Texas A&M Aggies vs UTSA Roadrunners Way-Too-Early Preview: What the Stats Say

The Texas A&M Aggies are set to host the UTSA Roadrunners in Week 1 of the 2025 college football season.

The Aggies, under second-year coach Mike Elko, hope to ensure they made the right call with their hire. Roadrunners coach Jeff Traylor enters the stadium that was almost his home stadium for the first time since interviewing for the Aggies job back in 2023.

With the underlying tension and both teams having things to prove, Here’s the tale of the tape before the Roadrunners make their trek to College Station.

Texas A&M defensive lineman Cashius Howell (18) celebrates a defensive stop during the Lone Star Showdown against the Texas Longhorns at Kyle Field on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 in College Station, Texas. | Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

UTSA’s strength heading into 2025 is its offense. Last season, the Roadrunners ranked fourth in the AAC in total scoring with 33.2 points per game. They ranked second in their conference in yards per game, putting up an impressive 452.5 yards per game. At the heart of their passing attack is quarterback Owen McCown, who completed 294 of 467 passes for 3,424 yards and 25 touchdowns, to finish as the fourth best passer in the AAC. On the ground, UTSA found itself in the middle of the pack after they averaged 169.2 yards per game and 21 touchdowns on the season.

McCown will lead his Roadrunners against the Aggies defense, who finished 12th in the SEC after allowing an average of 367.3 yards per game in 2024. Through the air, they let up a 13th-ranked 232.2 points per game, a 13th-ranked 20 touchdowns and forced a third-ranked 16 interceptions.

While they may give up a lot of yards and touchdowns, the Aggies have the ability to take the ball away, something McCown will need to be mindful of before he starts throwing all over the yard. A&M’s rushing defense struggled last season. It ranked ninth in the SEC in rushing yards allowed per game, where they allowed 135.2. It all came to a head when Texas running back Quintrevion Wisner rushed for 186 yards in the Aggies’ loss to Texas.

Last season, UTSA’s defense was a brick wall against the run. It ranked first in the AAC, allowing just 3.1 yards per carry, 19 touchdowns and 109.3 yards per game on the ground. While they were phenomenal in the run game, the Roadrunners struggled through the air. They allowed an average of 265.8 passing yards per game to earn the 12th-ranked spot in the conference. They also allowed 28 touchdowns through the air, giving A&M quarterback Marcel Reed a chance to use his new pass catchers.

Offensively, the Aggies ranked ninth in the high-powered SEC. They average 405.8 yards per game. A&M held the second-best rushing attack in the conference, averaging 195.5 yards per game and scoring 27 touchdowns. Their mow-healthy backfield will give the Roadrunners’ stout defense a challenge. Through the air, the Aggies ranked 13th. They averaged 210.3 passing yards a game and recorded 19 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. With transfer wide receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver, expect Reed to show vast improvement, especially against a weak UTSA secondary.

Kickoff is scheduled for Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. central time.