Texas A&M (4-1, 2-0 SEC) defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks (2-3, 0-2 SEC) 34-22 on Saturday afternoon in the annual Southwest Classic, as one of the craziest football rivalries may return to a home-to-home schedule as soon as 2024.
Nevertheless, it was quite the afternoon in Arlington (TX) in the home that Jerry Jones built, as Aggies’ new starting quarterback, Max Johnson, threw for an efficient 210 yards and two touchdowns, including a beautiful touch pass to star wide receiver Evan Stewart in the first quarter to take their first lead that would never be relinquished.
Defensively, Texas A&M might possess the best pass rush in the SEC, recording seven sacks and 15 tackles for loss for a second consecutive week, recording a total of 14 sacks and 30 TFLs since entering SEC play.
Going back to Evan Stewart’s up-and-down day, the sophomore still recorded 50 yards on two receptions; though a mild lower leg injury kept him out for a majority of the game, his key third down conversion with one foot in bounds kept a late drive alive, further showing off his elite skillset. While his absence was felt for most of the second half, senior do-it-all wide receiver Ainias Smith picked up the slack, recording 71 yards through the air before icing the game with his 82-yard punt return with seven minutes remaining.
Moving up the charts 📈@0fficial_evan now with 1,000 yards receiving for his Texas A&M career. pic.twitter.com/yW8J0o4GPC
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 30, 2023
Still, with 956 receiving yards entering the game, Stewart has now eclipsed the 1,000-yard career receiving mark in less than two full seasons, sitting at 357 yards in four games after missing the UL Monroe matchup due to injury. While it may sound cliche, the sky is truly the limit for Evan Stewart, as he and Max Johnson have already developed a solid chemistry that will only aid the Aggies toward accomplishing their goals in 2023.
Congratulations, Evan!
Texas A&M will host Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 2:30 p.m. CT., where it will air on CBS.
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