Aggies Remain Idle At No. 23 In Latest AP Poll
COLLEGE STATION -- Change has come to the Associated Press rankings after Week 1 of college football. Some teams catapulted their way up the rankings, while others are holding on for life after sluggish performances.
For Texas A&M, it remains idle heading into Week 2.
The Aggies (1-0) stood pat at No. 23 following their 52-10 win over New Mexico Saturday at Kyle Field. A&M could boost its numbers with a strong outing against Miami come Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., at 3:30 p.m. EST.
Positives were on display for A&M entering Jimbo Fisher's sixth season in College Station. New offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino uncorked the playbook and sent the Lobos ablaze with five total touchdowns in the first half.
Quarterback Conner Weigman looked consistent in his fifth career start, finishing 18-of-23 for 236 yards and five touchdowns. Weigman, who beat out Max Johnson in fall camp for the starting job, became the first A&M player to throw for five scores in a season opener.
"Like Coach Petrino always says, you go to "feed the studs," Weigman said. "They made my life easier...I can't say enough about the O-line, the receivers, the running backs, they stepped up.
"Get the ball out of my hands as quick as possible and get it to my playmakers."
© Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
The "studs" were headlined by sophomore Noah Thomas, who scored three touchdowns in the first half and finished with 74 receiving yards. Fellow sophomore Evan Stewart was on the end of two scoring drives and finished with a team-high eight catches for 115 yards. Senior Ainias Smith totaled three receptions for 40 yards, while junior Moose Muhammad scored a 12-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Defensively, A&M held New Mexico to 222 total yards of offense, 91 of which came on the ground. Senior transfer defensive back Josh DeBerry notched his first interception with the program, while eight players finished with a tackle for loss.
“It was a good solid game,” Fisher said of the Aggies’ opener, “but there are a lot of things we need to clean up.”
A&M won last season's home-and-home series against the Hurricanes, 17-9. Both teams, however, struggled to produce midseason, each finishing 5-7 in 2022.
The Aggies return to Kyle Field in Week 3 to face Louisiana-Monroe at 3 p.m.
