No. 9 Texas A&M held off Auburn for a 16-10 win Saturday at Kyle Field, relying on its defensive unit and a powerful rushing attack to remain unbeaten in SEC play.
Le’Veon Moss powered the Aggies (4-0, 1-0 SEC) with 139 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, leading a ground game that piled up 207 yards. Texas A&M started fast, marching 66 yards on its opening drive and scoring on Moss’s 1-yard plunge. Randy Bond extended the Aggies’ lead with three field goals, hitting from 33 and 49 yards before halftime and delivering a decisive 44-yarder late in the fourth quarter.
Auburn (3-2, 0-2 SEC) managed to stay within reach on a 32-yard field goal from Alex McPherson early in the second quarter and closed the gap to 13-10 in the fourth after a crucial interception return to the Aggies’ 2-yard line set up Jackson Arnold’s short touchdown run. Still, Texas A&M’s defense made the stops when it mattered most; the Aggies blocked a punt, recorded five sacks, and held Auburn to 177 yards while forcing twelve punts.
Auburn’s offensive struggles centered on third downs, as the Tigers went 0-for-13 for the game. Quarterback Jackson Arnold completed 18 of 33 passes for 125 yards, but the Tigers’ offense never found a rhythm. Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed completed 15 of 22 passes for 207 yards, despite throwing one interception.
The Aggies finished with a 414-177 edge in total yardage and controlled possession for nearly 34 minutes. Despite being flagged 13 times for 119 yards, Texas A&M never let Auburn capitalize on those opportunities, and the Aggies’ defense tightened in the red zone, limiting Auburn to one touchdown on its lone trip inside the 20.
Texas A&M improved to 4-0 and will host Florida on October 11, one week after the Gators face the Texas Longhorns, whom A&M will meet in November at DKR Stadium in Austin.