Fire vs. ice.
Light vs. dark.
Turkey vs. ham.
These age-old rivalries pale in comparison to the Lone Star State’s greatest divide — burnt orange vs. maroon. On Friday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium,
for the first time in 15 years, the No. 17 Texas Longhorns will meet the No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies in front of 100,000 feverish fans who have shaken off their Thanksgiving meals and are hungry for a statement win.
The task for the Longhorns looms large. In his second year at the helm, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko has guided the Aggies, with a fair amount of bobbing and weaving, to a perfect 11-0 record heading into the final regular-season game. Elko has established a culture of hard-nosed football that is reflected in the salty defense and punishing run game that the Aggies will bring to Austin.
The Aggies’ record has remained unblemished — an impressive feat in its own right — but it’s hardly without drama. Despite facing just one opponent currently ranked in the AP Top 25, a one-point victory over Notre Dame in Week 3, and every SEC foe falling in the bottom half of the standings, a handful of matchups still required late-game magic.
Single-possession wins against three inferior opponents — Auburn, Arkansas, and South Carolina — each demanded last-minute heroics and suggest the Aggies are not without weakness. After all, beating the 4-7 Gamecocks at home required the largest comeback in program history after entering halftime down 30-3.
In order to exploit these weaknesses and come out victorious, the Longhorns will need to execute defensively in every facet of the game as the Aggies boast a potent running game, speed at wide receiver, and a dual-threat signal caller that can bury a defense with his arm or legs.
On the other side of the ball, Texas A&M has one of the best pass rushers in the country and a stingy third-down conversion rate.
In the ever-important special teams battle, the Aggies have shown explosiveness in the return game.
“It’s a heck of a challenge. It’s a really good football team, and they’re really good in all three phases. Coach Elko has done a fantastic job. Got a ton of respect for him and the way he’s built that program,” said Sarkisian.
In the final home game for Longhorn seniors against a heated rival with the chance to spoil a historic season, truly anything can happen.
Offense
Leading the charge is quarterback Marcel Reed, who has emerged as one of the leading dual-threat playmakers in the country and a Heisman Trophy contender with the fifth-best odds to win the award, according to FanDuel. Listed at 6’1, 185 pounds, Reed has made the jump from raw athlete to poised talent. His smaller frame lends itself well to quick scrambling and designed quarterback runs. With 395 rushing yards and six touchdowns, Reed has more than cemented himself as a threat on the ground.
“There are some real dual-threat quarterbacks in this conference that can hurt you a variety of ways. You can probably argue Marcel Reed is the most dynamic of all those guys,” said Sarkisian.
However, the biggest improvement in his play has been through the air. Reed is a noticeably more accurate quarterback after shortening his throwing motion and getting the ball out quicker than a year ago, and his stats reflect it. He’s completed 61.8 percent of his passes for 2,752 yards and 25 touchdowns against eight interceptions.
Reed’s transformation is a testament to his continued maturation, but has been greatly aided by the weapons around him. To start, the Aggies have a stable of running backs that can run between the tackles or in space.
When star running back Leveon Moss went down with an injury in October, the Aggie offense didn’t miss a beat. Former Texas commit Reuben Owens took over as the lead back and hasn’t looked back, averaging 5.8 yards per carry en route to 570 yards and five touchdowns.
Owens is natural playmaker and boasts high-quality explosiveness. His top-end speed is on par with the best of the SEC, which allows him to break chunk runs off with ease.
While Owens missed last week after being injured against South Carolina, his absence versus Samford likely reflected the luxury of scheduling an FCS opponent in November rather than any serious concern. Expect him to be close to full health on Friday.
Behind Owens is a trio of backs— EJ Smith, Amari Daniels, and Jamarion Morrow — that receive a fairly balanced number of carries. While none are elite individually, they work together to form a deep and talented running back room. Sixth-year senior EJ Smith, the son of legendary Cowboy Emmit Smith, has contributed 164 yards and three touchdowns in the final year of a rather disappointing college career. He’s the most reliable touchdown scorer of the trio.
Senior Amari Daniels’s career has taken a slightly different trajectory than Smith. After toting the rock 244 times the last two seasons, Daniels has rushed just 41 times in 2025, with 20 percent of those carries coming last week against Samford. This is the first year where he’s struggled to find carries. When he does carry the ball, Daniels is a power back capable of running through tackles.
Lastly, Morrow is a smaller back than can run the ball or make plays in the passing game. While he won’t be heavily featured, his carries help to keep the other backs fresh and provide a change of pace for the Aggie offense.
Collectively, these backs make up one of the most successful rushing attacks in the SEC. The Aggies average nearly 200 yards per game on the ground at a stellar 5.02 YPC. Texas A&M will run the ball in varying formations and downs as offensive coordinator Colin Klein turned the ground game into a staple of this year’s Aggie offense.
Up front, A&M returned five players with starting experience and seven players that contributed last year, and this bunch has only improved. The group is led by veteran captain Ar’Maj Reed-Adams, a transfer from Kansas who started every game last year and sets the tone for the fellas up front. The right guard is 6’5 and 330 pounds.
The other four spots all feature veteran linemen with the size and speed to create holes in the run game or protect Reed. The group has been excellent in pass protection, allowing just 11 sacks on the year — the Longhorn front seven will face a difficult challenge plugging holes in run support and wrecking havoc in pass-rushing scenarios.
Getting to Reed will also be difficult because of the timing of the Aggie offense. Texas A&M has drastically reduced the amount of time before Reed releases the ball thanks to a focus on quick throws and yards after the catch. This strategy has worked well thanks to the elusive pass catchers that don maroon and white.
Making up one of the most dangerous pass catching duos in the SEC are KC Concepcion and Mario Craver. Both transfers in their first season at Texas A&M, the pair ranks third and fifth in the SEC in receiving yards, torching defenses the entire season.
The first member of the duo is NC State transfer KC Concepcion. Quite frankly, Concepcion will be a problem for the struggling Texas secondary. With 52 receptions for 829 yards and nine touchdowns, Concepcion is a big-play wide receiver. His nine touchdowns is tops in the SEC. During his two years at NC State, Concepcion was recognized as ACC Rookie of the Year and a Freshman All-American.
A smart route runner who uses deception and speed to create separation, Concepcion has great hands and an ability to line up all the over field. The most dangerous aspect of his game is what happens after the catch. The speedster is shifty and will leave tacklers in his wake on a regular basis.
Pairing with Concepcion is sophomore Mario Craver. Another smaller-framed transfer, Craver spent last season at Mississippi State before transferring to A&M. After starting the year at a blistering pace, Craver has slowed down his pace, but remains a top-tier talent. He’s reeled in 47 catches for 781 yards and four touchdowns while adding 80 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Paired with Concepcion, A&M possesses an elite 1-2 combo at wideout.
The final piece of the Aggie offense is senior tight end Nate Boerkircher, a grad transfer who walked on at Nebraska before earning a scholarship and starting 17 games. This season at A&M, he has emerged as the most reliable pass catcher and blocker in a TE room that featured four new additions.
Defense
The Aggie defense is stout but imperfect. Its strengths are rushing the passer and getting off the field on third down, but it has also been susceptible to big plays. The game against South Carolina represented a microcosm of the highs and lows that the Aggie defense plays at.
“They’ve got a great scheme, and Coach Elko is notorious for his third-down packages. Every year, it’s always the same scouting report of they’re really good on third down. We need to be sound in our schemes, and we’re gonna have to win one-on-one battles,” said Sarkisian.
By far the best player on the defense is defensive lineman Cashius Howell, who leads the SEC in sacks with 11.5 and is effective at swatting balls down (six) when he can’t make it to the quarterback. I’d expect Howell to have a few splash plays on Friday despite Sarkisian likely scheming around him with his play design, including quick passes. It’s vital Texas doesn’t allow Howell to derail the entire offensive gameplan.
With Howell generating so much attention, fellow edge Dayon Hayes has flown under the radar despite 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble on the year. A variety of other Aggie defensive linemen have joined Howell and Hayes with multiple sacks, including DJ Hicks (three), Marco Jones (2.5), Albert Regis (two), and Rylan Kennedy (two).
The battle of the Texas offensive line against the A&M front seven will likely dictate the flavor of the game on Friday. The Aggies are an elite pass-rushing team and strong enough against the run to potentially stifle the mediocre Texas ground game. If the Aggies live in the backfield on early downs, the struggles could pile up for the Longhorns.
Anchoring the entire defense is linebacker Taurean York. With A&M running a sizable amount of nickel, York is often one of two linebackers on the field. The junior has been a force, leading the team with 56 tackles while adding a sack, fumble recovery, and two passes defended. With York sporting No. 21, Texas quarterback Arch Manning will need to have eyes on the Temple product on every play, especially given the varying roles that York plays.
The other linebacker is junior Daymion Sanford. A good sized linebacker at 6’2 222 pounds, Sanford has progressed into a remarkable partner in crime for York with starter Scooby Williams battling injuries throughout the year. Sanford’s flashed disruption across the board this season including 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception.
The Aggie secondary took a huge hit when two-year starter Bryce Anderson was injured against Florida in early October, but has shown incredible prowess. A&M allows just 183.1 passing yards per game, 23rd in the country.
The two best cover corners for the Aggies are senior Will Lee and sophomore Dezz Ricks.
Lee is a savvy veteran with 22 passes defended in his three-year Power Four career. He’s climbed the ranks from junior college to one of the best in the entire country — last season he led the nation in passes defended.
Lining up outside, Lee uses his 6’3 length well in press coverage and when playing the ball. However, he doesn’t have great top-end speed, which can be exploited by opposing wideouts.
The other corner, Ricks, entered college football as a premier talent. After graduating a year early, Ricks committed to Alabama as a consensus five-star prospect. When head coach Nick Saban retired, Ricks transferred to A&M.
Ricks is a highly physical corner. He’s excellent at using his hands to stick to wideouts and disrupt routes, and seems to be peaking at the right time. Against South Carolina, Ricks graded at a 78.1 coverage grade according to PFF and allowed just three catches on nine targets while breaking up two passes.
The last line of defense for the Aggies are veteran safeties Marcus Ratcliffe and Dalton Brooks. Ratcliffe is a downhill player that will scrap near the box, line up at free safety, and even play some coverage in the slot. With 55 tackles, he is second on the team. Brooks is a more traditional strong safety. With 43 tackles and two tackles, he’s thrived at bringing down opposing players near the line of scrimmage. Similar to Ratcliffe, Brooks will line up all over the field.
Special teams
Outside of Ryan Niblett, Concepcion has been the best punt returner in the SEC, averaging 20.95 yards per return including two touchdowns. He is dangerous. On kickoffs, speedster Terry Bussey averages 24.4 yards per return, including a long of 45 yards.
Handling kicking duties is veteran Randy Bond. A superb kicker throughout his career, Bond has struggled this season, only converting on 11-of-18 attempts (61.1 percent) . He’s missed six kicks from 40-plus yards this year.
The punter is Tyler White, who was recognized as a member of the SEC All-Freshman Team last year and averages 44.5 yards per punt this season.
This is a rivalry game with two teams that both have a lot to play for. While the Aggies enter the contest with a playoff spot locked down, ending the regular season with a perfect record and appearance in the SEC Championship is more than enough fuel to light a fire.
For the Longhorns, finishing the season strong and spoiling the Aggies’ unblemished record while sending out the seniors with a win would be a delightful ending to the regular season.
“This is too big of a game, too special of an opportunity — our seniors will be honored, it’s a night game in DKR, it’s only our second SEC night game in two years in DKR, so there’s some really special things about this game,” said Sarkisian.
Overall, the physicality of the A&M offensive and defensive line will be the biggest test for Texas on both sides of the ball. Productive plays on early downs, winning the turnover battle, and minimizing explosive plays on defense will be three areas that the Longhorns must win if they hope to come out victorious for the second year in a row agains the Aggies. In short, despite the fact that many pundits will predict an Aggie victory, framing this game as one that the Longhorns can’t win would be flat-out wrong. The opportunity is undeniable. The Longhorns simply must execute.
