When there is a ton at stake, the team that has more to play for typically pulls out the victory.
For Texas A&M, it was hunting for its first victory in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, since 1994. Since joining the SEC, every time an A&M team entered Death Valley, it exited with a loss. The curse finally broke.
It is now also the first time Texas A&M has been 8-0 since 1992, and just the second time they have accomplished such a feat since 1975.
“I think there’s a togetherness here,” coach Mike Elko said. “I think one thing that is consistent is that those kids will play the game to do what it takes to win.”
Those in Aggieland knew the Aggies controlled their own destiny to punch a ticket to the SEC Championship Game and earn a bid to the College Football Playoffs. The 7-0 start before the game was also the best start since 1994. Was this a coincidence? It could be, but what was for sure was how Elko has proven his team is a contender, even after trailing for the first time this season at the intermission.
“If you look at teams that have won the SEC and have made a run in the playoffs, they have explosive players,” Elko said. “Now, we have them.”
Tigers Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier 18, LSU Tigers take on the Texas A&M Aggies. October 25, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; at Tiger Stadium. Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. / SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Homefield advantage played a significant factor in three drives that killed drives that should’ve kept the momentum in A&M’s hands. Instead, LSU stuck around in a sloppy first half on defense.
A significant shift in the game occurred after the Aggies’ punter, Tyler White, lined up in punt formation, but he had no help from the rest of the special teams unit. An LSU defender then ran through a wide-open gap and blocked the football that rolled into the endzone to make the score 14-9.
“Not on the same page,” Elko said. “Obviously, we had a mistake on the snap count. Cannot happen.”
Tiger Stadium exploded with roars heard from miles away as the turn of events put pressure on A&M’s offense. Mentally, the buzz got to the A&M players’ minds when it made two more game-changing mistakes in the first half after quarterback Marcel Reed threw an interception in the red zone on third and goal that should’ve put A&M up two scores.
Instead, the LSU defense got what it was looking for. Mistakes made by Reed startled him for the rest of the second quarter. LSU’s starting QB, Garrett Nussmeier, then drove his offense down the field, led by a commanding ground game by RB Harlem Berry, who registered a 7-yard rushing touchdown for LSU’s first lead of the night.
Offensively, the Aggies didn’t catch a break after an attempted pass got tipped and deflected into the air and into the arms of AJ Haulcy. That drive turned into the Tigers’ offense not flinching and going downfield to kick a field goal, going up four points at intermission.
“Two turnovers can’t happen,” Elko said.
Oct 25, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) drops to throw during the first half against the Louisiana State Tigers at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Whatever Elko said in the locker room at halftime worked because the Aggies jogged back onto the field with their eyes on the prize.
“We made some adjustments to how we were fitting some things,” Elko said. “When you play football like that, it changes the game.”
Right off the bat, WR KC Concepcion had an answer to quiet the LSU fans with a 79-yard punt return that gave A&M complete control of the game with a sense of urgency to post points in any way possible. With the return, it was the first time an Aggie since 2016 with multiple punt return touchdowns in a single season, and it ties former A&M WR Christian Kirk for the ninth-longest in program history.
Not too shabby.
“Those kids are really blocking for him because they know if you can give him a little space, he can go,” Elko said.
There was also confidence for the Aggies’ offense, sparked by Reed’s 41-yard rushing touchdown in the first half, which was his longest score on the ground in his collegiate career. His second touchdown in the first quarter was a 32-yard rifle to Concepcion that marked his name in the history books as being No. 10 in career passing touchdowns in A&M history.
Reed added to his spectacular night as he was the first Aggie QB with a pair of rushing and passing touchdowns in an SEC road game since former A&M QB Johnny Manziel in 2012. On top of that, Reed can say he was the first Aggie QB since Kellen Mond with 200+ yards passing and 100+ yards rushing since former A&M QB Kellen Mond in 2017.
“He’s a competitor,” Elko said. “He has a lot of confidence in himself. We have a lot of confidence in him.”
Getting the running game involved was a point of emphasis for the second half as RB Jamarion Morrow established his presence with a 24-yard touchdown reception. His night wasn’t over with an 11-yard score on the ground.
Several weeks ago, Elko publicly called out his tight end room for its inability to block and make plays. Senior TE Nate Boerkircher got the nod from offensive coordinator Collin Klein to line up in the backfield and use his physical and muscular body to truck Tiger defenders into the endzone, which put the Aggies up big.
Defensively, defensive coordinator Jay Bateman also changed the looks it was showing LSU and forced constant pressure on Nussmeier. In the first half, linebacker Cashius Howell registered two pivotal sacks. In the second half, defensive tackle DJ Hicks and defensive end Rylan Kennedy recorded a sack that frustrated Nussmeier.
Defensive ends TJ Searcy and Marco Jones also combined for two sacks, with A&M finishing the night with seven total. It marked A&M’s most in a conference game since 2023.
On the ground, LSU was unable to establish any progress from struggles in weeks past, with only 60 yards rushing. In the air, the Aggies’ defense held Nussmeier to only 219 yards passing, finding eight different WRs. The secondary was great in coverage and dialed up intense pressure, with safeties Dalton Brooks and Marcus Ratcliffe, along with cornerback Dezz Ricks, in the top four in the tackling department.
As for the A&M offense, it posted 40 or more points for the fifth time this season, which marked the first time doing so since 2018. A&M concluded with 426 total yards registered despite the two turnovers and having the ball for only 30 minutes.
From a combined effort of both sides of the ball, Elko and Co. now have their best start to a season since 1992 with an 8-0 record with a bye week coming up before traveling to face Missouri.
“Five SEC games in a row is hard,” Elko said. “It takes a physical toll. The bye week comes at a good time.”