Josh Pate stands firm on his Heisman winner pick after Week 12

Josh Pate doubles down on his Heisman Trophy pick after an unforgettable Week 12 performance.

College football analyst Josh Pate believes Texas A&M's Marcel Reed is still going to win this year's Heisman Trophy. | Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

The largest comeback in school history unfolded under the lights at Kyle Field as Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed turned disaster into triumph. After trailing 30-3 at halftime against South Carolina, Reed engineered a 31-30 victory that kept the Aggies undefeated at 10-0 and secured their place in the College Football Playoff race. He threw for 439 yards and three touchdowns, redeeming an error-filled first half that included two interceptions and a fumble returned for a score.

The performance left both his coach and his critics stunned. “I’m not lost for words very much, but I was lost for words with the team in the locker room after the game,” head coach Mike Elko said. “A lot of that emotion was just pride in who they were, how they conducted themselves.” It was a night that revived comparisons to Johnny Manziel’s 2013 bowl heroics and stamped Reed as the centerpiece of Texas A&M’s championship pursuit.

Reed’s poise was tested early, but he responded with precision and patience. His 27-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Izaiah Williams sparked life into the offense, while deep strikes to Ashton Bethel-Roman and tight end Nate Boerkircher cut through South Carolina’s defense. When running back EJ Smith gave the Aggies their first lead with a 4-yard touchdown run, the roar of the 12th Man sealed the moment.

Reed described the comeback as rooted in calm. “I don’t even remember what all was said,” he said. “The message got across. We knew we were still in the game.” His teammates matched that belief, with linebacker Taurean York summing it up best: “We found a way to stick together and figure out how to win the game.”

Josh Pate Doubles Down On His Heisman Trophy Pick

College football analyst Josh Pate wasted no time reaffirming his stance on the Heisman race after the win. “Marcel Reed moving forward, and I cannot emphasize this strongly enough, is still my pick to win the Heisman Trophy,” Pate said on his College Football Show.

“I never gave up on Marcel. I never cashed out. I don’t set the odds. I don’t question the odds. My problem is making sure Marcel Reed is taken care of, and he is.”

Pate’s comments echoed the growing sentiment around Reed’s late-season surge. Following the game, 2011 Heisman winner Robert Griffin III added his own endorsement on social media, calling Reed’s second-half rally his “Heisman moment.”

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) threw for 439 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions against South Carolina on Saturday. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The performance lifted Texas A&M to its first 10-0 start since 1992 and positioned Reed among the nation’s elite quarterbacks heading into the final stretch.

For all the talk about numbers and odds, Reed maintained his focus on team goals. “Could have went up. Could have went down,” he said when asked about his Heisman chances. “It doesn’t matter to me. We are focused on winning games right now.”

Texas A&M will host Samford on Saturday at noon ET on SEC Network+.