We’ve reached the final stage of the 2025 regular season, as No. 3 Texas A&M (11-0, 7-0 SEC) will enter the lions den, set to face No. 16 Texas (8-3, 5-2 SEC) in Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2010, as this is the second consecutive meeting between both program’s after Texas joined the SEC before the 2024 season.
The Longhorns, despite sitting at an above average 8-3 record, fell to No. 1 Ohio State, a three-win Florida team, and No. 4 Georgia, which has all but eliminated the Longhorns from contending for one of the 12 spots in the College Football Playoff, while the Aggies’ undefeated record, including an early season road win over Notre Dame, has made Texas A&M a lock for the CFP.
Still, a spot in the SEC Championship Game is on the line, while Texas needs to win on Friday to have any hope at sneaking into the CFP, only if several SEC teams fall this weekend. Statistically, both teams have been on different trajectories this season, but over the past few weeks, Texas QB Arch Manning has slowly but surely begun to live up to the hype.
So far this season, Manning has thrown for 2,763 yards, 23 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, compared to Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed’s 2,752 yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, combined with 395 rushing yards and six scores. Both signal callers have played at an elite level down the stretch, so comparisons are pointless heading into Friday.
Texas A&M enters the game with the 15th-ranked offense, averaging over 465 yards per game, while the Longhorns, due to a poor rushing attack, ranked 72nd, averaging just over 381 yards per contest. Staying with the run game, the Aggies have been hovering around the 200-yard mark for most of the season, even with senior back Le’Veon Moss sidelined for the past five games.
However, for the first time under Texas HC Steve Sarkisian, the Longhorns can’t run the ball, ranking 14th in the SEC and 110th nationally, averaging just over 120 yards per game. Still, Texas A&M’s 27th-ranked run defense has been disappointing at the start of games, and it can’t suddenly allow Texas to find a rhythm on the ground.
In my opinion, this game will come down to Texas A&M’s defensive line vs. Texas’s offensive line, which has allowed 21 sacks this season and now faces a pass rush that has produced 39 sacks, led by senior edge Cashius Howell’s 11.5 sacks and 30-plus pressures.
Texas’s defense has been great against the run, allowing less than 100 yards rushing in SEC play. Still, the secondary has slowly but surely broken down. It is highly susceptible to explosive plays, which were on display during Saturday’s 52-37 win over Arkansas, as the Longhorn secondary allowed 324 passing yards, a part of 512 total yards allowed on the night.
Lastly, suppose Texas A&M’s veteran offensive line continues to hold up in pass protection, as it has throughout the season. In that case, Marcel Reed will need to play his best game, making quick decisions in the pocket and avoiding second-guessing, which often leads to interceptions.
This season, Reed has thrived in play action, throwing 16 touchdowns while completing nearly 74% of his passes and averaging over 11 yards per completion. However, in drop-back situations, Reed has thrown just nine touchdowns and 7 of his eight interceptions on the year, completing just 55% of his passes.
No. 3 Texas A&M will face No. 16 Texas on the road on Black Friday at 6:30 p.m., airing on ABC.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Comparing Texas A&M and Texas’s strengths and weaknesses
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
