The Texas A&M Player Arizona State Can't Afford to Let Take Over

For the first time in well over a decade, Texas A&M football will face a Big 12 opponent at home. Except now, in 2026, it is Arizona State that is part of the Aggies' old league, and it's head coach Mike Elko's squad that is in the Southeastern Conference.

It will be a pivotal out-of-conference matchup, with the winner snagging a signature win in the early going of the new season, but the Sun Devils will have to look out for a stable of helping of dynamic playmakers on the gridiron.

There are plenty to choose from that could change the game and dominate all over the field, but it's wide receiver Terry Bussey who will be Arizona State's kryptonite should he explode onto the scene as the player A&M knows he is capable of being.

Timpson's finest

Nov 22, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Terry Bussey (2) runs with the ball before being pushed out of bounds by Samford Bulldogs cornerback Gumbo Gaskins (27) in the first half of a game at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Buvid-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As one of the most productive players in the history of Texas's 2A Division 1 football, Bussey was a welcome surprise to campus after choosing to join Elko at A&M despite the school's firing of former head coach Jimbo Fisher. A two-way star on both sides of the ball, Bussey has ultimately landed on offense in his college career.

Now a junior, Bussey has waited his turn to be one of the next A&M greats, and against Arizona State, he has a golden opportunity to replicate the heroics set by his predecessor, Christian Kirk, in his well-rounded performance against the Sun Devils over a decade ago.

Eleven years ago, Kirk showed off his skill as a receiver and returner, amassing over 200 yards of total offense. Bussey poses the same threat as a smaller-bodied target who has the speed to get past defenders in open space. With a career-high 18 catches a season ago, the now-veteran Timpson product has established himself enough to take flight as part of the wide receiver corps.

But hauling in passes is not his only strength, as the Aggies have put him to work as a rushing threat as well. In a perfectly executed play in the red zone, Bussey received a jet sweep handoff and duped Missouri State, scampering into the end zone for his first touchdown of 2026.

Making sure he got his touches was a point of emphasis in the Aggies' first matchup, and a breakout year could be in the works as Bussey complements his fellow wide receivers Mario Craver, Isaiah Horton and Ashton Bethel-Roman. But with big SEC names like these to compete with, the more ways he can get the football, the more reasons that Arizona State could lose its containment of him.

Kickoff-wise, the Sun Devils will have to beware of what he can do with the ball in an advantageous position, as 18 returns last year netted him over 400 yards, though the end zone escaped him on all tries. However, with a golden opportunity, the best players can find a way to make their impact felt.

While Bussey has not exactly been the featured threat of the Aggies' offense yet, a critical matchup against the Sun Devils may be the chance for the college football world to see just exactly what he was recruited to do at the next level of competition.

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