The Texas A&M Football team came into their matchup against New Mexico in dire need of a big win. After a blowout against Kent State in Week 1, the Aggies skidded to victory against Colorado with their backup quarterback.
There was no option for Texas A&M in their Week 3 matchup against New Mexico. Even a close victory would have sent a wave of worry over the Aggie fanbase. Thankfully, Jimbo Fisher understands this better than everybody.
The Texas A&M Football team gave coaches, fans, and players hope that they’re still a contender
Texas A&M walked onto Kyle Field and gave fans as much of a confidence-building victory as possible. Granted, their opponent in New Mexico is one of the worst programs in the country when they face top-25 opponents. Still, A&M asserted its dominance.
In the contest, they outgained the Lobos 429 to 122, proving that their opponent didn’t stand a chance. The final score would be 34-0, with the Aggies sending the New Mexico Football team home with frowns on their faces.
If there were any worries that this team wasn’t talented enough to make the College Football Playoff this season, they’re gone. A&M looked as good as can be. After a week of preparation without their starting quarterback, the team looked great again.
And in such a dominating victory, there were a handful of exciting plays, first-time appearances, and positive notes. Today, I’m going to go over the three best parts of A&M’s blowout win over New Mexico.
Texas A&M Football backup QB Zach Calzada looked like a starting quarterback
By far and away, the biggest worry of this season was the Aggies’ quarterback situation. Heck, fans didn’t even know who would be taking the first snap under center until about a week before the season began.
Even when Haynes King earned the starting spot, he had a rocky first game. The Aggie quarterback threw three interceptions and just a pair of touchdown passes in his first game. His interception total matched Kellen Mond’s from the entirety of the 2021 season.
The worries only compounded when King went down with an early leg injury against Colorado. It would later be uncovered that he had a fracture in his leg that would required at least a month of rehab.
It was Zach Calzada’s turn to lead the team.
And against Colorado, Calzada did not look very good at all. The Aggie quarterback completed less than 50% of his passes in A&M’s worst offensive performance in two years. Many fans thought that he may just be bad.
Against New Mexico, Calzada proved that this was not the case. The A&M backup quarterback completed 19 of his 33 attempts for a total of 275 yards. He threw three passes to the endzone and had just a single interception.
The Texas A&M Football team had its first Demond Demas sighting since. . . well, ever
One of the most hyped-up players of the Jimbo Fisher era thus far has been wide receiver Demond Demas, who was a five-star recruit at the high school level. Demas has it all — he’s tall, fast, and has hops.
Unfortunately for Aggie fans, he didn’t see much time on the field in his freshman year with A&M. After playing in an under-complicated system in high school, the 6-3 wide receiver struggled to initially adjust to Texas A&M’s complex system.
It looks like he has finally gotten a grasp on things.
On Saturday, Demas pulled in the first catch of his Aggie career and he did it in spectacular fashion. This would come to the tune of a 70-yard touchdown reception, sending the Texas A&M Football team toward a 14-0 lead.
For a lot of fans, it was completely surprising in the best way possible. After a prolonged absence, it was great to see the athletic wide receiver on the field, making superstar plays. his presence could go a long way in helping Calzada adjust to the starting role.
Texas A&M Football RB Isaiah Spiller finally had a breakout game in the 2021 season
Let’s be honest — Isaiah Spiller didn’t need a breakout season. He was already widely considered one of the best runningbacks in the country. It was just a matter of time before he had an explosive performance.
That said, his first two games were somewhat disappointing. Against Kent State, he failed to reach the endzone in a blowout win. In his second performance, he reached the endzone, but the Aggie runningback struggled mightily as a runner.
Finally, he had a huge performance.
Against New Mexico, Spiller rushed for 118 yards on just 15 carries, including a 46-yard burst. He’d also reached the endzone on the ground for the first time this season. He looked like the dominant back that so many players had been looking for all season long.
The best part? His counterpart in Devon Achane had a great game as well. He rushed for only 28 yards but pulled in three catches for 45 yards and a big touchdown. This is quickly turning into one of the most dangerous 1-2 punches in college football.
Hopefully, these two continue to produce down the road.