers have done enough to get by since the Nov. 2 loss to Louisville, but that result could ultimately cost them a shot at the ACC title if Miami defeats Syracuse. Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers has been making excellent use of explosive RB Raheim Sanders, who will undoubtedly receive plenty of attention from Clemson LB Barrett Carter. Tigers QB Cade Klubnik also relies heavily on ground support from RB Phil Mafah, but WR Antonio Williams will have to find some room to operate as well. DB Nick Emmanwori does a little of everything backing the Gamecocks’ defense.
Why it could disappoint: With the notable exception of the Pittsburgh win, Clemson’s games have been largely drama free this season, win or lose. The Tigers have either taken charge quickly or fallen behind and failed to rally. That probably won’t be the case here, but the Gamecocks aren’t likely to be surprised by anything Clemson throws at them.
GIVING THANKS: It’s Rivalry Week: Embrace the college football crazy
WEEKEND FORECAST: Experts picks for every Top 25 game in Week 13
No. 7 Miami at Syracuse
Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.
Why watch: The mission is quite clear for the Hurricanes – win this game in the dome and then play for an ACC title a week later. The Orange might be in that position themselves but for a couple of puzzling losses, but even so this has been a largely successful debut season for coach Fran Brown. Miami continues to live and die with the high-risk, high-reward style of QB Cam Ward, who has a lofty 34 TDs with seven picks. His favorite target, WR Xavier Restrepo, will likely draw coverage from Syracuse DB Jayden Bellamy. Aside from a disastrous outing against Pittsburgh, QB Kyle McCord has been just as productive as Ward, with TE Oronde Gadsden II and WR Jackson Meeks serving as primary weapons. Miami DE Tyler Baron will lead the effort to disrupt them.
Why it could disappoint: It probably won’t. The Hurricanes have lived dangerously for most of the campaign. Even last week’s 42-14 triumph against Wake Forest was a one-score game in the fourth quarter, and the Orange should be even harder to put away in their friendly confines. A spate of turnovers could send things off the rails, but that could go either way.
Kansas State at No. 17 Iowa State
Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Fox.
Why watch: Every game in the Big 12 is going to matter on the final weekend with so many tiebreaker possibilities in play. But we suspect this one might be the best of the bunch for shear entertainment value, given both teams’ penchant for nail biters. The Cyclones have won three games on their final possession, including their triumph over Iowa way back in September. The Wildcats have been in their share of squeakers, though their two most recent contests lacked fourth-quarter suspense. Iowa State QB Rocco Becht has one of the nation’s top pass-catching duos at his disposal in WRs Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, with nearly 2,000 yards between them. K-State DL Brendan Mott will lead the effort to prevent him from utilizing them. Wildcats QB Avery Johnson and RB DJ Giddens will look to establish the ground game first. Johnson does have reliable targets in the aerial attack, but he’ll need to avoid Cyclones DB Jontez Williams, who has four of the team’s 14 interceptions.
Why it could disappoint: It shouldn’t. The Cyclones’ losses were both by single-digit margins. The Wildcats have gotten buried a couple of times, but Iowa State tends to let opponents hang around. Expect a fun ride here in Ames.
No. 5 Notre Dame at Southern California
Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS.
Why watch: Still maintaining its independence, this will be the closing argument for the Fighting Irish for the playoff committee. It can best be described not so much as a must-win but more like a must-not-lose game, but the Trojans would like nothing more than to play spoiler for their long-standing rivals in what has by and large been a disappointing season. Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard is up to 27 total TDs on the season, 14 by air and 13 by land. He can expect plenty of attention from LB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, the lead horse on the Trojans’ defense. USC’s QB switch to Jayden Maiava has not led to an appreciable increase in downfield completions, but RB Woody Marks is a consistent 100-yard game producer. Fighting Irish LBs Jack Kiser and Drayk Bowen figure to meet him often in the gaps.
Why it could disappoint: In terms of roster talent, this should be a competitive matchup. But USC has beaten itself with untimely mistakes too many times this year to expect it won’t happen again. To quantify it, Notre Dame is second in the nation in turnover margin, while the Trojans are 81st.
No. 8 Tennessee at Vanderbilt
Time/TV: noon ET, ABC.
Why watch: Tennessee can’t play for the league championship, but the Volunteers can put themselves in a favorable position to claim an at-large bid from the crowded SEC field of candidates. They cannot, however, afford to drop this rivalry game to the Commodores, who have escaped the conference cellar in 2024 and can now improve their bowl destination. QB Nico Iamaleava and the rest of the Vols predictably used last week’s date with Texas-El Paso as a get-right game after being shut down by Georgia, but DB Randon Fontenette and the Vandy defense has done a good job limiting big gainers. RB Dylan Sampson could help Tennessee beat the Commodores at their own game with sustained drives. Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia has been largely held in check in his last couple of outings, and Tennessee LB Arion Carter and Co. will do their best to continue that trend.
Why it could disappoint: In past years, we’d be quick to dismiss the Commodores if they find themselves in an early hole. But this year’s group was beaten by multiple scores just once in SEC play, and the Vols haven’t exactly been overpowering even in their victories. This might not be the flashiest football, but it probably won’t be a rout.
Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State
Time/TV: noon ET, Fox.
Why watch: Having passed their major test against upstart Indiana with flying colors, the Buckeyes now tend to one final order of business to earn a rematch with Oregon next week in Indianapolis. The date with the Wolverines also represents a major hurdle to be cleared for Ohio State coach Ryan Day, who is still seeking his first win against Michigan since moving to the bigger office in Columbus. The Michigan defense is still quite formidable, with LBs Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham backing up an active front line that could make life somewhat challenging for Buckeyes QB Will Howard. But the RB tandem of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins are hard to contain for a full 60 minutes, and one of Ohio State’s dazzling deep threats usually gets loose at some point. The Wolverines’ one-two punch of RBs Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards have remained productive despite getting little air cover, but finding real estate in the Horseshoe will be difficult with hard-hitting Buckeyes DB Sonny Styles able to help in run support.
Why it could disappoint: There’s no reason to think it won’t to be honest. Obviously it’s a rivalry game, and the Wolverines will come out with plenty of energy. But as long as Ohio State doesn’t get generous with the ball, this should be decided in short order.
College football Top 25 CFP rankings, odds & rivalry games including USC vs. UCLA (AP Photo/Mark J. … [+] Terrill)
Associated Press
The biggest games continue in the closing weeks of the college football season as the push towards the 12-team College Football Playoff shakes out in the final two weeks of the regular season. Also, the most emotional and biggest rivalray games are approaching for many teams, making November football the most watched and wagered month ahead of the college bowl season.
Key CFB Top 25 games on Saturday, Nov. 23 include the Big Ten battle between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 5 Indiana. ESPN College GameDay will be in Columbus providing additional coverage and picks, along with more below.
CFP Top 25 Week 13 Matchups, Odds and TV Schedule
College football odds from FanDuel Sportsbook refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting. Bet types, odds and terms with listed point spreads on favorites. All times Eastern.
The undefeated Hoosiers (10-0), who won 3-games last season, are the story of college football this season under first-year head coach Curt Cignetti. Indiana enters this showdown off a bye and a double-digit underdog to Ohio State (9-1). The spread has been bet down from -12 to -10.5 favoring the Buckeyes. Indiana is No. 1 in the country in scoring margin, but they’ve played a softer schedule. Still, the Hoosiers have been rewarding bettors with an 8-2 against the spread (ATS) mark, which is tied with five other teams for best in the country.
Pro Football Focus provides matchup analysis of Indiana vs. Ohio State, and additional analysis in YouTube previewing the biggest games in college football on Saturday, Nov. 23. While Ohio State has a dominant defense allowing just 251 yards per game at 4.1 yards per play (both No. 2 in country), Indiana is right behind the Buckeyes allowing 270 ypg at 4.2 yppl. Pro Football Focus notes that Indiana marries the coverage with pass rush perhaps the best in the country. Indiana also has PFF’s best offensive grade in the country from Power Four teams, best receiving grade, top-10 pass blocking grade and QB Kurtis Rourke has the best passing grade. Ohio State has the No. 1 defense in college football, per PFF, and top-7 defensive pass coverage grade.
Army vs. Notre Dame
Army (9-0) is shooting for its first undefeated season since 1946. Playbook Sports midweek report provides added support for the Cadet’s No. 1 ranked rushing offense, averaging 330 yards per game vs. FBS opponents. The Black Knights allow just 10.8 points per game and 273 yards per game. Notre Dame (9-1) also has a dominant defense allowing 11.3 points per game and 277 yards per game. Army is one of only three FBS teams to win the stats in every game they’ve played this season.
BYU at Arizona State
BYU (9-1) suffered their first loss of the season last week vs. Kansas, 17-13. But the Cougars are 6-1 in Big 12 play and still control their destiny to the Big 12 championship game, along with Colorado (6-1). Arizona State (8-2) is 5-2 in conference play and on a 3-0 SU/ATS run ahead of this game in Tempe and next week’s rivalry game vs. Arizona in Tucson. The Sun Devils are also 5-0 SU/ATS at home, but statistically don’t warrant their high stock and 8-2 ATS mark overall with a +0.7 net yards per play margin to BYU’s +1.2.
Friday, Nov. 29
Georgia Tech at Georgia (-20.5)
Saturday, Nov. 30
NC State at North Carolina (-5.5)
Duke (-3.5) at Wake Forest
South Carolina at Clemson (-2.5)
Tennessee (-12.5) at Vanderbilt
Michigan at Ohio State (-23.5)
Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan (-6.5)
Washington at Oregon (-18.5)
Notre Dame (-6.5) at USC
Florida (-13.5) at Florida State
Auburn at Alabama (-14.5)
Louisville (-3.5) at Kentucky
Texas (-7.5) at Texas A&M
Follow all the matchups, odds and college football betting news and predictions including Week 13 best bets as the popularity of college football and sports betting continues to flourish and provide fans more excitement and engagement in the games.
Just as the frustrations with the first College Football Playoff rankings were settling in, the sport went on its usual path of chaos — completely changing the landscape of the projected playoff field.
The rankings got flipped upside down when Georgia fell flat against Mississippi and Miami couldn’t stay perfect when it faced Georgia Tech. Consequently, some teams saw their playoff chances boosted while others are feeling uncertainty in qualifying for the 12-team field.
There’s three weeks left in the regular season − and conference championship week − thus there’s still plenty of chances for the rankings to drastically change. The moves in the second rankings were mostly justified, but still, some teams got the short end of the stick.
Here’s who was slighted this week:
Indiana
The Hoosiers moved up three spots to No. 5, but they still aren’t being completely appreciated by the committee.
Indiana is still one spot behind Penn State, which doesn’t make all that much sense. Yes, Penn State’s only loss was to Ohio State, but Indiana is still undefeated and should be rewarded for being one of four remaining unbeaten teams. Just based off the eye test, Indiana has also been more dominant than the Nittany Lions.
The narrow victory against Michigan − the closest any team has gotten to the Hoosiers − mixed with Penn State dismantling Washington is likely the reason why the Nittany Lions still hold the edge … but Indiana has outperformed Penn State this season. Now, pressure will be put on Indiana against Ohio State, and it will likely be penalized more severely than the Nittany Lions should it also fall to the Buckeyes.
Georgia
There’s nothing wrong with Georgia’s spot. It deserves it. But, it does show how a pretty good football team can become a casualty of the new playoff format.
Thanks to the top five conference champions being guaranteed a spot, the Bulldogs are currently out of the field even at the No. 12 spot thanks to Boise State. Now, the Bulldogs need to hope for plenty of other dominoes to fall to jump back into the field. Georgia is behind the two teams it lost to − Alabama and Mississippi − showing the committee values the head-to-head record. So, the Bulldogs need the Crimson Tide, Rebels or another at-large team to drop another game — one worthy of them falling — just to get in the bracket.
At the moment, Boise State and Army are looking like the top contenders in the Group of Five to qualify, and it won’t matter where they are ranked behind the Bulldogs if they win conference titles. Lots of help is needed in Athens.
Southern Methodist
Only one team is still undefeated in ACC play, yet it doesn’t mean anything when it comes to qualifying for a playoff spot. Southern Methodist should have gotten a big boost with Miami falling from the ranks of the unbeatens, but instead the Mustangs are at No. 14 in the rankings while Miami is still projected to earn the ACC’s automatic bid.
The Hurricanes’ loss to Georgia Tech isn’t necessarily a bad one since the Yellow Jackets are a solid team, but the loss is worse than SMU’s lone loss that came in a close defeat against Brigham Young. Miami and SMU do share common wins against Louisville and Duke, but the Mustangs also have another quality win against Pittsburgh while the Hurricanes don’t boast anything else.
Currently, the only path it looks like SMU has toward making the playoff is winning the conference title, which is a much tougher road than Miami currently has.
Army
Being an undefeated Group of Five team clearly doesn’t mean as much as being a three-loss SEC team.
The Black Knights moved up just one spot but are still behind Missouri and LSU while they also got jumped by South Carolina. It comes after a game in which Army didn’t blow out North Texas, but clearly showed it was the better team in a 14-3 victory. Meanwhile, LSU got wrecked by Alabama, Missouri beat a bad Oklahoma team and South Carolina got a boost from beating a team that wasn’t even ranked by the committee (Vanderbilt).
Barring some miracle, Army doesn’t look like it has much of a chance to make the playoff, which is an unfortunate circumstance for a team having a dream season.
You want chaos? October college football delivers!
A goal post was carried through the streets of Nashville in the wake of Vanderbilt’s upset over Alabama (you read that right), Arkansas took down its goal post after upsetting Tennessee and, in total, five of the top 12 teams in the AP poll suffered a loss Saturday.
It’s the first time that’s happened on the same day since Oct. 2, 2021.
And I haven’t even mentioned Miami’s 25-point comeback victory over Cal or Indiana (the football program) clinching bowl eligibility ahead of any other FBS team.
Week 6 is over, so you know how this works: Let’s run through College Football Overtime, highlighting everything you need to know from the week that was in college football.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY: HOW VANDERBILT BUILT AN ALABAMA SLAYER
Clark Lea (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
What if I told you the origin of No. 1 Alabama’s destruction was in Las Cruces, New Mexico?
I don’t think you’re going to see a 30 for 30 from Vanderbilt’s 40-35 upset of No. 1 Alabama, the first Commodores win over an AP No. 1 team in school history. But it’s difficult to overstate how unusual Vanderbilt’s roster and coaching staff construction is in a conference defined by big-named brands and often way bigger coaching buyouts.
Clark Lea found himself at an inflection point last December. The Commodores had recruited well and largely followed Lea’s plan to build the program with a foundation of high school recruiting. Yet the Commodores finished 2-10 in his third season, failing to play a Power Four team to within 15 points all season.
So Lea did what so few coaches are willing to do when their plan goes awry: He pivoted. Hard.
Lea replaced both coordinators. He took over the defensive play calling. And most drastic of all he went to New Mexico State and found his offensive coordinator (Tim Beck), quarterback (Diego Pavia) and head coaching mentor (Jerry Kill). Sure, that trio helped rip up Conference USA the year prior with the nation’s No. 12 offense in terms of yards per play. But this is the SEC! How could a former Pittsburgh State coach and New Mexico Military Institute quarterback hold up in the big, bad SEC?
Quite well.
Vanderbilt knows it needs to be different on offense. There’s a legit talent gap between them and the Alabamas of the world. So Lea identified Beck, a wizard who uses pistol and option looks to give defensive headaches, and Pavia, the quarterback who runs the system so well, to help carry the program forward.
It’s worked all season and did against Saturday. Pavia went 16 of 20 for 252 yards and two touchdowns against ‘Bama. Vanderbilt only averaged 3.3 yards per carry, but the run game controlled things as the Commodores squeezed the clock with 42 minutes of possession. Those short runs opened up lanes on the outside and passes over the top.
Changes didn’t end at play callers and the quarterback. Lea also pivoted to the transfer portal.
Lea wanted to build Vanderbilt as a high school-first program. It’s what he believed. Vanderbilt signed only 14 transfers across Lea’s first three classes. But it didn’t work as the Commodores lost key starters to the portal (all three of their starting receivers from last year, for example) with no real recourse to replace them.
So Lea and general manager Barton Simmons, formerly of 247Sports, joined the rest of the sport in the portal.
Vanderbilt brought in 22 players via the portal, hoping to change both the results and the personality. The Commodores preferred to stick with mostly older transfers who had experienced winning, a fabric that’s changed the culture.
Some coaches would have stubbornly stuck to the plan. Some would have made big swings on players who didn’t fit their program or add coaches who were just names instead of results.
Lea did none of that. He embraced change. He embraced an era of football defined by the portal and NIL without losing the identity of his program. Now all of Nashville gets to celebrate because of it.
REPORT CARD
A. Texas A&M
(Photo: Getty)
This is the Texas A&M that we’ve been looking for.
Few programs have had more hype (and more letdowns) than the No. 25 Aggies over the past decade. Contender resources. Mid-tier SEC team results.
A 41-10 win over No. 9 Missouri (4-1) Saturday, however, showed just what Texas A&M can be as a program. Not just this year but into the future.
Eliah Drinkwitz flippantly dismissed the idea that Conner Weigman might play earlier this week. He probably should have prepared for him more. Weigman returned from a shoulder injury, sending redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed back to QB2 duties, and finished 18 of 22 for 276 yards.
Finally healthy, Weigman looked like the same passer who, for three games last season, seemed like a potential ceiling raiser. That same player showed up Saturday, aided in large part by excellent line play on both sides of the ball; the Aggies’ defense totaled six sacks while the A&M run game averaged 6.6 yards per carry.
It’s the type of effort that removes any potential ceiling you might have wanted to place on A&M this season. Yes, the Aggies lost a tough Week 1 game to Notre Dame.
But the version of A&M on display Saturday — led by a high-level quarterback and elite in the trenches — is fully capable of pushing into the playoff conversation with a friendly schedule. This is, after all, the program’s first 3-0 start in SEC play since 2016.
More so than anything, however, A&M fans should be bullish on what Mike Elko‘s done in Year 1. The Aggies immediately crafted an identity built on defense (allowing 20 points per game so far this season) and have largely eliminated the silly mistakes that crippled the program under Jimbo Fisher.
Throw in a top-10 recruiting class of 2025 and the vibes in College Station couldn’t be much better.
