Copyright Yardbarker
The No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies have been one of the most complete teams in college football this season, but somehow seem to get overlooked when assessing who the top teams in the sport currently are. With an 8-0 record (5-0 SEC), Texas A&M has a pair of ranked wins over then-No. 8 Notre Dame, 41-40, and No. 20 LSU, 49-25. The Aggies score the eighth-most points per game (37.8) and are tied with SEC foe and 18th-ranked Oklahoma for the most sacks per game on average (four). Former player and current ESPN analyst Sam Acho was asked if he is all gas or no brakes for Texas A&M during Wednesday's edition of "College Football Live" and made it clear which direction he leans. Sam Acho has high praise for Texas A&M after undefeated start "We are all gassed on the Aggies. Ignore inertia, ignore gravity, ignore history and just focus on the freshmen," Acho said. "This Aggies team is winning on all phases of the game. (Wide receiver) KC Concepcion, a transfer from NC State, you see it with the punt return touchdown. Had one earlier in the season. "But it's not just that, it's their defense... One of the best defenses on third down. And oh by the way, if defense can't do it, give me (quarterback) Marcel Reed on the offense. So, they're winning on all three phases. Even if they slip up over these next several weeks, I still believe they'll be in the College Football Playoff." Texas A&M not only gets pressure on opposing QBs, but it also excels on third down, as Acho mentioned. The Aggies only allow 21.78% of third downs to be converted, which is second only to No. 1 Ohio State (21.05%), per TeamRankings. Texas A&M has given up at least 40 points twice this season and 20 or more points five times, but the ferociousness the defense plays with and the stops in key moments are a big reason why they are still undefeated. The sophomore QB Reed has been sensational, passing for 1,972 yards, 17 TDs and six interceptions, all while being sacked just six times. His 76.3 QBR is 21st in the country, which speaks to his importance to the team and why they have had so much success this season. To be fair, Texas A&M's schedule has been fairly straightforward up to this point compared to some of the other teams in the SEC. A trip to Columbia to face No. 19 Missouri on Saturday should be a good test, and a rivalry game against in-state rival and No. 20 Texas to close out the regular season on Nov. 28 could cause some problems. However, with no scheduled meeting with No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Georgia, No. 7 Ole Miss or No. 9 Vanderbilt, it is hard to fully know where this team is at until it gets through the remainder of its schedule. With that said, it has done its part to take care of business in all the key areas and is in a position to make its first trip to the CFP if it finishes the season strong. So far, there is a lot to like about the Aggies and how they stack up heading into the final month of the regular season.
