No. 3 Texas A&M (8-0, 5-0 SEC) destroyed LSU (5-3, 2-3 SEC) in Baton Rouge 45-23 for the program’s first win in Death Valley since 1994, as the Aggies stormed out of the locker room in the second half determined to expose the Tigers’ flaws after allowing 11 points off of mistakes, including and early first half safety.
Led by starting quarterback Marcel Reed’s impressive day in the pocket, OC Collin Klein utilized his legs, as the redshirt sophomore led the Aggies down the field to re-take the lead after recording second rushing touchdown, which galvanized the defense to record another stop, leading to WR KC Concepcion’s 79-yard punt return, and after leading 28-18, the Aggies were in complete control.
Defensively, Texas A&M’s defensive line has continued to frustrate opposing offenses. After registering seven sacks against the Tigers, the D-line has now accounted for 18 sacks on the year, while the offensive line has not allowed a sack in the last four SEC games. Winning in the trenches usually results in more wins than losses, and it’s one of the primary reasons the Aggies sit at 8-0.
After the game, Pro Football Focus released its updated grades for Texas A&M’s offense and defense, featuring several standouts on both sides of the ball. Here are the top 8 players on offense and defense after Saturday’s win.
Offense
Scoring 49 points and at least 40 points over the last four games is very impressive, and further proves that Marcel Reed, the offensive line, and the Aggies’ elite wide receiver corps have taken the next step and are only getting better every week.
For the fourth consecutive SEC contest, the offensive line has not given up a sack, while three O-linemen earned prolific 83-plus pass blocking scores. While KC Concepcion’s performance was undoubtedly impressive, Mario Craver’s credit made an impact in both the passing and run games, recording 61 total yards. Ashton Bethel-Roman, whose only reception was a one-handed catch for 47 yards, earned an efficient 68.8 grade.
In the backfield, freshman running back Jamarion Morrow was lights out, recording a receiving touchdown and rushing score, and was highly efficient in just 13 snaps. Lastly, Marcel Reed earned a low 58.5 grade due to his two interceptions, but finished with 202 passing yards, 108 rushing yards, and four touchdowns.
Defense
Texas A&M’s defense struggled early against the run while allowing several explosive plays through the air and on the ground. Still, most of these issues stemmed from solid field position after Marcel Reed’s two interceptions, which led to 18 first-half points and put the Aggies behind the sticks.
Again, going back to Mike Elko’s second-half adjustments, Texas A&M’s run defense vastly improved, as defensive linemen Tyler Onyedim (82.7) and DJ Hicks (76.5) earned prolific run-defense grades, combining for seven tackles and a sack. Freshman OLB Marco Jones led the Aggies with the highest overall grade and finished second in tackles (5) and half a sack.
Texas A&M’s defensive line created 20 pressures, led by T.J. Searcy (2) and Cashius Howell (2), who had monster days with four combined sacks. With just three missed tackles, the Aggies continue to play mistake-free defense.
In the secondary, cornerbacks Will Lee III and Dezz Ricks allowed just five catches for zero touchdowns. At the same time, safety Marcus Ratcliffe had another solid day, recording four tackles and allowing just one reception for two yards.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Notable Pro Football Focus grades after Texas A&M’s 49-25 win over LSU
Reporting by Cameron Ohnysty, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
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