No. 4 Texas A&M takes unbeaten record on road to face Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — For only the second time this season, No. 4 Texas A&M is hitting the road.

The Aggies (6-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) visit Arkansas (2-4, 0-2) on Saturday afternoon to start a three-game road trip.

For the first time since 2020 and second since 2013, the programs will meet on a campus rather than AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Texas A&M coach Mike Elko would rather play at the home of the Dallas Cowboys than visit the Razorbacks.

“The thing from a coaching perspective is when you have to go on the road, you’d rather go play at a neutral site,” Elko said. “When you have an opportunity to play at home, you’d rather play at home. It just kind of is what it is. You’ve just got to deal with it.”

One of two unbeaten teams in the SEC, the Aggies are looking to improve to 7-0 overall for the first time since 1994. The Razorbacks are hoping to end a four-game losing streak.

Texas A&M has won 12 of the past 13 meetings.

Petrino’s back

When Arkansas fired coach Sam Pittman on Sept. 28, offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino was named the Razorbacks’ interim head coach.

Petrino on Saturday will roam the sideline in Fayetteville as Arkansas’ coach for the first time since Nov. 12, 2011. His Razorbacks teams from 2008-11 were 3-0 against the Aggies.

Petrino has been on the other side, too — he was Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator in 2023.

Loss of Moss

The Aggies will be without top rusher Le’Veon Moss on Saturday after he sustained an ankle injury last week that Elko said will keep him out for a significant period. Moss had five carries for 46 yards, highlighted by a 22-yard touchdown run, before he was injured in the second quarter against Florida. He leads the Aggies with 70 carries for 389 yards and six touchdowns.

With Moss out, the Aggies will make Rueben Owens II, a sophomore who is second on the team with 327 yards rushing, their primary ball carrier. He had 51 yards rushing and scored his first touchdown of the season last Saturday, a week after he had a career-high 142 yards rushing in a win over Mississippi State.

“It’s good for him that he’s now hitting his groove,” Elko said.

Third-down success

The Aggies have allowed opponents to convert only 2 of 33 third-down opportunities in their three SEC games this season. They limited Florida to 1 of 10 on third-down conversions after Mississippi State converted just 1 of 10 the week before. Those performances came after they kept Auburn from converting any of its 13 chances in the conference opener.

“We’ve got to continue to keep people off schedule,” Elko said. “We’ve got to continue to bring that rush every week. You’re one week away from it all going away. But, obviously, it’s been a pretty good stretch for us.”

Dual-threat quarterbacks

Arkansas’ Taylen Green and Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed rank third and fourth, respectively, among SEC quarterbacks in passing yards, but that is far from the full scope of their impact.

In addition to 1,490 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, Reed has rushed for 186 yards and three scores. Green has thrown for 1,654 yards and 14 touchdowns, and added 504 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

“I think he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the country,” Elko said of Green. “He’s got the ability to hurt you in so many different ways.”

Petrino was around Reed daily during his stint with the Aggies.

“He’s got tremendous quickness and speed,” Petrino said of Reed. “He’s kind of a play maker. He moves around and makes plays. He keeps his eyes downfield.”

Common opponent

Texas A&M and Arkansas have both faced Notre Dame this season.

The Aggies topped the Irish 41-40 on Sept. 13 in their lone road game to this point. Texas A&M used a 13-play, 74-yard drive capped by an 11-yard touchdown pass from Reed to take the lead with 13 seconds remaining.

The Razorbacks fell at home to Notre Dame 56-13 on Sept. 27, and Pittman was fired the next day.

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