Rough Second Half Dooms Texas A&M in 41-24 Loss to Florida: Aggies Notebook
The Texas A&M Aggies entered their Saturday matchup against the Florida Gators on the heels of a four-game losing streak in SEC play, looking to get back on track and right the ship.
However, they would be down 31 players due to injuries, suspensions, and an outbreak of the flu on Texas A&M's campus which would only make doing so that much more difficult.
Despite that, though, the Aggies were in the driver's seat early in this game in what was a back-and-forth affair in the first half, as they would take a 24-20 lead into the locker room.
The second half was an entirely different story though for the Aggies as their explosive offense completely fell apart. They were outscored 21-0 en route to a 41-24 loss, losing their fifth game in a row in SEC play.
Now, here are three key takeaways from Texas A&M's
Jekyll and Hyde offense
This game was a true example of two different halves for the Aggies on offense. The first half could not have gone much better, as they put up 24 points on 307 yards of total offense at halftime and were not forced to punt until well in the second quarter. It appeared as if the offensive troubles that plagued the Aggies were finally being solved.
Then, the second half happened and we were reminded of just how badly this Aggie offense can struggle. Gone were the constant scoring drives, replaced with quick three-and-outs and a plethora of punts. They would be outscored in the second half 21-0, as the offense completely fell apart.
Feed Devon Achane
Achane is one of the best running backs in the SEC, and he continues to show that on a weekly basis for the Aggies. In the first half against the Gators, Achane was responsible for all three of Texas A&M's touchdowns, recording a pair of rushing touchdowns as well as a receiving touchdown.
Again, as the Aggies crumbled on offense, Achane was a victim of that as he did not receive many touches in the second half. He finished the game with 16 rushes for 122 yards and two touchdowns in the Aggies' loss. Of course, ups and downs happen throughout the game, but when your quarterback is struggling, not feeding your star running back is an interesting choice.
Down goes the King
What the Aggies saw in Connor Weigman last weekend in their loss to Ole Miss gave them hope that he could turn the offense around to finish the season. Then, ahead of their matchup against Florida, it was announced that he would miss the game due to a flu outbreak.
Enter Haynes King, who started earlier in the season for the Aggies and was named the starter against Florida with Weigman out. It would not be a good day for King, finishing by completing 23-of-45 with 279 yards and a touchdown, and a pair of lost fumbles on two Florida sacks. It's clear that Weigman was the catalyst behind the Aggies' resurgence on offense, and his absence was rather noticeable.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
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