LSU running back Dilin Jones (13) carries for a long gain against Texas A&M in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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LSU running back Dilin Jones (13) carries for a long gain in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Texas A&M, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Gerald Herbert/Associated Press
LSU wide receiver Jackson Harris (4) pulls in a touchdown pass against Texas A&M cornerback Julio Humphrey (6) in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Gerald Herbert/Associated Press
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed (10) scrambles in the first half of an NCAA college football game against LSU, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Gerald Herbert/Associated Press
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed (10) scrambles in the first half of an NCAA college football game against LSU, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Gerald Herbert/Associated Press
LSU running back Dilin Jones (13) celebrates his touchdown in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Texas A&M, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Gerald Herbert/Associated Press
LSU running back Dilin Jones (13) carries for a long gain against Texas A&M in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Gerald Herbert/Associated Press
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed (10) passes against LSU in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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LSU defensive tackle Deuce Geralds (99) bats a pass by Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed (10) in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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Texas A&M tight end Houston Thomas (87) is tackled on a. Pass reception by LSU linebacker TJ Dottery (6) and cornerback PJ Woodland (11) in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed (10) carries past LSU cornerback DJ Pickett (5) in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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LSU player kneel in prayer before an NCAA college football game against Texas A&M, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko walks on the field before an NCAA college football game against LSU, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed (10) warms up before an NCAA college football game against LSU, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Gerald Herbert/Associated Press
LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) carries against Texas A&M in the first half of an NCAA college football game against LSU, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Gerald Herbert/Associated Press
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed (10) greets teammates as they take to the field before an NCAA college football game against LSU, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Gerald Herbert/Associated Press
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed (10) greets teammates as they take to the field before an NCAA college football game against LSU, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Gerald Herbert/Associated Press
BATON ROUGE, La. — Getting upset at home by an unranked Kentucky team was cause for concern last week, but if you were looking for an excuse, you could possibly reason that Texas A&M was just looking ahead to the following week’s showdown against LSU.
That went even worse for the Aggies.
No. 10 LSU walloped No. 23 Texas A&M 35-6 Saturday in front of 102,321 rowdy fans at Tiger Stadium. The loss almost certainly will drop Texas A&M (2-2 overall, 0-2 SEC) out of the Top 25 for the first time since the end of the 2024 season, the first with Mike Elko as head coach. The 29-point defeat is the most lopsided in the Aggies’ Mike Elko Era and the worst in program history since a 50-7 blowout in this stadium to the 2019 LSU team that won it all.
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This iteration wasn’t as bad as that, but the Aggies offense couldn’t muster much of anything, with Marcel Reed completing just 10-of-26 passes for 106 yards with an interception. With the game out of hand late, sophomore Brady Hart entered the game at quarterback and had his first pass attempt intercepted.
Things had long been decided at that point with the key moment coming early in the third quarter when things really got away from the Aggies.
Coming out of halftime with a 14-3 lead, LSU (3-1, 1-1), which lost an emotional game at Mississippi last week, went for the throat with a gutsy fourth-down call on its first possession of the second half. Facing a 4th-and-1 near midfield, LSU lined up like they would run the ball, but Lane Kiffin, who has beaten Texas A&M four straight times, had a wrinkle for the Aggies defense. Tigers receiver Jackson Harris hesitated at the line of scrimmage like he was staying in to block before escaping behind the Aggies’ front unnoticed, giving Sam Leavitt a wide-open target for a 57-yard touchdown and a 21-3 edge.
Feeling a sense of urgency on the ensuing possession, Elko opted to keep the Aggies’ offense on the field on a 4th-and-1 of its own from its 34-yard line. This one didn’t go nearly as well for the Aggies. Carsyn Baker was stuffed on a run up the middle, giving the ball right back to the Tigers.
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Six plays later, Landen Clark, getting snaps at quarterback with Leavitt limping around the field when he was out there, kept the ball for a four-yard touchdown run and a 28-3 lead midway through the third quarter.
Texas A&M responded with a long field goal, but LSU, which suffered an injury to star linebacker Whit Weeks, came right back with another Clark touchdown run, this time from two yards out, to take a 35-6 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Things were closer in the first half, but the Texas A&M offense wasn’t any better, getting the ball six times, but only crossing midfield twice and getting inside the LSU 40 just once.
The Aggies did mount one extended drive in the first two quarters, going 62 yards on 15 plays, but the drive stalled once they got inside the 10. Texas A&M set itself up with a first-and-goal at the LSU 7, but couldn’t get much closer. Baker got stuffed with a 1-yard run up the middle, followed by a pair of incompletions from Reed. Texas A&M had to settle for a 24-yard field goal from David Olano.
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LSU got on the board on its second possession of the game. Dillin Jones ignited the drive with a rugged run of 36 yards where he broke several tackles to get deep into Texas A&M territory. Five plays later, Jones took a direct snap into the end zone for a 7-0 lead.
After the Aggies cut the lead to 7-3, LSU broke away a bit with a long drive right before halftime. The Tigers drove the ball 83 yards with most of that coming on two chunk plays from Leavitt to Winston Watkins Jr., for gains of 36 and 35 yards, respectively. Leavitt cashed in on the drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Harris that put the Tigers up 14-3 right before the half.