Texas A&M HC states this is 'not the first time' he's studied Texas

No. 3 Texas A&M (11-0, 7-0 SEC) took care of Samford in Week 13, defeating the Bulldogs 48-0 to reach 11-0 for the first time since 1992. Now, the final test of the regular season takes place in Austin, Texas, as the continuation of the Lone Star Showdown against the Texas Longhorns will return to Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2010.

After falling to the Longhorns 17-7 in Kyle Field last season, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko was determined to fix the remaining issues that resulted in the Aggies' 8-5 finish, including adding wide receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver from the transfer portal, who have combined for over 1,600 yards and 13 touchdowns, which has resulted in starting quarterback Marcel Reed taking the next step as a pocket passer.

On defense, the Aggies lead the nation in sacks (39), led by senior edge Cashius Howell's SEC-leading 11.5 sacks. At the same time, junior linebacker Taurean York, cornerbacks Will Lee III and Dezz Ricks, and safeties Dalton Brooks and Marcus Ratcliffe have all played at an extremely high level.

All of this improvement leads back to the moment Texas A&M's 2024 season ended at the hands of the Longhorns, who are having a reverse season after finishing 11-1 and are currently 8-3, on the outside looking in for the College Football Playoff.

So, how prepared are the Aggies to face their bitter rivals on Black Friday? On Monday, Elko stated that this isn't the first time he and his team have studied the Longhorns.

"With the magnitude of this game, this is not the first time we're diving into watching them."

"We spend time on each other in the offseason, so it's not like the first time you turn the film on is the first time you've seen the schemes you're going against."

Texas A&M's defensive line is looking to ruin the game early, knowing that the Longhorns' offensive line has allowed 21 sacks, while quarterback Arch Manning has not performed well against pressure. Still, Marcel Reed and his elite receiving corps will need to connect on a handful of explosive plays, especially if the Aggie run game fails to find consistency against the Longhorn defensive front.

"The critical factors of football will play a big role. Turnover margin will play a big role. Explosive plays will play a big role. Winning on special teams will play a big role."

However, if this is a tight game, Texas A&M's kicking issues could rear their ugly head depending on who takes the field, as Jared Zirkel finished 2/3 on field goals against Samford amid Randy Bond's struggles this season. Still, after Arkansas gained over 500 yards and scored 37 points against Texas's defense on Saturday, I don't see why the offense can't score over 30 points for the eighth consecutive game.

"We have the ability to be explosive, which helps not having to always be locked into going on 12, 13, 14-play drives." "Some of our explosiveness has really been important for us. You've seen that in each of our road games."

No. 3 Texas A&M will face No. 17 Texas on Friday, November 28, at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ABC.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M HC Mike Elko discusses the 'critical factors' to beat Texas