No. 5 Texas A&M football has found itself in rarified air; its 5-0 record is the best start the Aggies have had since 2016.
Now, gearing up for a night-game showdown with the Florida Gators, all of Aggieland will be waiting to relish in what will be the last home football game for over a month.
Florida will not back down easily, having just upset then-No. 9 Texas at The Swamp for its first Southeastern Conference victory. With that said, who will step up for Florida, and who will A&M turn to in order to silence a reptilian resurgence?
Here’s a handful of folks to keep an eye out for in this clash of SEC foes.
Jadan Baugh, sophomore running back, Florida
No sophomore slump is coming from this Gator rusher as sophomore running back Jadan Baugh looks to be a true difference-maker in the matchup with the Aggies. Baugh was the centerpiece of the Florida running game that buried Texas from beginning to end, racking up 107 yards on the ground.
The Gators did not have a heavy emphasis on the run game before their victory over the Longhorns, but now that they have seen its potential for success, expect them to use Baugh again to their advantage.
Dallas Wilson, freshman wide receiver, Florida
Beware of this young pass catcher, 12th Man. A newcomer to the college football scene, freshman wide receiver Dallas Wilson was already playing like a veteran in his very first collegiate game last week against Texas. Wilson took command in The Swamp with the intent to dominate the field, cashing in on all of the opportunities thrown his way.
In his rookie debut, Wilson hauled in six passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns — one of which featured a dancing spin all the way into the end zone for a 55-yard score. If there is any receiver ready to anxiously take the top off the defense, look no further than Wilson.
Tyreak Sapp, redshirt senior edge rusher, Florida
A long-time veteran of the Florida program, redshirt senior edge rusher Tyreak Sapp has done it all for the defense from his spot off the edge. The towering 6-foot-3 defender had his best game of the young season against the Longhorns with six total tackles, including a tackle for loss.
Simply put, Sapp is a people mover — opening up lanes for his fellow defenders to make plays on the ball. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed will have to be careful not to hold onto the ball for too long while Sapp makes his way into the offensive backfield.
Cashius Howell, redshirt senior defensive end, Texas A&M
Shifting over to the Aggies’ side of the matchup, few defenders in the country come close to the fearsome might of redshirt senior defensive end Cashius Howell — a former Bowling Green Eagle who is on track to make his second year with A&M the best he has ever had.
Howell has become a one-man Wrecking Crew for the Maroon and White so far this season, notching his second three-sack game against Mississippi State. He currently leads the SEC in sacks, with seven so far.
Howell is on pace for A&M’s first double-digit sack season since Landis Durham’s 10.5 sack junior season in 2017, and will look to rattle sophomore QB DJ Lagway in any way he can.
Rueben Owens II, redshirt sophomore running back, Texas A&M
The Aggies have an embarrassment of riches in the running back room, with their RB2 in redshirt sophomore RB Rueben Owens II looking more like a co-RB1. The El Campo native has waited patiently for a return to the field after a leg injury kept him out of the better part of the 2024 season.
Now fully healthy, it seems like there is nothing he can’t do.
In the first half against Mississippi State, senior RB Le’Veon Moss appeared to be shaken up, opening the door for Owens to have a career night.
A personal best of 142 yards on the ground — plus a clutch 19-yard catch — made Owens an instrumental part of the victory, and he will aim to keep the pressure on opposing defenders with his best foot forward on every snap.
Tyler Onyedim, graduate defensive tackle, Texas A&M
Perhaps an unsung hero on the defensive line so far this season, graduate defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim has done exactly what has been asked of him and more since transferring in from Iowa State.
Onyedim provides a wall on the interior defensive line, plugging the run with ease and stopping opposing running backs from getting too far down the field. He, alongside graduate DT Albert Regis, have bolstered the rushing defense, and they aim to do the same against Baugh and the Gator run game.
