Texas A&M (8-4) will face USC (6-6) in the annual Las Vegas Bowl on Friday night as coach Mike Elko looks to end the year on a high note and lead his team to its first nine-win season since the 2020 campaign.
This week, the Aggies and Trojans made a stylish entrance in Las Vegas, as both teams aim to conclude the 2024 season with victories, carrying momentum into the 2025 offseason.
However, this matchup is another opportunity for Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed to improve as a passer, which will go a long way toward achieving stark improvement heading into spring football.
On Thursday, Mike Elko and USC coach Lincoln Riley spoke to the media, previewing several position groups and player progress. At the same time, Elko also noted several injury updates centered around sophomore running back Rueben Owens and junior starting right guard Ar’maj Reed-Adams.
KBTX Texas A&M reporter Travis Brown shared a photo of Reed-Adams with his left arm in a sling. The experienced offensive lineman suffered multiple injuries over the season, and it seems unlikely that he will participate on Friday.
Concerning Rueben Owens, Elko stated that despite his solid week of practice, nothing is guaranteed regarding his snap count:
“He has had a good week of preparation. He is not all the way back. That is a five-month injury. We are at four months.”
Elko also stated that since his last press conference earlier this month, there were no more player opt-outs.
Note: TexAgs’ Billy Liucci confirmed that running back Amari Daniels, linebacker Scooby Williams, and cornerback Jayvon Thomas will not play against USC.
Texas A&M vs. USC in the Las Vegas Bowl will occur on Friday, Dec. 27, at 9:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ESPN.
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