Aggies improve to 6-0 for the first time since 2016 as Reed, defense shine in SEC victory. Marcel Reed threw for 234 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score as No. 5 Texas A&M continued its unbeaten run with a 34-17 win over Florida on Saturday night at Kyle Field.
The victory pushed the Aggies to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in SEC play, marking their best start since 2016. Florida (2-4, 1-2) was unable to build on last week’s 29-21 upset of then-No. 9 Texas, as head coach Billy Napier fell to 0-14 on the road against ranked opponents.
Texas A&M stormed out of the gates, scoring touchdowns on its first three possessions to grab early control. But after that hot start, the Aggies managed only a field goal until Rueben Owens powered in from two yards out with 4:30 remaining to seal the win. That drive consumed more than eight minutes of clock after Florida failed to capitalize on an interception in the end zone by Jordan Castell to start the fourth quarter.
“It’s my job to make sure our offense stays upbeat, even when things stall,” Reed said after the game. “We kept believing, and the defense gave us the chances we needed.”
The Aggies’ defense set up the final stretch. Dayon Hayes sacked Florida freshman quarterback DJ Lagway and forced a fumble that A&M recovered on the first play of the Gators’ next drive. The Aggies added a field goal to put the game out of reach.
The teams traded blows early, ending the first quarter tied at 14. Lagway opened the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Amir Jackson before Reed scrambled in from eight yards out on A&M’s first drive, a possession set up by a 67-yard strike to Mario Craver.
Reed then hit Jamarion Morrow for a 22-yard touchdown to give A&M a 14-7 lead, but Florida responded as Lagway connected with Dallas Wilson from six yards out after a 31-yard completion to Vernell Brown III.
Le’Veon Moss put the Aggies ahead for good early in the second quarter with a bruising 22-yard touchdown run, powering through a defender on his way to the end zone.
Texas A&M’s defense continued its remarkable SEC trend on third down, holding Florida to just 1 of 10 conversions. Over their three conference games, Aggie opponents have combined for only 2 conversions in 33 attempts — including 1-for-10 by Mississippi State last week and 0-for-13 by Auburn in the SEC opener.
The defense also came up big in the turnover battle. Brown fumbled early in the third quarter, leading to a short A&M drive capped by a 26-yard field goal that made it 24-14.
Lagway threw for 245 yards and two touchdowns but was harassed throughout the night by A&M’s front. Brown led the Gators with six catches for 77 yards, but his fumble proved costly. Florida’s lone second-half points came on a 45-yard field goal with seven minutes left in the third quarter.
Napier’s decision to go for it on fourth-and-6 near midfield early in the fourth quarter — instead of punting in a one-score game — backfired when Lagway’s pass was tipped and fell incomplete.
“Looking back, we wanted to be aggressive and keep our offense on the field,” Napier said. “But against a team like that, every missed opportunity hurts.”
Texas A&M finished with 183 rushing yards, one week after running for 303 in a win over Mississippi State. Owens ran for 51 yards and a touchdown, while Moss added 46 yards and a score before leaving in the second quarter with an apparent injury.
The Aggies could climb higher in the AP Top 25 after No. 3 Oregon’s home loss to Indiana earlier Saturday. For Florida, the defeat drops Napier to 21-23 in four seasons in Gainesville, with a daunting schedule still ahead — including matchups with No. 10 Georgia and No. 4 Ole Miss.
A raucous crowd of 105,086 packed Kyle Field, marking the Aggies’ 10th straight home game with more than 100,000 fans. Florida: Hosts Mississippi State next Saturday. Texas A&M: Travels to Arkansas in Week 8.
