It was a rough first half for the Texas A&M football team, but whatever head coach Mike Elko told his players at halftime clearly worked. The Aggies responded with one of their most dominant stretches of football in nearly three decades, scoring 50 unanswered points while pitching a defensive shutout.
As mentioned above, the first two quarters were far from pretty. Most of the issues stemmed from the offensive line, which struggled to communicate in pass protection and failed to open consistent running lanes. However, as the game progressed and the staff began tinkering with the lineup, the unit improved drastically. By the second half, the difference was night and day.
The team's most notable strength is its depth, especially at the skill positions.
Wide receiver and running back are both three‑deep with elite talent, making it difficult to predict who will earn the majority of snaps once conference play begins. Defensively, the Aggies weren’t even at full strength and still held the Bears under 70 yards while creating two turnovers.
There was little to complain about, but plenty to clean up, particularly penalties and overall focus, both of which contributed to the slow start. Week 2 will offer a better opportunity to evaluate how this team responds to a stronger opponent. For now, below are the players who shined and those who disappointed in Saturday night’s win.
Stock Up: Marcel Reed
It wasn’t a flawless performance, but there were plenty of encouraging signs from Reed. Despite the drops and protection issues that plagued the first half, he did enough to maintain control of the game and, most importantly, avoided turnovers. Once the offensive line settled in and the rhythm improved, the offense opened up and Reed took full advantage.
In the second half, he looked completely comfortable, distributing the ball across the field and operating with the confidence you expect from a veteran starter. The Aggies blew the game wide open, allowing Reed to exit early as Hart took over once the outcome was well in hand.
Stats: 21 for 30 / 233 yards / 7.8 average / 2 touchdowns / 0 interceptions / 141.21 rating
Stock Up: The Defense
The defense did exactly what you expected dominate from start to finish. The unit allowed just 67 total yards and held the Bears to 1-for-10 on third down, smothering every attempt to build momentum. While the pass rush wasn’t as disruptive as it could be, producing only one sack, the Aggies still generated six tackles for loss and forced two fumbles, consistently collapsing plays before they could develop.
Stock Up: Terry Bussey
Mr. Do It All finds the endzone for the first time this season pic.twitter.com/Jd3nJZw3A3
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 6, 2026
Bussey arrived at Texas A&M with plenty of fanfare and even chose to stay after Jimbo Fisher was fired, but his career to this point has been relatively quiet as he’s continued learning the wide receiver position. Saturday felt like a meaningful step forward and a reminder of just how versatile he can be.
He finished with 55 yards on six touches and scored a touchdown, delivering one of his most productive outings as an Aggie. Considering the heavy rotation of substitutions in the second half, his impact stood out even more. Performances like this suggest he’s beginning to settle into his role and could carve out a bigger share of the offense as the season progresses.
Stock Up: Ryan Henderson
DEFENSE SAID GIMMIE DAT pic.twitter.com/IW13eFi4IX
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 6, 2026
The graduate transfer jumped off the screen multiple times Saturday night. His biggest moment came late in the second quarter, when he delivered a crucial fourth‑down stop that completely halted the Bears’ momentum. Later, he showcased his pass‑rushing ability with a perfectly timed strip sack, adding another game‑changing play to his résumé.
Henderson is yet another example of the depth this roster boasts and the kind of rotational impact the Aggies will need as the season continues.
Stock Down: First Half Offensive Line
Mixed bag from this new-look Aggie offensive line to start the game, but they eventually settled in.
— Nick Kuzma (@NickPKuzma) September 6, 2026
Texas A&M allowed no sacks in the final three quarters and ended up rushing for 236 yards @kbtxsports pic.twitter.com/UzfdgxOcy1
It simply wasn’t a clean game for the offensive line. There were too many penalties and too many breakdowns in both pass protection and run blocking. With four new starters and Holmon Wiggins calling plays for the first time, a learning curve was expected but the miscues in the first half were still costly.
The second half was much better, and the unit looked noticeably more cohesive once the staff began adjusting personnel. It will likely take a few weeks to find the right combination up front, but with such a thin margin for error in SEC play, they need to figure it out quickly.
Stock Down: Brady Hart
Hart never quite found his rhythm after his touchdown toss to Aaron Gregory. He didn’t make any glaring mistakes, but the number of open receivers he missed was concerning. The arm talent is obvious, and he made quick decisions both encouraging signs for a young quarterback, but his accuracy issues left plenty to be desired. That inconsistency is ultimately why he lands on the Stock Down list this week.
Stats: 4 for 8 / 36 yards / 4.5 average / 1 touchdown / 0 interceptions
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M stock report, from Saturday’s game against Missouri State
