Nov 11, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Fadil Diggs (10), defensive back Tyreek Chappell (7) and Texas A&M Aggies defensive back Dalton Brooks (25) react during the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Texas A&M Aggies vs UTSA Roadrunners Preview: Keys To Victory

Originally posted on Texas A&M Aggies on SI
By Olivia Sims | Last updated Aug 27, 2025 8:00 AM ET

To open the year, Texas A&M brings in UTSA for Week 1 of the college football season, in hopes of starting the year off strong. After a disappointing end to such a promising season, Texas A&M has the opportunity to have a breakthrough season.

After securing a few key transfers out of the portal, such as wide receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver, the Aggies have the opportunity to have a powerful offense this season. On that same side of the ball, Texas A&M returns the entire offensive line unit, making for a trustworthy and veteran O-Line.

With the Aggies kicking off their season against an in-state program, expect UTSA to be fired up and give everything they have on the field. As for the Aggies, they have a couple of keys that can lead them to victory if they execute them well.

Get Wide Receivers Involved Early

With the addition of Concepcion and Craver coming into the wide receiver room, and quarterback Marcel Reed improving on his passing game this summer, this can be an extremely offensive Texas A&M football team.

Last season, the Aggies used the running game more than anything, picking up a total of 2,545 rushing yards split between 11 players. Reed had a passing completion percentage of 61.3, yet after fall camp, he should be even more accurate heading into the season.

Concepcion and Craver are both transfers from NC State and Mississippi State, respectively; therefore, they understand the intensity of top-level programs and what it takes to win. If the Aggies can incorporate the wide receivers early in the game, they can come out victorious by a large margin.

Passing Defense Sharpens

A big blow for the Aggies last year was their defense, more specifically, their passing defense. The Aggies fell in 13th place in the Southeastern Conference in passing yards allowed with 232.2 per game, ranking just above Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, and Arkansas.

If the Aggies can lock down on the passing defense early in the game, UTSA may not be able to run the ball as well as they think. The Aggies' defense was very up and down last season, as they ranked No. 3 in the SEC in interceptions with 16 for a conference high of 249 yards.

If Reed can utilize his arm that he worked on during fall camp to move the ball down the field, the Aggies will be in great shape. With both that and the veteran offensive line working in front of Reed, the Aggies have a chance to be extremely explosive this season.

Heading into year two under head coach Mike Elko, who is a defensive weapon, Texas A&M's defense could be much improved from last season.

This article first appeared on Texas A&M Aggies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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