Texas A&M takes on Arkansas at the home of the Cowboys – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Texas A&M coach Mike Elko and his players had fun facing Arkansas for the last time as a scheduled neutral opponent at the home of the Dallas Cowboys.

The 24th-ranked Aggies will look to end their streak of dominance at AT&T Stadium against Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ alma mater. It’s the final game in the fertile Dallas-Fort Worth recruiting territory before the schools move to campus for the first time as Southeastern Conference opponents.

“So I told our guys … jokingly, if you’re a Cowboys fan, it’s your last chance to go there and play a game at Cowboys Stadium,” Elko said of Saturday’s meeting at the 80,000-capacity stadium. Seating area with a retractable roof and a huge video board above the pitch.

“And if you’re not a Cowboys fan, it’s your last chance to beat Jerry Jones’ team at Cowboys Stadium,” said Elko, the first-year coach who played in four meetings with Arkansas as A&M’s defensive coordinator from 2018-21 acted. “It works both ways, whether you like the Cowboys or not.”

The schools signed a 15-year deal and the Razorbacks (3-1, 1-0 SEC) won the first three meetings in Arlington beginning in 2009, the year Jerry World opened.

That was before the Aggies (3-1, 1-0) joined the SEC in 2012. Since then, Texas A&M is 11-1 in the series. The dominance began with a home win, followed by six straight wins in Arlington and another in College Station during the pandemic-affected 2020 season.

The Razorbacks ended a nine-game losing streak three years ago with a 20-10 victory. Six of the nine losses since 2014 have been one-score games, three of which went to overtime.

“I have to find a way to finish the game,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. “I don’t think A&M or playing in Dallas is a mystery or anything like that. I just think we have to figure out how to finish and keep the ball and just basic things “You have to do what you do in every game.”

QB DECISION

Elko is hoping quarterback Conner Weigman can play after missing the last two games with a sprained throwing shoulder (right). But Marcel Reed is 2-0 as a starter.

Reed’s first collegiate start was the 33-20 win at Florida, which was followed last week by the 26-20 victory over Bowling Green.

“I still think there’s some progression, reads and reviews that he’s still working through,” Elko said. “I just think he’s a young quarterback who’s getting better every time he takes snaps under center.”

The Aggies rank eighth nationally with 265 rushing yards per game, with running back Le’Veon Moss averaging 88.5 yards per game while Reed averages 72.3 yards per game.

UP AND DOWN

Taylen Green’s debut as Arkansas quarterback after three years at Boise State was up and down. While leading an offense that ranked eighth nationally with 524 yards per game, Green completed just 54% of his passes with four touchdowns and four interceptions .

“Taylen has to make good decisions,” Pittman said. “But at the same time, we need to get a lot better around him, especially in terms of defense, so we can hit on all cylinders.”

KEEP IT UP

Both teams are looking to maintain the momentum that has been building since early losses to ranked non-conference opponents. Arkansas, which lost to No. 20 Oklahoma State in Week 2, is coming off a 24-14 victory at Auburn. The Aggies began with a home loss to 16th-ranked Notre Dame. The Razorbacks have a chance to go 2-0 in the SEC for the first time since 2006.

DISRUPTIVE DEFENDERS

Texas A&M defensive lineman Marcus Ratcliffe was intercepted on three straight plays, including one in the end zone late against Bowling Green. Ratcliffe’s three picks lead the SEC and rank second nationally. Arkansas DB TJ Metcalf had two interceptions, two pass breakups and a forced fumble against Auburn. He is the first to do that for the Razorbacks since 1999.

QUICK START

Ja’Quinden Jackson leads the SEC with 118 rushing yards per game and has rushed for eight touchdowns in a season faster than any other Arkansas running back since 1995.