USC Trojans (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten)

• RANKING: AP: NR / Coaches: NR
• LAST GAME: Nov. 30
  • #5 Notre Dame 49, at USC 35
• HEAD COACH: Lincoln Riley (Texas Tech ’06)
  • Overall Record: 80-24 (8th season)
  • at USC: 25-14 (3rd season)
  • vs. Texas A&M: 0-0

Texas A&M Aggies (8-4, 5-3 SEC)

• RANKING: AP: RV / Coaches: RV
• Last Game: Nov. 30
  • #3 Texas 17, at #20 A&M 7
• HEAD COACH: Mike Elko (Penn ‘99)
  • Overall Record: 24-13 (3rd Season)
  • at Texas A&M: 8-4 (1st Season)
  • vs. USC: 0-0

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• The Aggies and Trojans meet for the first time since 1977 on Friday, marking the third meeting between the two teams in a bowl game and the fourth in program history.
• • Dual-threat QB MARCEL REED regained his role as the starter and connected on a career-high three touchdown strikes while racking up a season-best 297 yards in the second-to-last game of the regular season at Auburn … The freshman adds six rushing scores and 49.7 yards per game on the ground, good for third among SEC signal callers.
• The rushing attack has been a strength for the Aggies all season as it ranks 22nd with 199.2 yards per game, while its 4.8 yards per play are good for fourth in the SEC.
• Junior RB AMARI DANIELS has played a key role in the Aggies’ success in the run game throughout the year, ranking 16th in the SEC with 55.1 yards per game and ninth with eight rushing scores, including a 71-yard dash to the end zone against New Mexico State.
• Texas A&M has been efficient in the red zone as it ranks 17th in the country and third in the SEC with a 91.5 conversion rate … The Aggies have scored on 43 of 47 trips, including 33 touchdowns.
• The Aggies have disrupted the opposition’s aerial attack all season, ranking ninth in the country with 50 pass breakups and 27th with 13 interceptions on the season.
• Sophomore LB TAUREAN YORK has led the team in tackles in five of the last six games, most recently registering his third double-digit tackles game this year with 10 takedowns against Texas, also adding a career-best 3.5 TFL and 1.0 sack … York leads the team with 75 tackles, good for 17th in the SEC.
• Junior DB WILL LEE III has brought veteran leadership to the secondary and ranks among the top-25 nationally and fourth in the SEC with 10 breakups and 12 total passes defended … Lee registered his second interception of the season and first career touchdown after taking the pick 93 yards to the end zone against Texas.

QUICK HITS

• Junior WR NOAH THOMAS has been the top target for freshman QB Marcel Reed and has caught at least one pass in 18 consecutive games … Thomas racked up a career-high 124 yards on five catches at Auburn, scoring on back-to-back drives, including a career-long 73-yard touchdown reception … His six touchdown catches this year are good for eighth among SEC receivers while his 16.0 yards per catch rank 12th in the league.
• The offensive line has controlled the battle in the trenches while clearing the way for A&M’s top-25 rushing attack, as the unit ranks 16th nationally and second in the SEC allowing 49.0 tackles for loss.
• Junior DL CASHIUS HOWELL and ALBERT REGIS have been menaces for opponent’s passing games, ranking second on the team and 21st in the SEC with six breakups apiece … Howell went off against Mississippi State with three breakups and two QB hurries, while Regis has gotten a hand on the ball in each of the last three games.
• Senior DB BJ MAYES registered his third interception of the year, coming up with a deflected pass in the third quarter at Auburn … Mayes, along with sophomore DB MARCUS RATCLIFFE, ranks fifth in the SEC in the category.
• Graduate K RANDY BOND ranks 15th nationally with 19 made field goals this season and his 8.3 points per game are among the top 30 … Bond recently notched the 12th game of his career with double-digit points, adding two field goals and five extra points at Auburn.
• Senior WR JAHDAE WALKER was the recipient of the Aggie Heart Award, the highest honor for a Texas A&M senior football player and is presented to a senior that completed their eligibility and displays the intangibles such as effort, desire, determination, competitiveness, accountability, leadership and courage, at the team’s award show earlier this month.
• Sophomore DL NANA BOADI-OWUSU was named the 12th Man ahead of the 2024 season, becoming just the sixth student-athlete in program history to hold the season-long honor.

MILESTONES TO WATCH FOR

• QB MARCEL REED is making his way through Texas A&M’s freshman records, needing two touchdown passes and two completions to join the top-three in each category as he enters the game with 12 scoring strikes and 121 completions … Reed also ranks among the top-15 in freshman rushing yards and is one rushing touchdown from the top-10 with 497 yards and six scores on the ground this year.
• Reed is also in need of three passing touchdowns to crack the top-20 of A&M’s career list.
• Junior WR NOAH THOMAS is two touchdown catches away from entering the top-10 of A&M’s all-time record book as he enters the week with 13 scoring grabs.
• Graduate K RANDY BOND is three field goals away from taking sole possession of third on the Aggies’ all-time list and is three points away from securing sixth on A&M’s career overall scoring list, while he also chases Daniel LaCamera’s (2016-18) 119 career made extra points, needing just four to move into a tie for eighth.
• Bond is currently one point away from 100 on the season and is in need of three points to move into the top-15 on A&M’s single-season list … His 19 made field goals put him in seventh on A&M’s single-season list, one behind Seth Small’s 2018 mark.

REED SECURES STARTING JOB

• Freshman QB MARCEL REED took over as the starter after his electric performance in the second half of the LSU game … Prior to the midseason change, Reed was ready when called on sparked the Aggies’ historic start to SEC play as he guided the team to wins at Florida and against Arkansas.
• Reed has made seven starts under center this season and has accounted for 18 touchdowns on the year, the 10th-most in the nation and third-most in the SEC among freshmen.
• Reed connected on a career-best three touchdown passes at Auburn, including a 73-yard bomb to cap off a 21-0 scoring spree by the Aggies to tie things up in the third quarter, finishing with a season-best 297 yards … In the win over New Mexico State, Reed passed for two touchdowns and added a rushing score of his own for the third time this season, marking the first time an Aggie QB has done so three times in a season since Kellen Mond (2017-20) in 2019.
• Reed was named SEC Freshman of the Week after sparking a 31-6 scoring spree in the second half to lift the Aggies past No. 8 LSU with three unanswered rushing touchdowns of his own to become the first A&M QB to rush for three-plus scores since Trevor Knight in 2016 … He also garnered SEC Freshman of the Week honors for his performance at Florida after throwing for 178 yards and two scores to go along with 13 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown.
• During his redshirt season in 2023, Reed saw the field in three games, most notably in the Texas Bowl matchup with Oklahoma State when he went 20-of-30 passing for 361 yards, adding 10 rushes for 29 yards and touchdown after being called into action following the first offensive play of the game.

MAROON GOONS

• The Texas A&M offensive line has been winning the battle in the trenches all season long, playing with great consistency despite having to lean on its reliable depth … The Maroon Goons have helped the Aggies boast a top-25 rushing offense in the country while also holding strong to protect their quarterbacks.
• The Maroon & White rank 16th in the country and second in the SEC, allowing 49.0 tackles for loss on the year.
• With the help of the o-line clearing the way, the Aggies rank 22nd nationally and second in the SEC averaging 199.2 rushing rds per game and have racked up over 200 yards on the ground in six games this season.
• The line is anchored by junior TREY ZUHN III, who was named a season-long team captain prior to the season  and recently earned All-SEC Third Team honors… While the Aggies have had to use four different starting lines this season due to injury, Zuhn has remained a staple at left guard and has been joined in all 12 games by AR’MAJ REED-ADAMS at right guard and DAMETRIOUS CROWNOVER at right tackle.
• Zuhn started all 13 games last season and has logged 36 career starts as he helped clear the way for a 1,000-yard rusher in 2022 and helped A&M rack up over 400 yards of total offense in eight games last year.

ELEVATING THE RUN GAME

• Junior running backs LE’VEON MOSS and AMARI DANIELS made big improvements in the offseason and were a dynamic duo in the backfield to give the Maroon & White one of the best rushing offenses in the nation … With the loss of Moss after a season-ending injury at South Carolina, Daniels and freshman QB MARCEL REED have stepped up to maintain the rushing attack.
• On the season, Daniels ranks 16th in the league with 55.1 yards per game while his eight touchdowns are good for ninth in the SEC … In the win over New Mexico State, Daniels registered his second rushing score of 50-plus yards when he took off on a 71-yard sprint to the end zone.
• Daniels racked up a career-high 91 yards on 12 carries in the win over LSU … He recorded his second multi-touchdown game of the season and of his career with a pair of 1-yard scores in the first half against Missouri and joined the 1,000 career yards club with 68 yards on 13 carries in the win at Florida.
• Reed has supplemented the Aggies’ solid rushing attack ranking third among all SEC QBs with six touchdowns on the season, while his 4.6 yards per carry are good for second among league signal callers and his 49.0 yards per game are good for 21st in the league … Reed came in midway through the third quarter against LSU and sparked the Aggies scoring three unanswered rushing TDs.
• As a team, the Aggies are No. 22 in the country and second in the SEC with 199.2 yards on the ground per game.

STEADY BACKER

• Sophomore LB TAUREAN YORK immediately stepped into a leadership role as a true freshman in 2023, quarterbacking the defense at middle linebacker, and was selected as a team captain by his teammates ahead of the 2024 season.
• To close out the regular season York made it back-to-back games with double-digit tackles … After racking up 10 takedowns at Auburn, York led the defense for the seventh time this season with 10 tackles, including a career-high 3.5 for 13 yards lost and 1.0 sack against No. 3 Texas … York registered a new career high with 12 tackles in the win at Mississippi State.
• York’s efforts against the Bulldogs also led an impressive outing from the entire linebacker unit, as junior SCOOBY WILLIAMS recorded his first career interception and returned it 32 yards to set up an A&M touchdown while also adding a career-best 2.0 tackles for loss and six tackles, and sophomore DAYMION SANFORD nearly doubled his previous career high with seven tackles, 1.0 TFL and two breakups.
• He leads the Aggies with 75 tackles on the year, good for 17th in the SEC, and has recorded five-plus tackles in eight of the team’s 12 games this season.
• York started all 13 games last season, finishing second on the team with 74 tackles, which ranked in the top-20 among SEC players and third among league freshman … His 8.5 tackles for loss were the most by an SEC freshman a year ago and ranked fourth on the team.

NEW-LOOK SECONDARY

• The Texas A&M secondary has featured a number of new faces in 2024, adding eight defensive backs in the transfer portal while returning sophomores JAYVON THOMAS and DALTON BROOKS have also made starts this season.
• Junior WILL LEE III, who came to Aggieland from Kansas State, ranks fourth in the SEC with 10 pass breakups on the year, breaking up a career-high four passes in the win over Arkansas … He scored the first touchdown of his career in the regular season finale against Texas, returning his second interception of the season 93 yards to the end zone.
• Brooks has been strong in SEC play, making at least five tackles in five of the eight games and leading the team in three of those outings … Brooks closed out the regular season with a career-best 10 tackles against Texas.
• Sophomore MARCUS RATCLIFFE made an immediate impact for the Maroon & White after spending last season at San Diego State, starting all 12 games and ranking sixth the SEC with three interceptions on the year.
• Senior BJ MAYES came up big in the third quarter against LSU, registering two of A&M’s three interceptions in the win that set up a pair of Aggie touchdowns … He struck again at Auburn, coming up with a broken up pass to set up an A&M field goal … Mayes ranks sixth in the SEC with three interceptions and 21st with seven passes defended on the year.
• Lone returning veteran BRYCE ANDERSON registered the first touchdown of his career when he came up with a tipped pass and returned it 45 yards to the house at Florida.
• As a team, the Aggies rank 11th nationally and third in the SEC with 67 passes defended, while also sitting at 27th in the country and third in the SEC with 13 picks.

DEPTH ON THE D-LINE

• Boasting one of the most talented and unpredictable defensive lines in the nation during the regular season, the Aggies will lean on their experienced depth against the Trojans behind the leadership of junior ALBERT REGIS.
• Regis has started all 12 games this season at defensive tackle and has been disruptive in the passing game in the latter half of the season … He ranks second on the team and 21st the SEC with six breakups, four of those coming in the final three games of the season … Regis recently matched his career high with a season-best six takedowns against Texas.
• Junior CASHIUS HOWELL has seen significant snaps on defense all season, playing in all 12 games, and filled out the stat sheet against Texas with career bests in tackles (6) and tackles for loss (2.5) while adding a forced fumble … He has been a key disruptor in league play and ranks 21st in the SEC with six pass breakups on the season as he and Regis are two of just three defensive linemen to rank in the top-25 in the league … As a unit, the defensive line has tallied 20 of A&M’s 54 breakups this year.
• Sophomores RYLAN KENNEDY and DJ HICKS have been staples in A&M’s rotation all season, each playing in all 12 games … The pair has combined for 33 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, three breakups and four hurries this season.
• As a defense, the Aggies have held their opponents to 100-or-fewer yards on the ground in five games, most recently limiting LSU to just 24 yards on 23 attempts, not allowing a rushing yard in the second half … A&M’s 86.0 tackles for loss rank among the top-20 nationally.

SPECIAL TEAMS SUCCESS

• Graduate K RANDY BOND was one of the nation’s leading scorers a season ago and continues to rank among the best in 2024 while also climbing A&M’s all-time scoring, field goals made and extra point lists.
• Bond currently ranks 15th nationally and fifth in the SEC with 19 made field goals this season … He sent a pair of 50-plus-yarders through the uprights at South Carolina, including one from a career-long 55 yards.
• Bond has posted double-digit points in a game 12 times in his career and five times this season, most recently tallying 11 points in the four overtime game at Auburn by way of two field goals and five extra points.
• Among all active FBS players, Bond ranks 16th with 289 to-date through just 35 games played.
• The kicker has been climbing A&M’s all-time field goals made, extra points and scoring lists, ranking fourth with 58 career makes, seventh overall with 289 points and ninth with 115 made extra points.
• Freshman P TYLER WHITE has also elevated A&M’s special teams game this season as he averages 45.1 yards on 42 punts in his first year as the team’s primary punter … A semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award and SEC All-Freshman Team selection, White boasts a 69-yard long from the Texas game and has sent 11 punts 50-plus yards and landed 24 inside the 20.
• White earned SEC Special Teams Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks this season after landing seven of his nine punts inside the 15 and five inside the 10 against Arkansas and the following week averaged 46.3 yards per punt, pinning Missouri on its own 1 … White earned his third SEC Special Teams Player of the Week honor after booming three punts 50-plus yards down the field, landing four of his five punts inside the 20, and finishing the night with an average of 48.4 yards per boot, including a game-long 54 yards.
• Five Aggies on the 2024 roster have registered a blocked kick in their careers … Sophomore DB MARCUS RATCLIFFE got a hand on a punt against New Mexico State this year, senior DL SHEMAR TURNER blocked a pair of field goal attempts last season, getting his hand on the ball in back-to-back weeks against Ole Miss and Mississippi State, junior DL ALBERT REGIS blocked a field goal attempt in the win over Miami in 2022, and senior WR JAHDAE WALKER blocked a punt a year later in Miami and also got a hand on a punt against Texas this season … Prior to arriving in Aggieland, graduate DB TREY JONES III registered a blocked kick against Eastern Michigan in 2022.