Normally, the task of facing the Southeastern Conference’s lowest-scoring football team wouldn’t cause much angst.
But there’s nothing normal about the task facing No. 5 Texas A&M (5-0, 2-0) against Florida (2-3, 1-1) on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Kyle Field.
Although Florida averages an SEC-low 23.4 points per game, A&M coach Mike Elko holds the Gators in high regard.
“We have an enormous challenge with Florida coming in,” Elko said earlier this week. “I think Florida’s by far the most talented team we’ve played this year.”
Most talented opponent? Really? That’s debatable considering A&M has faced No. 16 Notre Dame. Perhaps that’s coach-speak. Coaches frequently hype up the next opponent, no matter the circumstances.
Or… Maybe, just maybe, Elko isn’t spewing coach-speak but is speaking truth.
Florida entered the season ranked No. 15. The Gators’ three losses are to teams that are currently ranked (No. 2 Miami, No. 11 LSU and No. 24 South Florida).
Quarterback DJ Lagway, once a five-star prospect from Willis, is dangerous. Running back Jadan Baugh is productive. Freshman receiver Dallas Wilson is explosive.
“(Lagway is) an extremely talented quarterback,” Elko said. “I think he’s playing so much better. I think he’s made a lot of growth and taken a lot of strides. You see him very, very comfortable back there. I think he’s playing at a really, really high level. He’s a really talented kid.
“They’re really physical. They have really talented pieces on the outside. I think they create a lot of stress on you in terms of how you commit numbers to the run vs. commit numbers to coverage. They’re able to take advantage of you in a lot of different ways.
“I would say they just present a lot of challenges to you in terms of defending them.”
All that was apparent last week when the Gators defeated then-No. 9 Texas, 29-21. Lagway passed for 298 yards. Baugh rushed for 107. Wilson, making his collegiate debut, had six catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns.
“(They’re) coming off a huge top-10 win last week,” Elko said. “They’ll be full of confidence and certainly very excited to come in here and give us their best shot. We’re looking forward to the challenge.”
That’s because the unbeaten Aggies are full of confidence, too.
Last year, A&M defeated Florida in Gainesville, 33-20, in the first career start for Aggie quarterback Marcel Reed. He threw for 178 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 83 yards with another score in that victory.
Now more experienced, Reed has thrown for 1,256 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2025.
“For Marcel to go in there as a first-time starter, play the way he did, win the game the way we did… I think that brought a lot of confidence into him and then into us as a team in terms of what we can do,” Elko said. “Now, having said all of that, none of that helps us this year.”
That’s true, but Reed is getting a lot of help this year.
Mario Craver leads the SEC in receiving. KC Concepcion is fourth. Last week, Rueben Owens II rushed for a career-high 142 yards vs. Mississippi State. The previous week, Le’Veon Moss had a career-high 139 yards vs. Auburn.
Also, A&M’s defense has allowed just 19 points, 129 rushing yards and only 267 passing yards in two SEC games.
Further, A&M has found various ways to win in the last three games.
Reed passed for 360 yards in beating Notre Dame, 41-40. The defense shut down Auburn in a 16-10 victory. The running game produced 299 yards and a couple of touchdowns to subdue Mississippi State, 31-9.
Confidence and belief have grown with each win.
“The more that belief comes, the more invested they become, the more work they put in, the more they’re able to finish,” Elko said of his players. “They just have confidence that no matter how it goes, they’re going to find a way at the end to get the job done.
“I think that’s what separates really great teams from average ones.”
