Everything we learned from Texas A&M's blowout loss to LSU in Week 4

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Texas A&M will most certainly drop out of the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 rankings after Saturday's flat-out embarrassing 35-6 road loss to LSU, as the Aggies fall to 2-2 and 0-2 in SEC play after last weekend's blowout 31-21 home loss to unranked Kentucky. Things are bad in College Station, and compared to what we witnessed from the 2025 roster, this team is in complete disarray.

Looking ahead, the Aggies will host Arkansas in a primetime game, and while the time slot is confusing, it's hard to say if this is a must-win game, knowing that the Aggies' chances of making the College Football Playoff are all but dead, and based on what we witnessed over the last two games, this looks like a 6-6 team based on what's ahead in the second half of the schedule.

Starting quarterback Marcel Reed threw for 106 yards, completing just 10-of-26, and looked rattled from start to finish; after defending Holmon Wiggins last week, the first-year OC's playcalling was equally problematic, putting Reed in tough situations, especially after opting for a pass after every successful run.

Even worse, Texas A&M's "loaded" secondary gave up three touchdowns and several explosive plays, while transfer linebacker Ray Coney looked lost in coverage and kept missing tackles on nearly every down.

From a football-watching perspective, Texas A&M is extremely predictable, and Mike Elko's pressure continues to mount. Here are five takeaways from Texas A&M's 35-6 road loss to LSU on Saturday night.

Texas A&M's once-praised secondary now looks like a weakness

The image above is somewhat deceiving, as Texas A&M's "deep" secondary, which coach Mike Elko once called the best group he's coached during his time in College Station, allowed a one-legged quarterback, Sam Leavitt, to throw for 312 yards and two touchdowns, completing 17/23 and averaging 13.6 yards per completion while literally hobbling around the field most of the night.

LSU WR Jackson Harris accounted for 163 yards and two touchdowns, followed by Winston Watkins' 107 yards, and while the Aggies' secondary, especially the cornerbacks, looked solid in coverage early, the Tigers slowly but surely exploited busted coverages to pull away in the second half.

Maybe, just maybe, this group looked good because it was only facing Marcel Reed this offseason? It makes you think.

Texas A&M should make a change at quarterback, but Mike Elko gave a resounding "no."

Marcel Reed entered his second full season as Texas A&M's starting quarterback with high expectations, but after four games, his future in College Station is all but finished if this continues. On Saturday, Reed completed just 10/36 for 106 yards, earning a 31.1 QBR, and averaged, yes, 4.1 yards per completion.

Bad, bad, and more bad for a player who threw for 3,169 yards and 25 touchdowns last season, but his career-high 12 interceptions were even more problematic when you watch his decision-making and lack of development as a passer. Behind him, sophomore Brady Hart got a couple of snaps when the blowout was in full effect, but he threw an interception almost immediately.

After the loss, Mike Elko simply said "no" when asked whether a quarterback change could happen, which suggests either that Brady Hart isn't trusted at this stage of his career or that Marcel Reed is the only option to get the Aggies through the season.

Texas A&M continues to lack an identity, which will likely continue

If you watched the game, I don't need to tell you that nothing went right, and on both sides of the ball, Texas A&M lacks a go-to identity to rely on, which could be the run game if OC Holmon Wiggins actually stuck with running the ball when it was working, while the secondary's struggles and lack of pass rush pressure have plagued the defense.

Getting blown out by LSU on the road is telling, but back-to-back double-digit losses in SEC play after losing to Kentucky 31-21 tell this writer that Mike Elko, who once praised philosophy and insistence on keeping certain players around, has come around to bite him in the you-know-what.

Marcel Reed is struggling, but junior Mario Craver and Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton are more than good enough to produce big plays on even average throws, while the offensive line, which struggled in pass protection, was opening holes in the run game and should continue to improve that aspect of the offense, on paper, at least.

The season looks lost, but the goal should be to "ground and pound" on offense while blitzing more to generate pressure and help the secondary.

Mike Elko isn't on the "hot seat", but it's warm

Mike Elko signed a lucrative six-year extension this offseason after leading the Aggies to their first College Football Playoff appearance in program history, and while I don't want to sound hyperbolic, what we witnessed on Saturday, in addition to the Kentucky loss, showed a program in disarray after ten players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Under former coach Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M couldn't get out of its own way, losing close games due to a lack of "execution," which became Fisher's calling card, while Elko sorta, kinda sounded like Fisher after Saturday's blowout loss, providing a "coach talk" answer that won't satisfy a rightfully angry fan base.

"We have to play better football. I don't know what else to say. We got our butts whooped. We have to execute what we're trying to execute. We have to look at everything and figure it out."

Losing 35-6 and throwing for just 106 yards isn't just about a lack of "execution," but exposed much deeper issues that go back to the early parts of the offseason after said players were drafted, combined with the 17 transfer portal additions, who have yet to make a significant impact, outside of kicker David Olano.

Again, Mike Elko, who has seven losses in three seasons as a betting favorite, will now face pressure from the higher-ups in Texas A&M Athletics to make major changes if the 2026 season ends the way we think it will.

Mike Elko's internal hires this offseason aren't paying off

After losing OC Collin Klein to Kansas State this offseason, Mike Elko made a risky in-house move, promoting wide receiver coach Holmon Wiggins as Klein's replacement, Lyle Hemphill as the new defensive coordinator, and offensive assistant Joey Lynch as the new quarterbacks coach. So far, not good.

While I defended Holmon Wiggins after A&M's 31-21 loss to Kentucky, his play-calling was questionable, especially the lack of focus on running the ball after successful runs, while the defense has regressed under Elko and Hemphill compared to last season. Joey Lynch was hired because of his past relationship with Marcel Reed, and like the defense, Reed has also regressed.

It's confusing, but also telling how important it is to make changes when needed, while trusting coaches with a lack of play-calling experience can, and should, be avoided after watching what Collin Klein accomplished over the past two seasons. If this slide continues, it's hard to see a world where this current staff stays put.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Everything we learned from Texas A&M's blowout loss to LSU in Week 4

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