Saturday, November 30
Bryan-College Station
6:30 PM
Texas A&M
vs
Texas
Rivalry Renewed: No. 20 A&M Hosts No. 3 Texas
Nov 29, 2024 | Football
For the first time since 2011, Texas A&M and Texas will clash on the gridiron as the storied rivalry returns in front of a sellout crowd Saturday night at Kyle Field in the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown. Kickoff between the 20th-ranked Aggies and third-ranked Longhorns is set for 6:49 p.m. on ABC.
COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF
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Secs(#3) Texas at (#20) Texas A&M
Saturday, November 30, 2024 • 6:49 PM CT
Kyle Field • Bryan-College Station
Weather: partly cloudy, mid 50s
WATCH
TV: ABC (Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe)
Watch Live: ESPN App
LISTEN
Radio: Texas A&M Sports Network (Andrew Monaco, Dave Elmendorf, Will Johnson)
1620 AM/94.5 FM (local), SiriusXM 84
Listen Live: 12th Man Mobile App
Spanish Broadcast: Click Here (Pedro Luna, Michel Gonzalez)
102.7 FM (local)
Listen Live: 12th Man Mobile App
FOLLOW
Live Stats: Click Here
Social Media: @AggieFootball on X
Texas Longhorns (10-1, 6-1)
- RANKING: AP: #3 / Coaches: #3 / CFP: #3
- LAST GAME: Nov. 23
- at #3 Texas 31, Kentucky 14
- HEAD COACH: Steve Sarkisian (BYU '97)
- Overall Record: 82-50 (11th season)
- at Texas: 35-15 (4th season)
- vs. Texas A&M: 0-0
Texas A&M Aggies (8-3, 5-2)
- RANKING: AP: #15 / Coaches: #14
- Last Game: Nov. 23
- at Auburn 43, #15 A&M 31 (4 OT)
- HEAD COACH: Mike Elko (Penn ‘99)
- Overall Record: 24-12 (3rd Season)
- at Texas A&M: 8-3 (1st Season)
- vs. Texas: 0-0
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
- The historic rivalry returns in the regular season finale as Texas A&M and Texas face off for the first time since 2011 ... The two teams are once again conference foes and have split the last six meetings.
- Dual-threat QB MARCEL REED has regained his role as the starter and recently connected on a career-high three touchdown strikes while racking up a season-best 297 yards at Auburn ... The freshman adds six rushing scores and 49.0 yards per game on the ground, good for third among SEC signal callers.
- The rushing attack has been a strength for the Aggies all season as they rank 17th with 208.4 yards per game, while their 26 rushing touchdowns are good for 21st in the country.
- Junior RB AMARI DANIELS has played a key role in the Aggies’ success in the run game throughout the year, ranking 13th in the SEC with 58.2 yards per game and eighth with eight rushing scores, including a 71-yard dash to the end zone against New Mexico State.
- The offensive line has controlled the battle in the trenches while clearing the way for A&M’s top-20 rushing attack, as the unit ranks 17th nationally and second in the SEC allowing 44.0 tackles for loss.
- Texas A&M has been efficient in the red zone as it ranks second in the country and leads the SEC with a 95.6 conversion rate ... The Aggies have scored on 43 of 45 trips, including 33 touchdowns.
- Sophomore LB TAUREAN YORK has led the team in tackles in four of the last five games, most recently registering his second double-digit tackles game this year with 10 takedowns at Auburn ... York leads the team with 65 tackles, good for 19th in the SEC.
- Junior DL NIC SCOURTON has been a force in league play, tallying 10.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks through seven SEC games and has helped lead a defense that ranks 17th in the country with 78.0 TFL ... He ranks 14th in the nation and third in the SEC with 14.0 tackles for loss on the season, while his 5.0 sacks are good for 18th in the league.
QUICK HITS
- Junior WR NOAH THOMAS is coming off his best performance in league play in his career after racking up a career-high 124 yards on five catches at Auburn ... He scored on back-to-back drives, including a career-long 73-yard touchdown reception ... His six touchdown catches this year are good for eighth among SEC receivers.
- The Maroon & White have disrupted the opposition’s aerial attack all season, ranking fifth in the country with 50 pass breakups and 24th with 12 interceptions on the season.
- Junior DL CASHIUS HOWELL and ALBERT REGIS have been menaces for opponent’s passing games, ranking second and third on the team with six and five breakups, respectively ... Howell has had at least one breakup and one hurry in a game five times this season, while his total pass breakups are good for 17th in the SEC ... Regis ranks 20th in the league in breakups and has batted down three pass in the last two outings.
- Senior DB BJ MAYES registered his third interception of the year, coming up with a deflected pass in the third quarter at Auburn ... Mayes, along with sophomore DB MARCUS RATCLIFFE, ranks fifth in the SEC in the category.
- Junior DB WILL LEE III has brought veteran leadership to the secondary and ranks third in the SEC with nine breakups on the year while his 10 passes defended are the fifth-most in the SEC.
- Graduate K RANDY BOND ranks ninth nationally with 19 made field goals this season and his 98 total points are good for 15th ... Bond recently notched the 12th game of his career with double-digit points, adding two field goals and five extra points at Auburn.
- With the wins over No. 8 LSU and No. 9 Missouri, Texas A&M stands as one of four teams in the nation to take down two AP top-10 teams this season.
MILESTONES TO WATCH FOR
- QB MARCEL REED is making his way through Texas A&M’s freshman records, needing two touchdown passes and 118 passing yards to join the top-three in each category as he enters the week with 12 scoring strikes and 1,426 passing yards ... Reed is also 33 rushing yards away from the top-15 and one rushing score from the top-10 with 441 yards and six scores on the ground this year.
- Sophomore QB CONNER WEIGMAN continues to climb the Texas A&M record books and is in need of three touchdown passes to crack the top-15 all-time, entering the game with 19 career scoring strikes.
- Junior WR NOAH THOMAS is two touchdown catches away from entering the top-10 of A&M’s all-time record book as he enters the week with 13 scoring grabs.
- Graduate WR MOOSE MUHAMMAD III ranks 14th in career touchdown receptions at Texas A&M with 12 and his next scoring grab will move him into a tie with Albert Connell (1995-96) for 12th ... Muhammad is also four catches and 38 receiving yards away from cracking the top-30 all-time at A&M.
- Graduate K RANDY BOND is three field goals away from taking sole possession of third on the Aggies’ all-time list and is four points away from securing sixth on A&M’s career overall scoring list, while he also chases Daniel LaCamera’s (2016-18) 119 career made extra points, needing just five to move into a tie for eighth.
- Bond is currently tied with Josh Lambo (2014) and Randy Bullock (2010) for 21st on the Aggies’ single-season scoring list with 98 points on the year ... His 19 made field goals put him in seventh on A&M’s single-season list, one behind Seth Small’s 2018 mark.
QUARTERBACK ROOM
- The Aggies boast proven depth in their quarterback room with three players that have made multiple starts in their A&M careers and each thrown for at least 290 yards and multiple touchdowns in a game.
- Freshman MARCEL REED has made six starts under center this season, leading the Aggies to four victories including three of A&M’s record five wins to start league play ... Reed has accounted for 18 touchdowns on the year, the eighth most in the nation and second most in the SEC among freshmen.
- Reed connected on a career-best three touchdown passes at Auburn, including a 73-yard bomb to cap off a 21-0 scoring spree by the Aggies to tie things up in the third quarter, finishing with a season-best 297 yards ... In the win over New Mexico State, Reed passed for two touchdowns and added a rushing score of his own for the third time this season, marking the first time an Aggie QB has done so three times in a season since Kellen Mond (2017-20) in 2019.
- Reed was named SEC Freshman of the Week after sparking a 31-6 scoring spree in the second half to lift the Aggies past No. 8 LSU with three unanswered rushing touchdowns of his own to become the first A&M QB to rush for three-plus scores since Trevor Knight in 2016 ... He also garnered SEC Freshman of the Week honors for his performance at Florida after throwing for 178 yards and two scores to go along with 13 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown.
- Sophomore CONNER WEIGMAN began the year as the starter and returned after battling an early injury to guide the Aggies to a landslide victory over No. 9 Missouri in Week 6 and made it four straight in league play with a road win over Mississippi State.
- In the Missouri win, Weigman connected on 18-of-22 passes for a season-best 276 yards, leading the Aggies to victory over a top-10 team for the second time in his career ... Against McNeese, Weigman guided the Aggies to touchdowns on all five drives he was in on, helping A&M take a 38-0 lead into the half.
- Junior JAYLEN HENDERSON started the final four games of the 2023 campaign, accounting for four touchdowns in the lopsided win over Mississippi State in his first start for the Maroon & White ... He has completed 53-of-78 passes for 715 yards and six touchdowns as an Aggie, while also adding 104 yards on the ground and two scores.
MAROON GOONS
- The Texas A&M offensive line has been winning the battle in the trenches, playing with great consistency despite having to lean on its reliable depth ... The Maroon Goons have helped the Aggies boast one of the best rushing offenses in the country while also holding strong to protect their quarterbacks.
- The Maroon & White rank 17th in the country and second in the SEC, allowing 44.0 tackles for loss on the year.
- With the help of the o-line clearing the way, the Aggies rank 17th nationally and second in the SEC averaging 208.4 rushing yards per game and have racked up over 200 yards on the ground in six games this season.
- The line is anchored by junior TREY ZUHN III, who was named a season-long team captain prior to the season ... While the Aggies have had to use four different starting lines this season due to injury, Zuhn has remained a staple at left guard and has been joined in all 11 games by AR'MAJ REED-ADAMS at right guard and DAMETRIOUS CROWNOVER at right tackle.
- Zuhn started all 13 games last season and has logged 35 career starts as he helped clear the way for a 1,000-yard rusher in 2022 and helped A&M rack up over 400 yards of total offense in eight games last year.
ELEVATING THE RUN GAME
- Junior running backs LE'VEON MOSS and AMARI DANIELS made big improvements in the offseason and were a dynamic duo in the backfield to give the Maroon & White one of the best rushing offenses in the nation ... With the loss of Moss after a season-ending injury at South Carolina, Daniels and freshman QB MARCEL REED have stepped up to maintain the rushing attack.
- On the season, Daniels ranks 13th in the league with 58.2 yards per game while his eight touchdowns are good for eight in the SEC ... In the win over New Mexico State, Daniels registered his second rushing score of 50-plus yards when he took off on a 71-yard sprint to the end zone.
- Daniels racked up a career-high 91 yards on 12 carries in the win over LSU ... He recorded his second multi-touchdown game of the season and of his career with a pair of 1-yard scores in the first half against Missouri and joined the 1,000 career yards club with 68 yards on 13 carries in the win at Florida.
- Reed has supplemented the Aggies’ solid rushing attack ranking third among all SEC QBs with six touchdowns on the season, while his 4.7 yards per carry lead league signal callers and his 49.0 yards per game are good for top-20 in the league ... Reed came in midway through the third quarter against LSU and sparked the Aggies scoring three unanswered rushing TDs.
- As a team, the Aggies are No. 17 in the country and second in the SEC with 208.4 yards on the ground per game, while their 26 rushing scores rank 21st nationally, and their 5.0 yards per carry average is second in the league.
- After eclipsing the 300-yard mark in Week 2, the Maroon & White tallied 310 yards on the ground in the win at Florida, marking the first time they have tallied 300-plus rushing yards in back-to-back games since the 2012 season.
- In the win over McNeese, A&M racked up 333 yards on the ground and five rushing scores, marking the most rushing yards in a game for the Aggies since rushing for over 500 yards against Northwestern State to start the 2018 season and the most rushing scores since reaching the end zone five times on the ground in the Orange Bowl win over North Carolina to cap off the 2020 season.
STEADY BACKER
- Sophomore LB TAUREAN YORK immediately stepped into a leadership role as a true freshman in 2023, quarterbacking the defense at middle linebacker, and was selected as a team captain by his teammates ahead of the 2024 season.
- At Auburn, York led the defense for the sixth time this season, notching the third double-digit tackles game of his career with 10 takedowns ... York registered a new career high with 12 tackles in the win at Mississippi State.
- York’s efforts against the Bulldogs also led an impressive outing from the entire linebacker unit, as junior Scooby Williams recorded his first career interception and returned it 32 yards to set up an A&M touchdown while also adding a career-best 2.0 tackles for loss and six tackles, and sophomore Daymion Sanford nearly doubled his previous career high with seven tackles, 1.0 TFL and two breakups.
- He leads the Aggies with 65 tackles on the year, good for 19th in the SEC, and has recorded five-plus tackles in seven of the team’s 11 games this season.
- York started all 13 games last season, finishing second on the team with 74 tackles, which ranked in the top-20 among SEC players and third among league freshman ... His 8.5 tackles for loss were the most by an SEC freshman a year ago and ranked fourth on the team.
NEW-LOOK SECONDARY
- The Texas A&M secondary has seen a number of new faces in 2024, adding eight defensive backs in the transfer portal while returning sophomores JAYVON THOMAS and DALTON BROOKS have also made starts this season.
- Junior WILL LEE III, who came to Aggieland from Kansas State, ranks third in the SEC with nine pass breakups on the year, breaking up a career-high four passes in the win over Arkansas and recording his first interception as an Aggie in the win over McNeese.
- Brooks has been strong in SEC play, making at least five tackles in four of the last seven games and leading the team in two of those outings ... Brooks tallied a career-best nine tackles in the win at Mississippi State.
- Sophomore MARCUS RATCLIFFE made an immediate impact for the Maroon & White after spending last season at San Diego State, starting all 11 games and ranking fifth the SEC with three interceptions on the year.
- Senior BJ MAYES came up big in the third quarter against LSU, registering two of A&M’s three interceptions in the win that set up a pair of Aggie touchdowns ... He struck again at Auburn, coming up with a broken up pass to set up an A&M field goal to tie Ratcliffe with three picks on the yea, good for fith in SEC.
- Lone returning veteran BRYCE ANDERSON registered the first touchdown of his career when he came up with a tipped pass and returned it 45 yards to the house at Florida, becoming the third Aggie to have scored a defensive touchdown in their career.
- As a team, the Aggies rank eight nationally and second in the SEC with 62 passes defended, sitting at 24th in the country and third in the SEC with 12 picks.
DEPTH ON THE D-LINE
- Texas A&M boasts one of the most talented and unpredictable defensive lines in the nation, led by the veteran experience and consistent production of senior SHEMAR TURNER and junior transfer NIC SCOURTON.
- Scourton has played with consistency in the SEC, registering at least 1.0 tackle for loss in eight of A&M’s 11 games ... Against Arkansas he finished with 4.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks, including a strip sack late in the fourth quarter to help the Aggies seal the victory.
- Scourton ranks 14th nationally and third in the SEC with 14.0 tackles for loss on the year ... His total is tied for ninth with Cleveland Brown Myles Garrett on A&M’s single-season list since joining the SEC in 2012 ... Scourton also adds 5.0 sacks on the season which are good for 18th in the league.
- Turner filled out the stat sheet in the win at Mississippi State, finishing with six tackles, 2.0 for loss, and a solo sack for 9 yards lost, while also breaking up a pass a forcing a fumble ... He started the 2024 season with a career-high seven takedowns against Notre Dame.
- Junior CASHIUS HOWELL has been a key disruptor in league play and ranks 17th in the SEC with six pass breakups on the season ... Howell is joined in the top-20 by junior ALBERT REGIS, who has gotten a hand on five passes this year as the duo are two of just three defensive linemen to rank in the top 20 in the SEC ... As a unit, the defensive line has tallied 18 of A&M’s 50 breakups this year.
- Juniors SHEMAR STEWART and Regis have earned starting jobs on the line this season after being part of the Aggies’ consistent second rotation last year ... Stewart has come on strong in the last three games, getting to the quarterback in back-to-back victories while matching his career high with five tackles at Florida.
- As a defense, the Aggies have held their opponents to 100-or-fewer yards on the ground in five games, most recently limiting LSU to just 24 yards on 23 attempts, not allowing a rushing yard in the second half ... A&M’s 78.0 tackles for loss rank among the top-20 nationally.
SPECIAL TEAMS SUCCESS
- Graduate K RANDY BOND was one of the nation’s leading scorers a season ago and continues to rank among the best in 2024 while also climbing A&M’s all-time scoring, field goals made and extra point lists.
- Bond currently ranks ninth nationally and third in the SEC with 19 made field goals this season ... He sent a pair of 50-plus-yarders through the uprights at South Carolina, including one from a career-long 55 yards ... His 98 total points land among the top-15 in the country and top-five league scorers.
- Bond has posted double-digit points in a game 12 times in his career and five times this season, most recently tallying 11 points in the four overtime game at Auburn by way of two field goals and five extra points.
- Among all active FBS players, Bond ranks 16th with 288 to-date through just 34 games played.
- The kicker has been climbing A&M’s all-time field goals made, extra points and scoring lists, ranking fourth with 58 career makes, seventh overall with 288 points and ninth with 114 made extra points.
- Freshman P TYLER WHITE has also elevated A&M’s special teams game this season, as he averages 44.6 yards on 35 punts in his first year as the team’s primary punter ... A semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award, White boasts a 62-yard long from the Notre Dame and has sent 10 punts 50-plus yards and landed 23 inside the 20.
- White earned SEC Special Teams Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks this season after landing seven of his nine punts inside the 15 and five inside the 10 against Arkansas and the following week averaged 46.3 yards per punt, pinning Missouri on its own 1 ... White earned his third SEC Special Teams Player of the Week honor after booming three punts 50-plus yards down the field, landing four of his five punts inside the 20, and finishing the night with an average of 48.4 yards per boot, including a game-long 54 yards.
- Five Aggies on the 2024 roster have registered a blocked kick in their careers ... Sophomore DB MARCUS RATCLIFFE got a hand on a punt against New Mexico State this year, senior DL SHEMAR TURNER blocked a pair of field goal attempts last season, getting his hand on the ball in back-to-back weeks against Ole Miss and Mississippi State, junior DL ALBERT REGIS blocked a field goal attempt in the win over Miami in 2022, and senior WR JAHDAE WALKER blocked a punt a year later in Miami ... Prior to arriving in Aggieland, graduate DB TREY JONES III registered a blocked kick against Eastern Michigan in 2022.
THE ELKO EFFECT
- Known as one of the top defensive minds in the country, head coach MIKE ELKO has consistently produced highly disruptive and productive defenses throughout his career, most recently putting the Texas A&M defense on the map during his time as defensive coordinator and carrying the same standard as the head coach at Duke.
- In his first season at the helm in Aggieland, Elko has led the Maroon & White to their best start in SEC play, going 5-0 against their first league opponents ... This marked the best record in conference play since the Aggies started their Big 12 slate 7-0 in 1998.
- In 2023, Duke led the ACC and ranked 16th nationally in scoring defense (19.0 ppg) while registering a top-five rush defense among league teams and standing in 17th in the country with 67 passes defended ... In Elko’s first season as a head coach, the Blue Devils ranked in the top-35 in the nation in scoring defense, rush defense, rushing touchdowns allowed and passes defended.
- After not finishing in the top-50 nationally in total defense for more than a decade, Elko’s first stint in Aggieland as defensive coordinator from 2018-21 coincided with consistent top-35 finishes, including a top-10 ranking in the 2020 final FBS total defense standings.
- Elko has produced top-50 defenses in 11 of the last 12 years with multiple programs (Duke, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Bowling Green).
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