On Saturday, the 12th Man saw their first look at Mike Elko’s 2026 Aggies.
The day consisted of a few eye-popping chunk plays, miscues and, unfortunately, injuries.
QB1 Marcel Reed took the field with his offense consisting of playmakers like Mario Craver, Jamarion Morrow and more. A 23-yard rush from the sophomore tailback and penalties on Landon Rink and Ryan Henderson willed the White team downfield.
Colorado transfer Tawfiq Byard was credited with two tackles on the drive that resulted in a 39-yard field goal from David Olano.
Isaiah Horton quickly turned heads with a first-down snag, rocking #7 for the opposing team. A few names on the Maroon front seven, like Marco Jones, Noah Mikhail and CJ Mims, did a good job of stopping the run.
Ashton Bethel-Roman hauled in a 35-yard catch on fourth down to keep the drive alive, but a few incompletions led to a 29-yard kick from Asher Murray.
The White team consequently stalled out at their 45-yard line.
Helaman Casuga saw reps under center for the Maroon squad, throwing a 30-yard pick-six to Noah Mikhail on second down.
Brady Hart took back over and found Horton once again, who made a striking 33-yard grab before the first quarter expired.
The drive concluded with another field goal from Murray, this time from 28 yards. Both squads traded punts as the second quarter rolled on.
Brandon Arrington flashed with a pass breakup on a deep ball to fellow freshman Aaron Gregory. Horton added another 30-yard catch to his impressive day, and a 46-yarder by Murray chipped away at the deficit for the Maroon team.
The first half was called with 1:26 left after what looked to be a gruesome ankle injury to captain and linebacker Daymion Sanford.
With a running clock in the second half, Anto Saka kicked off the action, taking down Paxton Land on a failed flea flicker for a loss of seven. The teams traded wasted drives until Craver hauled in a 40-yard gain.
The deep ball set up another field goal for Olano, knocking it through from 33 yards out.
With starters sidelined in the fourth, Eli Morcos hit Will Hargett for a 41-yard completion, but a turnover on downs followed.
In the final minutes, Casuga led Maroon on a last-ditch, game-winning drive that covered 61 yards in 11 plays over the final 6:59, culminating in a 23-yard touchdown pass to Luke Braden with two seconds to play.
RUMBLED: As good as advertised. Isaiah Horton wowed the crowd in attendance with a couple of grabs that could have been easy incompletions for the Maroon squad. The transfer totaled 511 yards on 42 receptions with the Crimson Tide a year ago and is expected to be a large part of A&M’s offense in 2026.
STUMBLED: Neither offense scored until the last play of the day. Does this mean A&M’s defense is really good, or is it cause for panic on the offensive side? Either way, it’s not ideal but made for an exciting finish.
TURNING POINT: Although it’s considered a competitive game, the Maroon & White Game’s chill nature didn’t provide any harsh shift of emotions, outside of those wishing Sanford well.
UNSUNG HERO: The kicking game looked vastly improved. Both David Olano and Asher Murray got to show their legs on Saturday. Down the stretch a year ago, the 12th Man held their breath when Elko sent the kicking team out. It appears as if that won’t be the case in 2026.
KEY STAT: There are now 140 days until we’re all back at Kyle Field.
Scoring Summary
First-quarter
White: 14:47 - David Olano 39-yard field goal. Drive: 7 plays, 54 yards. TOP 3:41. White 3, Maroon 0
Maroon: 5:17 - Asher Murray 29-yard field goal. Drive: 12 plays, 64 yards. TOP 6:02. White 3, Maroon 3
White: 1:46 - Noah Mikhail 30-yard interception for touchdown. White 10, Maroon 3
Second-quarter
Maroon: 12:38 - Asher Murray 28-yard field goal. Drive: 9 plays, 64 yards. TOP 10:52. White 10, Maroon 6
Maroon: 4:08 - Asher Murray 43-yard field goal. Drive: 7 plays, 44 yards. TOP 2:49. White 10, Maroon 9
Third-quarter
White: 1:40 - David Olano 33-yard field goal. Drive: 6 plays, 55 yards. TOP 4:19. White 13, Maroon 9
Fourth-quarter
Maroon: 0:02 - Helaman Casuga 23-yard touchdown pass to Luke Braden. Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards. TOP 6:59. Maroon 15, White 13
