USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Sep 10, 2026 12:00 PM
Texas A&M meets Arizona State in a major Week 2 test as Marcel Reed and the Aggies face red-hot quarterback Cutter Boley and the explosive Sun Devils.
Texas A&M football gets a much tougher assignment in Week 2.
The Aggies opened the 2026 season with a dominant 50-0 win over Missouri State, piling up more than 500 yards of offense while holding the Bears to just 67 total yards.
Now Mike Elko’s team has to prove that performance can translate against a far more dangerous Arizona State team.
The Sun Devils arrive in College Station after crushing Morgan State 70-7 behind a spectacular debut from Kentucky transfer quarterback Cutter Boley.
Boley completed 21 of 27 passes for 387 yards and six touchdowns, earning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors. Arizona State finished with more than 680 yards of offense, making this a major step up in competition for the Texas A&M defense.
For the Aggies, the first key is simple: start faster.
Texas A&M managed only nine first-quarter points against Missouri State before taking control. Quarterback Marcel Reed eventually settled in, completing 70 percent of his passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns.
He connected with Isaiah Horton and Mario Craver, giving the Aggies multiple explosive options on the outside.
Against Arizona State, though, another slow start could be costly.
The second issue is discipline.
Texas A&M committed eight penalties for 78 yards in the opener, continuing a problem that hurt the Aggies in 2025.
With four new starters on the offensive line, several of those mistakes came in the trenches.
Giving away nearly 80 yards against a high-powered Arizona State offense is a dangerous formula.
Then there’s the defense.
Texas A&M was nearly flawless in Week 1. Holding an opponent to 67 total yards was the program’s best defensive performance in that category since 1978.
Linebackers Noah Mikhail and Ray Coney combined for 13 tackles, while Ryan Henderson forced a fumble.
Now that unit has to deal with Boley and an Arizona State offense that produced three 100-yard receivers in its opener.
The matchup kicks off Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on ABC at Kyle Field.
For Texas A&M, this is the first real measuring-stick game of the season.
The Aggies looked dominant in Week 1, now they have to prove it against a team capable of punching back.
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