Florida Gators (1-1, 0-0) v. Texas A&M Aggies (1-1, 0-0) Preview

Must win for Florida? While quarterback is the story there are bigger issues with the Gators.

By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com, Football Analyst

Texas A&M Offense

Key Players-#15 QB Conner Weigman (6-2 ,220, So.), #8 RB Le’Veon Moss (6-0, 215, Jr.), #5 RB Amari Daniels (5-9, 215, Jr.) #6 WR Cyrus Allen (6-0, 178 Jr.), #3 WR Noah Thomas (6-6, 200, Jr.)

#9 WR Jahdae Walker (6-4, 205, Sr.), #7 Moose Muhammed III (6-1, 195, Gr.) #84 TE Tre Watson (6-5, 250, Sr.)

Matchups To Watch: Florida Front Seven v. Texas A&M Offensive Line, Jason Marshall Jr. vs. Noah Thomas

The first two weeks of the season Texas A&M has been nit so great on offense. They are currently 74thnationally in Total Offense averaging 388 yards per game. The offense goes as Connor Weigman goes and he has the ability to affect the game with his arm as well as his feet.  After an awful game in the home opener against Notre Dame where he was just 12 of 30 with two interceptions Weigman rebounded with a more efficient performance last week against McNeese completing 11 of 14 passes for a pedestrian 125 yards with two touchdowns. The Aggies have leaned hard on the running game in their first two contest and utilize the two headed monster of Le’Veon Moss and Amari Daniels to carry the load. Moss has been the bell cow for the first two games carrying the ball 29 times compared to 17 carries for Daniels. Both backs found the end zone twice last week against McNeese and Moss also scored the Aggies lone touchdown against Notre Dame. Weigman can also be effective in the running game and is averaging 5.9 yards per carry in the first two games. The Aggie receivers are an experience bunch and features transfer additions that have made an immediate impact. Cyrus Allen leads the team in receptions after amassing over 1200 yards on 68 catches at Louisiana Tech. Tight End Tre Watson was 2023 Mountain West Honorable Mention and has started both games this season. Receivers Noah Thomas, Moose Muhammed III, and Jahdae Walker all have experience and playmaking ability. Muhammed is the veteran of the group with 77 career catches, while Walker has transformed himself from a Division II player at Grand Valley State to a more than serviceable option for the Gators. 

Runninng Back Montrell Johnson Jr. (Chris Spears photo)

Florida was better on defense against Samford. Texas A&M is not Samford. The Aggies are not Miami either. They are a physical bunch that is big up front and have three returning starters that are part of 6-7 man rotation. The Aggies rushed for 333 yards against McNeese which means they will look to establish their dominance at the line of scrimmage and make things easy in the passing game for Weigman. At 6-6 and 6-5, both Noah Thomas and Tre Watson can present issues for the Florida defensive backs who have struggled with bigger receivers in the past. The key is stopping the run. Notre Dame forced Weigman to beat them with his arm and he was not up to the task. The Gators must create turnovers to have a chance at home. 

Texas A&M Defense

Key Players-#21 LB Taurean York (6-0, 235, So.), #5 DT Shemar Turner (6-4, 300, Sr.) #11 DE Nic Scourton (6-4, 285, Jr.), #0 LB Scooby Williams (6-2, 230 Jr.), #1 S Bryce Anderson (6-0, 192, Jr.), #26 CB Will Lee III (6-3, 190, Jr.), #7 CB Tyreek Chappell (5-11, 185, Sr.), #8 DB Jaydon Hill (6-0, 200, Gr.)

Matchups to Watch: Florida Offensive Line v. Texas A&M Defensive Line, Eugene Wilson v. Jaydon Hill

The Aggie defensive line is stout and features at least two future pros in Turner in Scourton.  Turner flirted with the NFL after being named All-SEC Second Team in 2023. Scourton a Bryan, Texas native and Purdue transfer led the Big Ten is sacks last season. The Aggies are at least seven deep up front and have one of the most talented defensive lines in the SEC. At Linebacker the Aggies have tackling machine Taurean York and the familiar Scooby Williams in the middle. York was a freshman All-American in 2023 recording 74 tackles and leads the team with 13 this season. Former Florida linebacker Williams, followed linebacker coach now defensive coordinator Jay Bateman to College Station after recording 70 tackles for the Gators. The secondary has experience with two transfers to steady the group. Safety Bryce Anderson is versatile and has made 13 starts in his short career. Tyreek Chappell is a four-starter who has 109 tackles and two career interceptions. Transfers Will Lee III (Kansas State) and Jaydon Hill (Florida) have made early impacts with Lee second on the team in tackles and Hill adding depth and experience at the nickelback position. 

Florida will be tasked with having a better day against a better defensive line than the one it faced against Miami. Turner is a man in the middle and Scourton will look to take it to tackles Austin Barber and Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson. The Gators have to find some form of a running game early and allow the Florida play-action game to be a factor. Texas A&M currently ranks 110th nationally against the run so despite the level of talent they have underperformed this season. The Aggies are ranked 23rd against the pass so the secondary has been solid. A matchup in the slot between former teammates Wilson and Hill could be must see TV on passing downs. Billy Napier and company will have to be patient and lean on the running game a little longer than they did two weeks ago because the Aggies can feast on a one dimensional offense. Could an extra number in the run game prove to be the key to Florida running the ball?

Eugene Wilson III off to the races (Chis Spears photo)

The Skinny: Two questions have made the rounds this week. Who should start at quarterback and is this a must win for Coach Billy Napier? The first is a game time decision. The second a resounding yes. Must win not because Billy Napier is in jeopardy of Franz Beard’s endangered species list but because there needs to be some type of evidence that this thing is headed in the right direction. Florida has far bigger issues than quarterback and one has to look no further than the Gators ranking in the 112 and 105 in passing defense and passing efficiency defense respectively.  They also have managed just two takeaways in two weeks which has to improve in order to get the win. If Florida starts Graham Mertz at quarterback and struggles to run the ball, inserting DJ Lagway could open run lanes and force the defense to account for him as a runner. Connor Weigman will throw it to the other team, you just have to catch it. It seems the Aggie defense will let you lean on them a bit too. The Gators just have to be patient. Florida will play better, but despite who plays the most snaps at QB, the talk will turn to the man at the head of the program as the Gators prepare for their first road trip after another home loss. 

Prediction: Florida 20 Texas A&M 24