Star RB Le'Veon Moss returns just in time for Texas A&M's first College Football Playoff, reuniting the Aggies' two-headed backfield vs Miami.
The wait is over, Aggieland. For the biggest game in program history, Texas A&M is getting one of its biggest weapons back.
Star running back Le'Veon Moss is expected to return to the field for the first time since Oct. 11, just in time for the Aggies' College Football Playoff debut against the Miami Hurricanes at Kyle Field.
According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Moss is set to suit up after missing more than two months with a lower-body injury suffered against Florida.
It's hard to overstate how big that is.
When Moss went down, he was the team's leading rusher - and despite playing in only six games, he still sits third on the team in rushing with 389 yards and is tied with Marcel Reed for the team lead in rushing touchdowns (six).
Texas A&M didn't lose a game until the regular-season finale against Texas, but anyone watching closely could see the difference without No. 8 in the backfield.
The offense was still dangerous, but that extra gear, that "uh-oh" factor every time Moss touched the ball, just wasn't quite the same.
Rueben Owens II did a strong job carrying the load in Moss' absence, and the Aggies leaned on a committee behind him with Amari Daniels, EJ Smith, and Jamarion Marrow.
Now, head coach Mike Elko finally gets the one-two punch he envisioned before the season - a true thunder-and-lightning combo just in time for the playoff spotlight.
They'll need every bit of it against Miami.
The Hurricanes roll into College Station with one of the nastiest run defenses in the country, ranking seventh nationally in both rushing yards allowed per game (86.4) and yards per carry (2.9).
That's strength vs. strength. It's exactly the kind of matchup Moss was built for.
Whether or not he's on a pitch count, Moss' presence alone changes how Miami has to defend A&M. His vision, burst, and physicality, paired with Reed's dual-threat ability and Owens' explosiveness, give the Aggies the kind of balance that made them almost impossible to corral early in the year.
For the first time in months, Texas A&M is as close to full strength as it's been, and it just so happens to line up with the first-ever College Football Playoff kickoff at Kyle Field.
The stage is massive, the moment is historic, and now the Aggies get one of their biggest stars back under the brightest lights.