No. 14 Texas A&M moves into first place in the SEC with a win over No. 8 LSU

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – No. 14 Texas A&M is in the driver's seat for the Southeastern Conference title game with a 38-23 win over No. 8 LSU on Saturday at Kyle Field. The Aggies (7-1, 5-0) secured sole possession of first place in the conference in front of 108,852 fans, the third-largest crowd in Kyle Field history. Here is the game overview:

Why did A&M win? Head coach Mike Elko had the courage to substitute quarterback Conner Weigman in favor of backup Marcel Reed early in the third quarter.

It's been a rollercoaster season for Weigman, who struggled early in the season against Notre Dame, was injured for three games, but then returned and had a standout performance against Missouri. On Saturday, he was again the season-opening quarterback, completing 6 of 18 passes for 64 yards. With the sophomore under center, the Aggies fell behind 17-7 at halftime after amassing 147 total yards.

Eight minutes before the end of the third quarter, the secondary took the lead and scored an 8-yard touchdown run on its first play to a keeper with a read option.

A&M managed 98 rushing yards in the first half, but managed 144 yards on the ground in the final two frames alone. Reed had 62 rushing yards on nine carries and three rushing touchdowns. He attempted only two passes and completed both for 70 yards.

Who stood out? Behind Reed, defensive back BJ Mayes stole the show with two interceptions, his first two as an Aggie. Both led to second-half touchdowns for the Aggies.

Aggie running back Le'Veon Moss overcame a stomach illness to score two touchdowns and 83 yards on 14 carries. Fellow defensive lineman Amari Daniels rushed for a team-high 91 yards on 12 carries.

What was a key statistic? Texas A&M continued its winning streak in the red zone, going 6-6 on the night.

What was a key piece? Taurean York secured the Aggies' third interception with just under two minutes left in the game, putting the game on ice.

What does this mean for the future? Texas A&M has never found itself in this rare situation this late in the season since joining the SEC. They can win a trip to Atlanta and thus the College Football Playoff. But as Elko said after the game, they will have the biggest target on their backs going forward.

Breakdown of positions:

attack

Offensive line: B

• The Aggies allowed two sacks and six tackles for a loss in the game, but the unit recovered and used run blocking to lead the team to victory.

Quarterback: B-

• It is a combination class between both quarterbacks. Weigman failed to start the engine in the first half, but Reed won the game with his legs. If Reed is the man for this job in the future, he will have to prove his consistency in the passing game.

Running Back: A

• Without a few sparks from Moss and Daniels, all hope would have been lost early on. It was their work in the first half that opened up the read option for Reed in the second half.

Recipient: C

• Yes, Weigman struggled in the game. But his pass catchers didn't help him much.

defense

Defensive line: B+

• The position group grew into the game after failing to put much pressure on LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier early on. The pressure late in the game contributed to the ball losses.

Linebacker: A

• Scooby Williams had a huge hit late in the game, forcing an incomplete pass on third down. York had the late interception.

Secondary level: B-

• It was up and down for this group, with missed tackles early and then a broken coverage midway through the first half that resulted in a 70-plus yard touchdown. But they came into the game in the second half and Mayes made two big interceptions.

Special teams: A

• Another day of work for Randy Bond, who scored a field goal late in the fourth. Tyler White hit the ball five times and landed inside the 20 line four times.

Coaching:A

• You have to give this team exemplary marks for having the inner strength to make the quarterback change happen.

What's next? Texas A&M travels to South Carolina (4-3, 2-3) to face the Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium at 6:30 p.m. South Carolina has had an open week.

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