Texas A&M sits at 3-2 and 1-2 in SEC play after defeating Arkansas 34-7 on Saturday night, and while the Aggies were 14-point favorites going into the matchup, third-year coach Mike Elko and OC Holmon Wiggins were on the same page, wanting to establish the run and give freshman RB KJ Edwards more opportunities.
Thanks to the Aggies' improved offensive line, running lanes were opened throughout the night, and KJ Edwards burst for 66 yards and two touchdowns, while starting quarterback Marcel Reed was pressured just three times and made better decisions in the pocket.
As a team, the Aggies rushed for 231 yards and four touchdowns, controlling the line of scrimmage and opening up play-action opportunities for Marcel Reed to hit his receivers in stride,
connecting on several explosive plays, including tight end Kiotti Armstrong's 54-yard reception.
Overall, the operation was much cleaner on offense, and Texas A&M's defense, led by sophomore Edge Marco Jones' one sack and six pressures, held Arkansas to 212 total yards and seven points, which is impressive, no matter the opponent.
After defeating Arkansas, Texas A&M rose two spots to No. 14 in ESPN's Football Power Index with a rating of 16.3. The Aggies are currently the sixth highest-ranked SEC team, trailing Tennessee (No. 10), Florida (No. 10), LSU (No. 8), Alabama (No. 6), Texas (No. 4), and Georgia at No. 2.
Following Saturday's win, ESPN's FPI also currently projects Texas A&M's win-loss record at 6.6-5.4 and a 0.3% chance to win out. Other current Texas A&M percentages, per ESPN's FPI, include a 0.1% chance to win the SEC and a 4.1% chance to make the College Football Playoff.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Where Texas A&M sits in ESPN FPI rankings after defeating Arkansas
