Texas A&M is gearing up for a big SEC clash with Arkansas, but there’s one question hanging in the air: who is going to be the starting quarterback? Ever since Connor Weigman got injured, all hope is placed with freshman Marcel Reed. We must remember that A&M cannot just be judged by the situation at the quarterback position alone. They have a good defense and have Amari Daniels and Le’Veon Moss, who are still keeping the run game alive. However, the QB position will still get the intrigue of the fans, and understandably so!

Well, Josh Pate has the answer. In Josh Pate’s College Football Show, he addressed the question, saying, “Who is going to start at quarterback for A&M is a big topic of conversation right now. Connor Weigman still seems doubtful to me. From everything I can hear and read, he seems doubtful to me still; therefore, Marcel Reed, who went and won the game at Florida, I think is going to be the starter in this game.” That’s huge, seeing how much the Aggies rely heavily on quarterback stability, not to mention facing the tricky Arkansas defense.

Even though Reed lacks the experience compared to Weigman, he has proved to be quite temperate under pressure, throwing for 178 yards against Florida and rushing for 91 yards in the close fight against Bowling Green, where he threw for 173 yards as well. In total, Reed has accumulated 422 yards, 4 touchdowns, and no interceptions in the 2024 regular season so far.

But can Reed take the pressure of an SEC game? That’s the real test. As for Weigman, he sat out against the Gators while dealing with a sprain to his throwing shoulder, which occurred in the team’s opener and was aggravated in practice last week. Coach Mike Elko has yet to make an official remark this week about Weigman’s status, adding to the uncertainty.

This game could be perfect for Reed if Elko plays this right. But here’s the thing: Arkansas is sneaky. That is something they have especially been able to do after a difficult double-overtime defeat against Oklahoma State in Week 2. Two good wins against UAB and Auburn, and the record does not look that bad at 3-1.

Mike Elko’s decision: high stakes for Texas A&M’s season

Arkansas has a very solid run game that possesses AJ Green at the helm and the sophomore Raheim Sanders. But the expectation for Texas A&M to shut down these guys might be an issue when Reed and the offense are lackluster. Starting with Brooks Hays and the Great Depression, this was true, and there is this sneaky momentum that they’re starting to build all over again. “There’s this sneaky momentum that they’re starting to build. I got roasted unfairly over on the Arkansas Board; Trey Biddy just left the door open and a bunch of trolls wandered in and started torching us because they didn’t think we focused on Arkansas enough in the game recap the other day,” Josh Pate said on his show. A&M requires Reed to keep his head on his shoulders, or this can convert to a grind.

That decision belongs to Mike Elko. Weigman has the edge in experience and has shown before that he can steer the Aggies, but if he is far from being 100%, putting him in the hot seat can boomerang. Reed, however, is doing better this season. However, Reed has only thrown for 178 yards against Florida and 173 against Bowling Green, so his arm has not yet fully extended.

Arkansas, on the other hand, is a completely different kettle of fish. They don’t have a rank, but they have all of them, and with that, they make this game a problem. The Auburn challenge had a creep show by their star quarterback, KJ Jefferson, who passed for 151 yards and rushed for 80 yards. The Razorbacks also have other players like the wide receivers Isaiah Sategna and Andrew Armstrong, who can surely exploit any weakness of the Aggies’ back line.

Elko generally holds the fate of this game and potentially this Aggies’ SEC West bid. They have Alabama and LSU remaining on their schedule later this season, so a loss here would be devastating for their chances. Elko and Reed still need to implement the tools that A&M possesses.

Tune in to more college football talk on our exclusive Think Tank interview with Doug Sanders.