For the Texas A&M fans out there, 2025 is a gift that keeps on giving. A&M had yet another 16-10 grind-it-out win, and this time against the mighty Auburn Tigers. The Aggies had the Tigers throttled to just 177 yards and a 0-for-13 third-down conversions. The game was obviously set up to be a trench ball from the opening series, but this was a one-sided trench ball. The Aggies outgained the Tigers 414-177, and Auburn could not find its rhythm the entire game, except for that fluky interception that went on to become a short field touchdown.

Marcel Reed had the offense going with 15-of-22 for 207 yards, using KC Concepcion to stretch the field horizontally. But apart from Concepcion, the entire heavy lifting was done by Le’Veon Moss, who went for 139 yards on 21 carries and an early touchdown that set the tone for the entire game. Moss ran with balance and intent, consistently chipping some yardage and keeping the Aggies on schedule. He was also fighting his own team, which was flagged 13 times. And witnessing this masterclass from Moss, the star alum Johnny Manziel had some words for him.

Manziel’s message was laser-targeted for the running back who seems to be slowly climbing the ladder of stardom. “I’ve talked to him every week. What I’ve told him is, listen, as good as that feels, as much as you want to go out and celebrate, learn from me, man. Learn from me and buckle down. You are in a place that we ain’t been in in 10 years, nine years. Grind it. Go back this week. Go harder. Take this, run with it, and go get better. Use the film. Use the stuff. Go to practice. Take everything you can,” he said. This message especially hits since a lot of teenage stars go astray when they touch even the brink of stardom. And Manziel has seen countless people who had their eyes off the goal just to get some instant gratification.

He did mix up the tone with pride and accountability while talking about how he is punctual with his wisdom. He continued, “I’m in his ear every week in the most positive of ways. We’re going to enjoy this for a couple of seconds right now because it feels good, and you should enjoy it because it is a good team win. But at the end of the day, everybody in the country is waiting for A&M to be A&M of the past.” This fits the box score, too. A&M used to be a dominant force in the CFB landscape, and it has still gotten all those weapons. But they are not being used effectively. If Reed’s tipped pick hadn’t gone for a 74-yard return, and if the Aggies had not given 119 gifts in penalties. This would not have been a one-score game.

Manziel’s advice will be required for the SEC gauntlet that the Aggies face ahead of them. They still have a lot of ranked games looming. With LSU, Texas, Missouri, a wounded Gators, and Mississippi State eyeing a win against the ranked Aggies, the road ahead would be anything but easy. The margin for errors and penalties shrinks dramatically in these games, but what widens is the path to get back to the A&M of the past. And that’s what Moss must be eyeing today. 

Revenge, records, resolve

Mike Elko’s ninth-ranked Aggies can finally let go of their last year’s four-OT heartbreak with a new memory of a 16-10 win against Auburn. The revenge was mainly led through defense, with the 12th man roaring at Kyle Field. And Mike Elko’s words are perfect to encapsulate how Texas A&M has been feeling this year. He said, “We won two games without playing our best football… that is a testament to character and culture and just grinding.” This not only reflects the confidence of an HC but also shows that even when the Aggies are not at their best, they still manage to grind their way out of games with a win.

And if that grinding needed a backdrop, the 12th man supplied it. “108,449 strong 💪 5th largest Kyle Field attendance EVER,” the program posted on their social media channels. College Station has a reputation for manufacturing big games, and the statistics are evidence of the dominance. Stopping Auburn at less than 200 total yards? That’s a feat. And Hugh Freeze agrees, “Offensively, that was unacceptable.” A&M will be looking at a one or two-spot jump in the AP Polls after this statement win, but the road is still long and infested with quality.