Click HERE to view Texas A&M’s postgame press conference.
Game #6: No. 5 Texas A&M 34, Florida 17
Records: Texas A&M (6-0, 3-0), Florida (2-4, 1-2)
Box Score
Imagine trading up from a Pinto to a Porsche.
That’s kind of like the upgrade No. 5 Texas A&M defense got in a 34-17 Southeastern Conference football victory over Florida on Saturday night.
Of the 105,086 fans at Kyle Field, only those who actually saw the A&M 1975 Southwest Conference championship team, which was honored on a throwback day, would remember the automobile abomination that was the Pinto.
And only they could also fully appreciate the comparison to A&M’s defense.
In Pinto-like fashion, the Aggies stalled early. They gave up 157 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter. After that, they were as high-performance as a brand new Porsche.
In yet another Wrecking Crew-like display, the “New Crew” surrendered just 167 yards and a mere field goal from there. They compensated for an inconsistent offense and cleared the way for the Aggies (6-0, 3-0) to remain unbeaten.
“It’s a great win. It’s a really quality opponent,” A&M coach Mike Elko said. “I think this win will age well as the year goes on. Now, it’s on to the next.”
Should the defense continue its surge in three consecutive road trips to Arkansas, LSU and Missouri, the Aggies could still be undefeated when returning to Kyle Field to face South Carolina on Nov. 15.
Florida managed just 74 rushing yards. That’s three consecutive SEC opponents who’ve been held to fewer than 80 yards on the ground.
Florida quarterback DJ Lagway was sacked three times for 19 yards, and a fourth sack was nullified by a penalty. Lagway was pressured on five other occasions. A&M now has 12 sacks in three SEC games.
The Gators converted on third down just once in 10 tries. In three SEC games, A&M opponents have converted just twice in 33 third-down situations.
“We just want to be the more physical, dominant team,” senior defensive tackle Albert Regis said. “On third down, we know that we can get in a position where we can rush the passer. There’s not many teams who are going block us, truthfully.”
It was fortunate the Aggies were so dominant defensively.
The A&M offense got off to an amazing start. Unhampered by penalties — A&M committed a season-low three — the Aggies raced up and down the field for three consecutive touchdowns.
Marcel Reed finally hit that elusive deep pass. He connected with Mario Craver for 67 yards on A&M’s first play. Reed ran eight yards for a touchdown on the second.
Next, Reed threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to freshman running back Jamarion Morrow.
Then, Le’Veon Moss ran through Florida safety Jordan Castell like he was a turnstile on a 22-yard touchdown burst that provided a 21-14 lead the Aggies would take into halftime.
That was more than enough. Florida only added a 45-yard field goal in the second half.
But Moss sustained an undisclosed injury on his next carry. When he left the field, the offense seemed to go with him.
Elko disagreed. He pointed out that A&M’s 34 points are the most Florida has allowed this year. Previously, No. 2 Miami defeated the Gators, 26-7.
“Are they giving up 34 points to anybody?” Elko said. “I don’t think so. It’s hard to say that scoring the most points that that defense allowed is a rough game.”
True, but A&M’s defense was highly responsible for the second-half scoring. Daymion Sanford forced a fumble that Taurean York recovered at the Florida 29-yard line. That set up a Randy Bond field goal.
A fourth-down stop at midfield led to a Rueben Owens II 2-yard touchdown run.
Dayon Hayes sacked Lagway, forced a fumble and recovered at the Florida 23. That resulted in another Bond field goal.
“You know, it’s not always going to be sunshine and rainbows,” Reed said. “You’re not going to score every possession.
“You want to score every possession, but it doesn’t work like that all the time. We’re in the SEC, and it’s going to be as hard as football gets.”
Beating these Aggies just might be the hardest thing in the SEC. They join Ole Miss as the only SEC teams that are unbeaten.
Yet, Elko seemingly is both proud and unimpressed.
“It doesn’t mean anything if we don’t finish,” he said. “It’s been the word of the offseason. It’s the only thing we talk about.
“You know, we’re really excited with where we are, but we’re nowhere yet. And so, you know, we’re on this journey. We're focused on one week at a time, one game at a time. We're focused on finishing every opportunity that we have.”
They’re on that journey, riding with a defense that could help take this team a long, long way.
