LSU Defeats Texas A&M 35-6 After Locking Down Quarterback Marcel Reed

Tigers Shut Down Their Aggie Problem

No. 10 LSU finally figured out how to stop Marcel Reed. The Tigers crushed No. 23 Texas A&M 35-6 on Saturday night, putting their past struggles against the Aggies quarterback to rest.

Reed had haunted LSU in their previous two matchups. In 2024, he came off the bench to lead Texas A&M to a 38-23 victory. Last season, he dominated Tiger Stadium in a 49-25 win, scoring four total touchdowns. That loss led to LSU firing coach Brian Kelly. This time, LSU made sure history did not repeat itself.

Baker's Plan Works to Perfection

LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker had previously struggled against mobile quarterbacks. Head coach Lane Kiffin noted that this matchup was a major focus during the offseason. The extra preparation paid off.

The Tigers limited Reed to just 10 of 26 passing for 106 yards and one interception. They also sacked him four times and held him to minus 13 rushing yards on 10 carries. Texas A&M eventually benched Reed for backup Brady Hart, whose first pass of the night was intercepted.

By the end of the game, the Aggies had gained only 197 total yards compared to 506 yards for LSU. Kiffin praised his defensive staff, saying good coaches spend the offseason planning for specific games like this.

Present Over Past for the Defense

Boise State transfer Ty Benefield played a major role in the defensive success. Benefield started as a hybrid linebacker and safety because DaShawn Spears suffered a season ending knee injury last week against Ole Miss.

Benefield finished the game with seven tackles and helped stop Reed from making plays on the perimeter. Benefield said the team heard a lot about past games during the offseason. "We just heard a bunch about the past and the past and the past," Benefield said. He added that the team is focused on the present, and they showed up to do their jobs.

Last year, Texas A&M fans celebrated a rare night win in Baton Rouge. This year, Tiger Stadium was quiet for a different reason. The game was so lopsided that LSU fans left early because there was no threat of an Aggies comeback. Kiffin called the empty opponent stands "good payback" for the home fans.