No. 5 Texas A&M (5-0, 2-0 SEC) faces its toughest test of the season thus far with the Florida Gators (2-3, 1-1 SEC) coming to Kyle Field after defeating Texas 29-21 in The Swamp, while the Aggies are less than a week removed from defeating Mississippi State 31-9 after 24 unanswered points in the second half.
On paper, Texas A&M possesses an advantage on both sides of the ball, starting with more consistent quarterback play, more options in the passing game, and a more consistent run game that is beginning to find its footing after producing 299 yards on the ground against the Bulldogs.
Florida‘s defense, currently ranked 24th nationally, has not let up, even in the Gators’ three losses, as the lack of offense hasn’t hindered what has been a consistently strong defense with talent at every level. Matching Texas A&M’s 21st-ranked defense, this could be a slugfest if Texas A&M starting quarterback Marcel Reed doesn’t find an early rhythm in the passing game, combined with the Aggies’ offensive line repeating its elite performance over the last two SEC wins.
One glaring statistic that stands out is Florida’s ability to create pressure up front without blitzing, at an alarming 60% after the Gators’ win over Texas. This could be attributed to the Longhorns‘ poor blocking, but it is still something to monitor during the game’s early stages.
Either way, Texas A&M’s offensive line has yet to struggle in pass protection against Notre Dame and Auburn’s respectable defensive lines, so I don’t expect a massive shift in performance heading into Saturday.
However, Texas A&M’s most significant advantage is in explosive plays, where the Aggies are ranked 16th, compared to Florida at 109, knowing that transfer wide receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver, who have combined for nearly 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns, can’t both be bracketed, providing Marcel Reed early options to make chunk gains through the air.
Lastly, penalties could make or break the Aggies’ chances of reaching 6-0, as they are ranked 132nd nationally with 47 penalties for 375 yards, which should be addressed sooner rather than later. However, Florida, ranked 29th with 28 penalties, appears to be the more disciplined team, which is surprising.
The bottom line? If Texas A&M can avoid penalties and build a healthy lead in the first half, assuming the defense prevents big plays and keeps Florida at bay, I’m confident the Aggies will take care of business during the final home game of the month.
Outside of starting quarterback DJ Lagway and freshman wide receiver Dallas Wilson, who will be the primary targets for Texas A&M’s defense, sophomore running back Jaden Baugh, who ran for 107 and a touchdown against the Longhorns, could be a problem if A&M’s run defense doesn’t stop the run early.
Florida at Texas A&M by the numbers pic.twitter.com/g20ByNMg98
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) October 7, 2025
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M and Florida’s strengths, weaknesses before Week 7 matchup
