“Texas A&M’s Quarterback Showdown Ignited by Superstar Florida Performance!”, Battle on QBs

Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed played a major role in his team’s 33-20 win over Florida on the road Saturday in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Texas A&M football approached pregame warmups as usual on Saturday, with Conner Weigman starting and Marcel Reed as his backup. However, Coach Mike Elko revealed a change just before the warmups concluded, designating Reed as the starter against Florida due to Weigman’s injured AC joint in his throwing shoulder.

“He just said, ‘This is your game,'” Reed recounted. “As we walked in, Conner told me, ‘I’ll be right behind you. I got your back. Go run this show.’ Their confidence in me was really uplifting.”

Reed certainly rose to the occasion in his first start, leading the Aggies (2-1, 1-0 SEC) to a 33-20 victory over the Gators (1-2, 1-1) in front of nearly 90,000 fans at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. In wet conditions, the redshirt freshman completed 11 of 17 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 83 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. His stellar performance snapped a 10-game road losing streak that had lasted 1,065 days since 2021.

“I thought he was lights out,” Elko said. “He was calm, confident, and consistent all day, operating at a high level. We had confidence he could handle it.”

Reed didn’t show any nerves early on, leading the Aggies to a 20-0 halftime lead, scoring on their first five possessions, including two drives over 90 yards. A pivotal moment was a 29-yard touchdown pass to tight end Theo Melin Öhrström, extending the lead to 10-0 just before a 47-minute lightning delay.

“I took a hit at the end and thought, ‘I can do this. I’m not a kid; I can make plays in this conference,'” Reed said. “That moment gave me the confidence I needed to play the rest of the game.”

In addition to Reed’s performance, the Aggies dominated on the ground, tallying 310 rushing yards and a touchdown while limiting Florida to just 52 rushing yards. A&M’s running backs, Le’Veon Moss (110 yards) and Amari Daniels (68 yards), were instrumental in achieving back-to-back games with over 300 rushing yards for the first time since 2012.

During a 99-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter, A&M focused heavily on the run game, with Reed scoring on a one-yard run, building a 20-0 lead.

“When you win the rushing battle 310 to 52 yards, you’re going to win a lot of games,” Elko noted. “I’m proud of how our offense executed, especially the O-line and running backs.”

Despite trailing, Florida found some success in the passing game, accumulating 301 total yards, with most coming in the second half. However, A&M’s run defense showed marked improvement, allowing no runs of 15 yards or more.

“We didn’t give up the big play,” Elko emphasized. “We were more consistent in our setups. Of the 52 rushing yards they gained, a good portion came during two-minute prevent situations.”

In the second half, the Aggies maintained control. After Florida scored first in the third quarter, Reed quickly countered with a 73-yard touchdown pass to receiver Cyrus Allen. Defensively, A&M’s safeties Bryce Anderson and Marcus Ratcliffe, along with cornerback Jayvon Thomas, each recorded interceptions, with Anderson returning one for a touchdown.

“We were telling the crowd to quiet down,” Anderson said of his celebration after the pick-six, jokingly adding it was worded more explicitly.

Despite the double-digit win, A&M had room for improvement, committing 13 penalties for 114 yards, including critical personal fouls. Elko acknowledged these issues, emphasizing the importance of addressing them quickly.

As for the quarterback situation, Reed’s impressive performance could lead to a deeper evaluation of the quarterback competition, especially if Weigman remains sidelined.

“You never know what can happen,” Reed said about staying prepared. “The coaches always emphasize being ready.”