Texas A&M (8-2, 5-1 SEC) did what they had to do against a lesser opponent on Saturday night, defeating New Mexico State 38-3 in front of over 105,000 Aggies inside Kyle Field.
Behind redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed, A&M’s passing game had its moments, but it is still a work in progress as Reed remains the starter. However, the most confusing development has been the decline of quarterback Conner Weigman, who lost the starting job after the LSU win.
Entering the game, Texas A&M’s thin running back room after the season-ending injury to Le’Veon Moss showed its face as junior back Amari Daniels made his way to the bench after his 71-yard touchdown run to save his legs against Auburn and Texas over the next two weeks.
Defensively, A&M’s run defense allowed 122 yards on the ground but tackled much better than the unit’s performance against South Carolina. All in all, head coach Mike Elko was satisfied with his team’s handling of business.
Around the rest of the college football landscape, top-ranked Oregon escaped Wisconsin with a 16-13 win. In contrast, Georgia’s win over Tennessee has pushed the Volunteers down the SEC standings, as Texas A&M and the Texas Longhorns are now tied for first in the conference.
After another entertaining week, here are the latest US LBM Coaches Poll rankings after Week 12:
| Rank | Team | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon Ducks | 11-0 | 1,375 (55) |
| 2 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 9-1 | 1,316 |
| 3 | Texas Longhorns | 9-1 | 1,263 |
| 4 | Penn State Nittany Lions | 9-1 | 1,158 |
| 5 | Indiana Hoosiers | 10-0 | 1,109 |
| 6 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 9-1 | 1096 |
| 7 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 8-2 | 996 |
| 8 | Georgia Bulldogs | 8-2 | 993 |
| 9 | Ole Miss Rebels | 8-2 | 984 |
| 10 | Miami Hurricanes | 9-1 | 847 |
| 11 | Tennessee Volunteers | 8-2 | 823 |
| 12 | SMU Mustangs | 9-1 | 744 |
| 13 | Boise State Broncos | 9-1 | 714 |
| 14 | Texas A&M Aggies | 8-2 | 646 |
| 15 | BYU Cougars | 9-1 | 633 |
| 16 | Clemson Tigers | 8-2 | 569 |
| 17 | Army Black Knights | 9-0 | 509 |
| 18 | Colorado Buffaloes | 8-2 | 464 |
| 19 | South Carolina Gamecocks | 7-3 | 379 |
| 20 | Tulane Green Wave | 9-2 | 280 |
| 21 | Iowa State Cyclones | 8-2 | 268 |
| 22 | Arizona State Sun Devils | 8-2 | 251 |
| 23 | UNLV Rebels | 8-2 | 93 |
| 24 | Memphis Tigers | 9-2 | 77 |
| 25 | Kansas State Wildcats | 7-3 | 67 |
Texas A&M will face Auburn on the road on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 6:30 pm. CT. The game will air on ESPN.
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