In the first Lone Star Showdown in over a decade, the Texas A&M Aggies struggled to produce anything throughout the contest, resulting in their season unceremoniously ending with a 17-7 loss to the Texas Longhorns.

From the first offensive drive of the game that resulted in a turnover on downs to the final drive that resulted in a fumble, there wasn’t much positive for the Aggie football team tonight.

The team failed to score an offensive touchdown for the first time this year and was tied at home in the first half, the first time since Mississippi State held them scoreless in 2017.

However, hindsight is always 20/20, and here are five takeaways from the first Lone Star Showdown since 2011.

Offensive problems are holding Aggies back

It was almost as if Texas A&M abandoned its offense at Auburn.

Marcel Reed completed 16 of 23 pass attempts and also ran the ball 14 times for 56 yards. However, Reed couldn’t reach the end zone with either his arms or legs and also threw an interception. Offensive struggles were inconsistent throughout the team. Amari Daniels and even the returning Rueben Owens couldn’t get much going in the running game, combining for 31 yards.

The offense started the game with a turnover on downs and the ensuing drive was Reed’s only interception of the night. The Aggies turned the ball over twice more on downs that night, and their final drive ended with a fumble by Reed that was recovered by the Longhorns, ending the Texas A&M team’s last hope.

Get the defense back on point

Texas running back Quintrevion Wisner had a performance on the field tonight that was very similar to Notre Dame and McNeese’s performance against the Aggies earlier in the season. Wisner ran the ball 33 times for 186 yards, his highest total of the season. The Longhorns combined for 240 yards on the ground, nearly double the average of what the Aggie defense had allowed all season.

With Nic Scourton heading into the NFL draft next spring, this isn’t the void the Aggie run defense needs to see after lackluster performances over the past few years.

What happened?

Texas A&M started SEC play 5-0 after a big comeback win against LSU put them atop the SEC standings at one point. Fast forward to tonight, and that LSU win ended up being the team’s last conference win of the season, after which the team was beaten in the running game at South Carolina, lost in four overtimes to the Auburn Tigers, and got picked apart by theirs biggest rivals tonight.

It’s like the switch was flipped at the worst time for the team. Mike Elko will certainly want to avoid this next year.

Roller coaster pass defense

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers completed 61% of his passes on the night and went 17 of 28 with a touchdown and an interception. He found running back Jaydon Blue in the back corner of the end zone for both teams’ only passing touchdown tonight.

While speedy receiver Isaiah Bond didn’t receive a single score tonight, tight end Gunnar Helm showed why he is one of the best college tight ends in the game today by catching six passes for 56 yards and leading the Longhorns in receptions.

Even when third or fourth down fell to the Horns, it always seemed like Ewers would find someone open, as Texas racked up 26 first downs on the night.

Wasted opportunities

The game was a textbook definition of “one step forward, two steps back” for the Aggies. On their first drive, they pushed deep into Longhorn territory, but a turnover on downs instantly erased their progress.

In the fourth quarter, a blocked punt at the Texas four-yard line left the Aggies seemingly red-carpeted back into the game if they could just find their way into the end zone. But unfortunately it wasn’t to be, as another turnover on downs put Texas A&M further away from the win.

The Aggies created opportunities but never seemed to capitalize on them.

The Longhorns will now face the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship next week, and the Aggies will now look to improve their schedule heading into 2025.

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