By KACE KIESCHNICK, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
Instead of the heavyweight top 10 showdown that could have been held in Baton Rouge on Saturday (6:30 p.m.), No. 10 LSU (2-1, 0-1 SEC) and No. 23 Texas A&M (2-1, 0-1) will meet in a near must-win game for both teams coming off losses in their Southeastern Conference openers.
The Aggies lost to Kentucky (2-1, 1-1) 31-21 at home after giving up 21 points in the third quarter. The Wildcats ran for 156 yards and two touchdowns while Notre Dame transfer quarterback Kenny Minchey completed 14 of 18 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns. Texas A&M was favored by over 16 points.
“That was probably one of the worst defensive performances we’ve had in my tenure here,” coach Mike Elko said at his regular Monday press conference. “I own that. That’s on me.”
Kentucky’s offense controlled the line of scrimmage for much of the game, although A&M was able to record two sacks and three tackles for loss. Elko’s defense has featured excellent trench play over the last two seasons but is not known for sending heavy blitzes. He said Kentucky’s seven-man protection gave them problems but expects his defense to be better against LSU.
“We have a lot of pride in how we play defense here, and I think we will rise to the challenge,” Elko said.
Preseason All-SEC kick returner Terry Bussey was hurt on the opening kickoff, and Elko confirmed he would be out for the remainder of the season.
Bussey was a five-star signee and ESPN’s top-rated athlete in the class of 2024. The wide receiver caught just 17 and 18 passes the prior two seasons but was poised for a bigger role in the offense this year. Through the first two games, he made seven catches for 92 yards and scored a rushing touchdown.
His role will be filled by four-star freshman Aaron Gregory, a consensus top 15 wide receiver recruit in the 2026 class.
“I think it’s an opportunity for him to step up,” Elko said. “Obviously a young kid and he’ll be playing his first college road game but he’s a really talented kid and a very competitive kid.”
The trip to Death Valley will be the first away game for the Aggies this season. Elko said that Gregory will not be the only young player receiving the baptism by fire.
“There’s a lot of new starters again making their first road trip and certainly a lot of easier venues I would choose to do that in, but I think you draw from a little bit of the confidence we’ve had over the two years and being able to win some games on the road in some of these hostile environments,” Elko said, “but certainly Saturday night’s going to be an extreme challenge for us.”
Since Elko took over the Texas A&M football program in 2024, the Aggies are 6-3 on the road with a loss to No. 3 Texas last year and losses to Auburn and South Carolina in 2024. He led them to road wins in Tiger Stadium, at No. 8 Notre Dame and at No. 22 Missouri last year.
Elko’s Aggies also have a reassuring 2-0 record against the Tigers. A&M has outscored LSU 87-48 over the last two seasons.
But Elko said he has only gone head to head with Lane Kiffin once in his career. When Elko was the Texas A&M defensive coordinator in 2021, the No. 11 Aggies lost to Kiffin’s No. 15 Ole Miss Rebels 29-19. Elko said Kiffin’s offense has changed dramatically since then.
“I got a lot of respect for Lane,” Elko said. “I think he’s a really good football coach. I think he does a really good job. I think he did a phenomenal job at Ole Miss, and I’m sure he’ll do a really good job at LSU.”
In both of Elko’s wins over LSU, quarterback Marcel Reed gave coordinator Blake Baker’s defense fits. In 2024, he entered the game in the third quarter as Elko looked to kick-start his offense. Reed finished the outing with 62 yards and three touchdowns on just nine rushing attempts and was two-for-two for 70 yards as a passer. Last season, Reed threw for 202 yards, two scores and two interceptions and ran for 108 yards and two TDs.
Reed has been criticized at times for his inconsistency, even by Elko. He rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown and threw for 236 yards and a score against Kentucky but also completed just 26 of his 49 passes and threw two interceptions, missing open throws at times. Elko, though, stuck by his starter.
“I have a lot of confidence in Marcel, and I believe in Marcel,” he said. “Marcel’s our quarterback.”
Despite Reed’s mobile playmaking ability, Elko said he does not scheme up designed runs for him. He said Reed does his biggest damage by improvising off the edge and some teams allow him to do that while others do not.
Elko was asked if Reed and LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt were similar because of their mobility.
“I think they’re completely different quarterbacks,” Elko said. “I think what I see in Sam is like an ultra competitive kid. He’s got an ability to hurt you with his legs, but maybe in a different type of way. He’s a fast kid. He’s escapable, but he will throw his body around. He doesn’t back down from contact at all.”
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