It was 10:10 in the first quarter, and Marcel Reed already had it going against the Tigers. With a 41-yard run, escaping the pocket, the elusive Reed marked the first touchdown of the game, and college football was left jaw-dropped. Hours later, that moment would drive his Heisman campaign. But maybe his Heisman odds might blow up due to one glaring issue.

On the Pat McAfee show, Steve Stanford was all in for the Aggies QB. “I have Marcel at the top (for Heisman),” he said. “His weapons are fantastic, but his elusiveness and how he, you know, the accuracy you saw, what he did at Notre Dame.” Remember the 86-yard TD pass to Mario Craver, in the first quarter, straight into the end zone?

He continues, adding to his point. “I think that the way Marcel Reed does things, the way he got himself out of trouble that second half,” Steve explains his point by referencing Reed’s interceptions against LSU. And that’s the troubling issue on his resume. His completion percentage? Not that lucrative.

Marcel Reed is among the top names popping up for the coveted trophy. The list contains Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson, Diego Pavia, Julian Sayin, and Blake Hovrath. Meanwhile, other QBs’ completion percentages hover under the top 25. Sayin leads with 80%, Mendoza provides solidarity with 72.9%, Pavia is not far behind with 68.8% and Simpson’s average is 67.8%. Meanwhile, the Aggies QB, with his 137-of-223 attempts, has a low 61.4% which puts his rank #86.

On Saturday, Marcel Reed made history. It was the first time Aggies handed down an embarrassing defeat to LSU in the intimidating atmosphere of Death Valley. For the Aggies faithful, they witnessed an 8-0 record after decades since 1992. No wonder their QB has become the heartthrob of College Station and a top Heisman candidate. Against the Tigers, Reed recorded his season-high QB rating, 92.4. A dual-threat, but missed throws were an issue. For 12-of-21 attempts again, the completion rate was just 57.1%, the third lowest this season.

Despite this, the QB recorded 202 yards on aerial attack and an additional 108 yards on the ground, chipping in two TDs and two scores. Reed’s offensive weapons have cushioned that issue. His complete long throws to his WRs aid in his average gain per pass. His passes to Ashton Bethel for 47 yards, another to KC Concepcion for 45 yards. Another one to Mario Craver for 42 yards. ESPN’s Pamela Maldonado wrote, “Reed’s case is intriguing. He’s not the most impactful; He’s the most complete. You remove him, and A&M could still win eight games with that defense and backfield.”

His two interceptions on Saturday took his interception count to six in the season. The first one? On 3rd & Goal, a missed read on the ‘dog backside, ‘ and Harold Perkins intercepted his TD throw. The second came when LSU had a one-point lead in the game. After the first interception, LSU scored a TD, and a field goal after the second interception. But Reed quickly recovered.

Remember the three-back-to-back scoring drives in the third quarter, taking the 20-18 lead to 35-18? At 10:41 in the third quarter, Marcel Reed scrambled for five yards into the endzone, followed by KC Concepcion drilling a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown. Reed connects with RB Jamarion Morrow for 24 yards, converted into another touchdown. Following the win against LSU, his Heisman odds have improved.

Marcel Reed, a Heisman candidate? “Absolutely”

Remember how the confetti finally popped up for the Aggies, as chants of ‘Marcel’ echoed around the stadium. It wasn’t his fans, but rather his boys, yelling at him to go to the locker room. But the star QB was busy, swarmed around with fans, clicking photos, and signing jerseys. At that moment, Reed was the heartthrob of College Station. That was against Arkansas, but Death Valley painted no different scenario, with a jubilant crowd welcoming the roster in the back of the endzone.

A fan-favorite, Marcel’s Heisman odds moved from +1100 to +700 after the LSU win, and offensive coordinator Collin Klein is rooting for his QB. Should he be in the Heisman conversations? “Absolutely.” Following eight straight wins into the season, the Aggies are in the spotlight, after last season’s 8-5 campaign, and Reed is basking in the glory. ”

“He’s one of the real wild cards in the SEC to me,” Aggies insider Billy Liucci had said during the media days. But Klien also stressed the fact that it’s a team victory. “I think, first and foremost, that it is a team award,” Klein said per KBTX.com. “You’re not even in that conversation unless you’re winning football games and winning big football games, and that’s a complete team deal, right? ”

He continued. “Credit to everyone on the offensive side of the ball for making it happen around him, right? He knows that and has grown and is a tremendous leader through every position group in that way.” Following the win against the Tigers, Marcel Reed’s Heisman campaign has gained momentum. But there are glaring issues that will hinder those odds.