COLLEGE STATION — No. 3 Texas A&M calmly defeated Football Championship Subdivision opponent Samford 48-0 at Kyle Field on Saturday.
The Aggies starters exited the game with 12 minutes remaining in the second quarter after building up an early 28-0 lead behind the legs of Amari Daniels and the arm of quarterback Marcel Reed. It was the Aggies’ first shutout since September 3, 2022.
Here are five takeaways from the Aggies’ win.
Amari Daniels
Sports Roundup
With a matchup against No. 17 Texas on the horizon, the Aggies took advantage of a lesser opponent by keeping their main stable of running backs fresh.
Amari Daniels received the bulk of the carries in the early going against the Bulldogs. The Miami native rushed for a career-best 106 yards with a touchdown.
Marcel-mania
Reed was extremely efficient, as he looked to bolster his Heisman Trophy campaign. Reed completed 10 of 15 throws for 120 yards and three touchdowns. His 25 passing touchdowns are the most in the SEC.
His two favorite targets were KC Concepcion and Ashton Bethel-Roman, as Mario Craver was remained sidelined against Samford. Concepcion hauled in five catches for 42 yards and one score, giving him an SEC-best nine touchdowns on the year. Meanwhile, Bethel-Roman had two receptions for 61 yards, both of which ended with him finding the end zone.
Defensive dog pound
The defense for A&M was completely impenetrable against Samford, giving up just 77 total offensive yards, 46 through the air and 31 on the ground. This is the first time A&M surrendered less than 100 yards since 1996. In fact the Aggies didn’t allow a pass for positive yards until halfway through the third quarter, thanks to hook-and-ladder trick play by the Bulldogs. Samford managed to convert just three first downs, all coming in the second half against A&M backups.
Backups step up
With the starters stepping out, the Aggies backups had the chance to shine in the final regular season home game of 2025. Backup quarterback Miles O’Neill certainly didn’t have the hottest start on his first possession, underthrowing Terry Bussey on a deep ball right into the defenders hands. However, third stringer Brady Hart looked much more formidable, completing five of nine passes for 62 yards.
Making plays out wide for the Aggies was true freshman receiver TK Norman, who secured three catches for 39 yards. Then on the ground, former Desoto High School standout running back Tiger Riden Jr. earned his stripes rushing for 45 yards on 11 attempts, including the first touchdown of his career with A&M.
Dominating the trenches
The Aggies led the country in sacks while also allowing the 11th-fewest before today. A&M surrendered only two tackles for loss and a single sack, all of which were after the starters subbed out.
While on the defensive side of the ball, the Aggies’ front seven feasted on a lackluster Bulldog offensive line, regardless of who was out on the field. A&M tallied up 11 tackles for loss, tying its season high from its game against LSU. The Aggies only managed to secure one sack, but they applied plenty of heat all afternoon, as Bulldog quarterbacks went a combined 7 for 17.
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