The Aggies' sizable advantage in the passing game
One of the biggest advantages in this game lies up front, both offensively and defensively, in the Aggies' ability to protect its quarterback and bring down the opposing one.
Fastest average time to pressure, FBS DLs:
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) September 30, 2025
1) Clemson: 3.00 seconds
2) Texas A&M: 3.02
3) Tennessee: 3.04
3) Louisville: 3.04
5) Army: 3.08
6) Utah: 3.09
7) Michigan: 3.11
8) Texas Tech: 3.12
8) Pittsburgh: 3.12
8) Duke: 3.12
11) UConn: 3.15
12) Bowling Green: 3.16
13)… pic.twitter.com/D76A7NRAxV
Texas A&M comes into this game with an astounding sack rate of 9.72 percent, good for ninth-best in the country, while Mississippi State has had its issues keeping Shapen upright with the 26-worst sack rate allowed at 8.53 percent. Conversely, the Aggies have done a great job of protecting Marcel Reed — who's being sacked at a rate of 4.44 percent, good for 41st in the nation — while the Bulldogs are bringing down opposing quarterbacks just 4.55 percent of the time which ranks just 94th in the nation.
We just saw how this metric made all the difference, sacking Jackson Arnold five times while allowing four sacks from the Auburn defense, which could be a key indicator for another convincing win at College Station.