Arizona State's Chances of Upsetting Texas A&M Might Surprise You

The early-season matchup might not be a tight contest, but will give the Texas A&M Aggies a chance to evaluate strengths and weaknesses.

Nov 15, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko reacts on the sideline during the second quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Arizona State Sun Devils and Texas A&M Aggies will go head-to-head right before kicking off conference play, with Texas A&M hosting the game at Kyle Field.

For several college football teams, non-conference games are an easy way to get early wins on the record while getting into the swing of the season. For the Aggies, playing the Sun Devils will provide an early challenge that will determine how prepared they are to face the rest of their competition once SEC play begins.

Arizona State Offers Slight Challenge, But Texas A&M Holds Upper Hand

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) drops back to pass against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half of the first round game of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Arizona State is by no means the most exciting game on Texas A&M's roster, or the most challenging, or the one with the highest stakes. However, it will be a game that sets an early tone for the rest of the Aggies' season, depending on what their performance looks like against the Sun Devils.

Texas A&M should be able to easily take the game, with both the home field advantage and the upper hand as favorites of the game. But Arizona State still is no cupcake school, and Texas A&M will need to tread lightly and embrace the challenges that the Sun Devils offeer, because this final non-conference game will highlight exactly where the Aggies' weaknesses lie.

The Sun Devils may have the possibility of exploiting several of those weaknesses, especially regarding the pass game. Arizona State, thanks in part to a top-10 class from the 2026 transfer portal window, features an extremely strong secondary as the highlight of its defense. That downfield coverage will test quarterback Marcel Reed as he continues to solidify his status as a true dual-threat, with enough of an arm to support his talent on the ground.

The Aggies, on the other hand, will have plenty of opportunities to show their strengths, giving them an early chance to get a resounding win against a potential Big 12 contender that will put them up early in rankings. Texas A&M's defense should really get a chance to shine here, especially with transfers like edge Anto Saka making up the defensive line that will battle against Arizona State transfer quarterback Cutter Boley.

The Aggies will also get a strong chance to highlight their running back room, as the Sun Devils' defensive interior is relatively weak. Running back Rueben Owens II will get a chance to cement his place as a starter in the backfield with an opportunity to exploit the interior and play a productive game.

With a week two matchup, the game against Arizona State gives Texas A&M more of a chance to identify weaknesses and polish strengths, rather than face tight competition in a high-stakes game. Texas A&M will have plenty more of those high-stakes games down the road, playing LSU, Alabama and Texas.

Even so, the Sun Devils have a good chance of giving the Aggies a run for their money, making it a good matchup with consequences that will likely carry over into conference play.

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