The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly From Texas A&M's Win Over Arizona State

Texas A&M came away with a dominant 48-20 win over Arizona State that was sealed by the Aggies' defense in the final nine minutes of the game.

For much of the day, the score was too close for comfort, though. As a two-touchdown favorite coming in, Texas A&M looked the Sun Devils' equal until a decisive fourth quarter.

There was a lot of good in the win over ASU, including fixing the turnover problem from last week, with just one all day.

Still, there was also some not-so-good. And a lot worse than that.

The Good: Aggies Defense Made Game-Changing Plays at Every Level

Texas A&M's defense was a positive in Week 2 — Sep 12, 2026; College Station, Texas, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Omarion Miller (4) fumbles and recovers the ball during the second half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Aggies scored twice in the fourth quarter off of pick-sixes. One was from defensive end Marco Jones, who caught the ball when Sun Devils quarterback was hit mid-throw and took it to the house for 55 yards. The other was from corner Julio Humphrey for 45 yards.

Coming up with multiple defensive scores late is a major plus for Mike Elko's defense. It was a nice takeaway from a game that would've been disappointing otherwise, even in a win. It's not as though coverage was on point all day by any stretch.

After shutting out Missouri State in Week 1, TAMU's defense was less dominant against a Power 4 squad, but showed a clutch timeliness that should give the group confidence deep into games this season.

The Bad: Marcel Reed's Up-And-Down Day

It may seem like nitpicking a bit, but it's a disappointing and potentially troubling sign that Reed didn't have at least 200 yards of offense against the Sun Devils.

Things get much tougher from here on out defensively. Kentucky looks much improved and looms in Week 3. This would've been a nice showcase game for the third-year starter.

Instead, Reed was bailed out a bit by the defense in a game that he played good football. The hope is that Reed can play great football by November, when the schedule presents Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Texas in consecutive weeks.

Reed had 163 passing yards and three touchdown passes, which was good. He threw a pick, though, and his 17 rushing yards were certainly nothing to write home about.

The Ugly: The Offensive Line Struggled in the Run Game

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko walks onto the field during a time-out in the first quarter against the Missouri State Bears at Kyle Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Rueben Owens II and Jamarion Morrow both averaged under four yards per carry and Reed didn't get very far when he took off on designed runs. Reed cut back on run plays after a hamstring scare in the first half.

The lack of push from the interior offensive line will be a problem if it persists. If you can't get push against ASU, which replaced much of its defensive front over the offseason, then who knows what the product will look like against massive SEC defenses.

The rebuilt offensive line has work to do. Week 2 is the time to hear that against a step up in competition and before things get really tough, but the clock is ticking.

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