5 Things We Learned From Arizona State's Loss to No. 10 Texas A&M

For three quarters, Arizona State looked capable of taking No. 10 Texas A&M to the wire at Kyle Field.

Then the Sun Devils' mistakes finally caught up with them.

Arizona State fell 38-20 Saturday despite outgaining Texas A&M 369-255, finishing with more first downs and holding the Aggies to just 2.6 yards per rushing attempt.

The final score tells one story. The statistics tell another.

Arizona State committed four turnovers, was penalized nine times and made two costly special teams mistakes. Texas A&M repeatedly capitalized, eventually pulling away in the fourth quarter.

Here are five things we learned from Arizona State's first major test of the 2026 season.

1. Arizona State Was More Competitive Than the Final Score Suggests

A 38-20 loss looks decisive.

For much of Saturday afternoon, this game wasn't.

Arizona State outgained Texas A&M 369-255, had a 16-14 advantage in first downs and held the ball for 30:04. The Sun Devils also outrushed the Aggies 115-92 and outpassed them 254-163.

ASU trailed only 17-10 at halftime and answered a third-quarter Texas A&M touchdown with a 58-yard scoring connection from Cutter Boley to Reed Harris that made it 24-20.

The Sun Devils had an opportunity to enter the fourth quarter within one possession of the nation's No. 10 team despite repeatedly hurting themselves.

Texas A&M eventually pulled away, but this wasn't a case of Arizona State being physically overwhelmed by a superior opponent.

The Sun Devils did plenty well enough to make this a much closer game.

2. Turnovers Changed Everything

Arizona State's biggest opponent Saturday may have been Arizona State.

The Sun Devils turned the football over four times — two fumbles and two interceptions — and also handed Texas A&M a short field on a failed fake punt.

The problems began when Corey Butler muffed a first-quarter punt, giving the Aggies possession inside the ASU 10. Rueben Owens II scored moments later.

The failed fake punt late in the second quarter gave Texas A&M another short field and resulted in a field goal just before halftime.

Things became even more costly in the fourth quarter.

With Arizona State still within striking distance, Texas A&M forced two more turnovers, including Marco Jones' 55-yard interception return for a touchdown that helped break the game open.

In all, Texas A&M scored 27 points following five Arizona State turnovers or turnover-on-downs situations.

That's almost impossible to overcome against anyone, much less the No. 10 team in the country on its home field.

3. Cutter Boley Showed He Can Handle This Stage

The final stat line won't completely capture Boley's performance.

He finished 21 of 34 for 254 yards and two touchdowns, but his two fourth-quarter interceptions — including the pick-six — will stand out.

There was much more to his afternoon than that.

Boley didn't look overwhelmed by the crowd or the environment in his first road start for Arizona State. He directed an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive after ASU fell behind 7-0 and repeatedly found Harris for big plays.

He also contributed 31 rushing yards on six attempts.

His best moment may have come after Texas A&M took a 24-13 lead in the third quarter and appeared ready to seize control. Boley immediately responded by hitting Harris for a 58-yard touchdown that pulled ASU back within four.

The fourth quarter showed that Boley still has room to grow.

The first three quarters showed why Arizona State believes so strongly in him.

4. Reed Harris Has Emerged as Boley's Big-Play Weapon

If there was one unquestioned breakout performance for Arizona State, it belonged to Harris.

The receiver caught nine passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns, accounting for nearly three-quarters of ASU's passing yardage.

His first touchdown capped Arizona State's 75-yard response to Texas A&M's opening score.

His second was even bigger.

With the Sun Devils trailing 24-13 in the third quarter, Harris got behind the Aggies for a 58-yard touchdown reception that immediately changed the feel of the game.

Harris averaged 21 yards per reception and provided the explosive element Arizona State needed against a talented SEC defense.

Omarion Miller also caught nine passes, but Texas A&M limited those receptions to 29 yards. Harris was the player who consistently stretched the field.

The Boley-to-Harris connection looked dangerous against Morgan State.

Now it has produced against a Top 10 opponent on the road.

5. Arizona State's Defense Did Enough — Until the Mistakes Became Too Much

Texas A&M scored 38 points, but Arizona State's defensive performance was much better than that number suggests.

The Sun Devils held the Aggies to 255 total yards and just 92 rushing yards on 35 attempts. Texas A&M averaged only 2.6 yards per rush and converted just three of 12 third downs.

Marcel Reed finished with only 163 passing yards and 17 rushing yards.

Arizona State even opened the second half with Lyrik Rawls intercepting Reed on the Aggies' first snap.

But Reed became more effective as the game progressed, throwing three touchdown passes, including two to Isaiah Horton. Arizona State also made life more difficult on its defense with penalties.

The Sun Devils finished with nine penalties for 62 yards compared with just one for five yards against Texas A&M. A pair of third-quarter penalties for 25 yards helped extend an Aggies touchdown drive, including a holding call on fourth down that kept the possession alive.

There will be plenty for Arizona State to correct after Saturday.

There should also be some encouragement.

The Sun Devils went into Kyle Field, outgained a Top 10 opponent by 114 yards and limited that opponent to 255 yards of offense.

But they also learned the harshest lesson that comes with playing this level of competition:

You don't have to be dominated to lose decisively. Sometimes you simply have to make too many mistakes.

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