3 Bold Predictions When Texas A&M Travels For Lone Star Showdown Against Texas

It’s officially rivalry week.

Texas A&M and Texas. Big brother and little brother. Nothing is better than this matchup on Thanksgiving week. It’s coach Mike Elko facing coach Steve Sarkisian. Which one will get the better of the other?

Last season marked the first meeting between the two programs in over a decade, after the Aggies were elated to make the move from the Big 12 to the SEC. This season, it's the first time the Aggies have traveled to Austin, Texas, since both programs were in the Big 12 in the 2011-2012 season.

Well, the Longhorns missed the Aggies too much, so it had to do everything in its power to renew the game. Here we are. What bold predictions happen in the latest rendition?

Arch Manning Plays Atrociously After His Best Game Last Week

Sophomore quarterback Arch Manning, who opened up the season as one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy, hasn’t lived up to the hype and the standard. At least for now. Looking at the numbers on paper, A&M is No. 16 in total defense, while Texas is No. 72 in total offense. That’s a significant gap.

Yes, against Arkansas, he is riding the momentum into the last week of the regular season, tossing four touchdowns, rushing for one touchdown, and surprising the college football world with a receiving touchdown. That means Manning combined for six of the scores, but that was against a Razorbacks defense that has no identity. A&M’s defense has an identity.

No shot that the Aggies let the Longhorns haunt them after an offense finally posted numbers everyone was waiting for them to do. What will make Manning panic is facing a defensive line that has torn up offensive lines and does a tremendous job of powering through the protection and creating pressure in the pocket. Another problem is that, on third down, the Aggies are among the most disciplined teams in the country at preventing opponents from moving the chains.

The last two times Manning played a top-five team were in the opener against No. 3 Ohio State and No. 5 Georgia. Did his numbers jump off the charts? What did he do? Not enough. On the biggest stages this season, he hasn’t delivered and hasn’t scored enough. There were 170 yards in the air against Ohio State. If anyone remembers, in the fourth quarter, he wasn't even at 100 yards until halfway through the fourth quarter. Against Georgia, he passed for 251 yards but was in an enormous slump and didn’t have protection, taking three sacks. All signs point to Manning choking.

Marcel Reed Tosses 4+ Touchdowns

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed takes out his mouthguard after a win over the Arkansas Razorbacks at AT&T Stadium. — Sep 28, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) takes out his mouthguard after a win over the Arkansas Razorbacks at AT&T Stadium. | Matt Guzman-Texas A&M Aggies On SI

If anyone watched what the Heisman Trophy candidate did in a quarter last weekend against Samford, he slung the ball like he was going through the motions. Every single week, he rises to the occasion, passing the ball to one of the best receiving rooms in the nation.

Ever heard of transfer wide receiver KC Concepcion? What about transferring WR Mario Craver? One of the underrated weapons on the Aggies, Ashton Bethel-Roman? Don’t overlook that tight end group.

Is it a night for the TEs? Potentially, Nate Boerkircher in the red zone and even the Sweden product, Theo Melin Ohrstrom, being utilized in unexpected situations.

With Texas ranked No. 39 in total defense, allowing 5.87 yards per play, that number should rise if Reed begins taking numerous deep shots downfield. Another notable category the Texas defense struggles with is pass defense, ranking No. 105 in the nation, giving up over 242 yards per game and 10.77 yards per completion.

The secondary is going to blow coverage and not win its contested battles. A&M is too quick, and so is Reed’s decision-making, releasing the ball. It's a gigantic day for Reed as he punches his team a ticket to the SEC Championship Game for the first time.

A&M Kicking Drills 4 Field Goals

Randy Bond kicks during Florida game. — Oct 11, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies kicker Randy Bond (47) kicks the ball during the first half against the Florida Gators at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

If you have followed the Aggies a bunch, the kicking game has had a roller coaster season. The veteran Randy Bond has been the starter for the majority of the season, but had open competition with K Jared Zirkel, who, at the beginning of the season, was the guy. Elko said early in the year that Zirkel had won the job, but soon had to turn to Bond because an injury sidelined Zirkel.

A ton of people in Aggieland were confident in Bond, who has been one of the best kickers to wear a Maroon and White jersey. Since he’s been with the A&M program for an extended period, he has earned many accolades and the trust of the fanbase. Although it's been an up-and-down season for the graduate student, he has persevered through the challenges when his leg hasn’t always made enough kicks, especially in games when he's needed.

This season, the Plano, Texas, native has made his longest kick from 49 yards and is working to extend his range as his team hopes to go on a deep playoff run. Bond has converted 11 of his 18 attempts. A few drives the A&M offense has will be shy of punching it into the end zone, which opens the window of opportunity to build momentum heading into the title game or the playoffs. Elko hands the keys over to Bond to drive several kicks through the uprights.