Oh, and the other side of the ball completely balled out as well, as the defense allowed just 67 \u2014 yes, that\u2019s right, 67 \u2014 yards in a dominating effort that might not be matched by that unit all year long.<\/p>\n
And that\u2019s the simple answer. When somebody asks, \u201cWhat part of the defensive effort was the most impressive?\u201d it\u2019s easy to point toward that statistic. Because when everything is said and done, if the opponent can\u2019t move the ball, then it\u2019s more than likely going to fail at its goal of coming away with a victory.<\/p>\n
But there\u2019s another number from the shutout that might tell us more about what Texas A&M<\/a> can carry into its matchup with Arizona State.<\/p>\n Texas A&M Kept Getting Off the Field Sep 5, 2026; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies safety Myles Davis (13) tackles Missouri State Bears quarterback Skyler Locklear (9) during the second quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n Four first downs, three turnovers, just under 17 minutes of possession, and just 1.6 yards per rush. It was an insane effort from the defense. And sure, it\u2019s just Missouri State, but that honestly doesn\u2019t mean all that much. Those are Division I athletes on the other side of the ball. Albeit they\u2019re not SEC-caliber athletes, at least the vast majority of them – those players have skill, or else they wouldn\u2019t be playing college football.<\/p>\n More importantly, however, was Missouri State\u2019s inability to progress drives on later downs, as the Aggies held it to just 1-of-10 on third down and 1-of-2 on fourth down.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the part of the performance that should be particularly encouraging for Texas A&M. Whenever the Aggies had an opportunity to end a possession, they almost always did. That ability is going to matter considerably more against Arizona State.<\/p>\n Arizona State Presents a Much Different Challenge Sep 5, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham after the game against the Morgan State Bears at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham has always been able to produce teams that can move the ball and score points, and the Sun Devils aren\u2019t going to be overwhelmed by Texas A&M\u2019s talent the same way Missouri State was. Sure, Sam Leavitt isn\u2019t the quarterback in Tempe anymore, but doubting Dillingham\u2019s ability to get the most out of his signal caller would be foolhardy.<\/p>\n Arizona State\u2019s aggressiveness should also put Texas A&M in situations where its third- and fourth-down defense matters. The Aggies aren\u2019t going to hold the Sun Devils to 67 yards, nor should anybody expect them to replicate every absurd number from Saturday evening\u2019s shutout.<\/p>\n The good news is that they don\u2019t necessarily have to.<\/p>\n If Texas A&M can continue getting off the field when given the opportunity, it would allow the defense to shoulder some of the load<\/a> while an offense that showed some early growing pains continues to find its footing.<\/p>\n \u00a0Sign up to our free newsletter <\/a>and follow us on Facebook<\/a>, X<\/a> and Instagram<\/a> for the latest news.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Texas](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/01m1z00d7q4etn918yqr.jpg\" "\\"Texas")
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