The Lone Star Showdown returned to college football’s rivalry sphere last season, ending a 13-year hiatus that began when Texas A&M joined the SEC. Texas’ arrival in the conference ahead of the 2024 campaign rejuvenated the hatred between the in-state foes, and the Longhorns got the better of the Aggies in a 17-7 defensive slugfest. That did not sit well with Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed.
Following the loss on his home turf in College Station, Reed already has his eyes on the Nov. 28 opportunity to return the favor in Austin.
“I’m as juiced up as anybody else gets for a rivalry game,” Reed said on SportsCenter. “I’m really excited to get the opportunity to play Texas again, get a little bit of revenge, and then to also do it in Austin. That’s our expectation this year, and we hope to go out there and dominate really just from Week 1 all the way up until then.”
Reed started eight games for the Aggies last year, and the rivalry showdown was the only one of those contests in which he did not record a touchdown. Texas A&M crossed the goal line once in their quiet performance as Reed passed for just 146 yards — his fewest as a starter — and tossed one of his six interceptions on the year. He did, however, make an impact on the ground with 56 yards on 14 carries.
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Texas A&M’s loss to the Longhorns effectively ended its pursuit of a College Football Playoff berth and was part of a three-game losing streak to end the year. The Aggies took noticeable steps forward with Reed under center, though, despite the string of defeats. He enters 2025 as the unquestioned starter and has some of the most promising rushing ability among SEC quarterbacks.
Reed’s standing in the SEC signal-caller pecking order leaves room for improvement, however. Inconsistency as a passer and uncomfortability under pressure hindered him from leveling the Aggies’ offense up against top competition, as evidenced by the meager performance against Texas.
The stakes for this year’s Lone Star Showdown should be just as high as they were last season, when the rivalry series emerged from its dormancy. Texas enters the season as the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25, and Texas A&M projects again as a playoff bubble team with its No. 19 preseason ranking.
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