Texas A&M did just enough not to lose in loose performance against Bowling Green

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) - Five days prior to Texas A&M's first meeting with Bowling Green on the football field, head coach Mike Elko bristled at the idea his team would come into Saturday's game with anything less than conference-game intensity.

"If we ever take the football field thinking about [potential trap games], we're going to be in a lot of trouble," Elko said Monday. "And so, we're just going to focus on each opponent and play the best football we can."

A&M escaped Week 4 with a 26-20 win over Bowling Green, despite several instances where they found themselves in a lot of trouble.

In the third quarter, the Aggies (3-1) gave up a 65-yard touchdown from quarterback Connor Bazelak to tight end Harold Fannin Jr. on busted coverage between linebacker Scooby Williams and cornerback Will Lee III. Not long after, a simple reverse play caught the entirety of the Aggie defense out of contentment and made for an easy 40-yard trot for Rahkeem Smith to score a touchdown to pull the game within three. Then, a blocked punt by Falcon Trey Johnson put Bowling Green on the Aggie nine with a chance to take its first lead of the game.

Elko told his team before the game that relaxing would lead to a humbling experience. A&M defensive end Nic Scourton confirmed the team was humbled at times in the game.

"I just think we got loose," he said. "I think going against a team like this, a very skilled team like this — obviously, they're in the MAC — I just think some guys got loose. I think we've got to stay focused and come out with more intensity in the second half, because that's when it's important. I just think some guys got loose."

A&M was without quarterback Conner Weigman for a second consecutive game while he struggles to control pain from an AC joint injury he sustained during the season-opening loss to Notre Dame. Redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed, a week after earning Southeastern Conference freshman of the week honors from the win in Florida, was called into duty once again. HIs legs continued to get the Aggies out of jams, ultimately leading to a team-high 91 rushing yards on 12 carries. However, his arm was much less consistent to the tune of completing 55% of his 29 passes for 173 yards.

After a game-opening drive that ended in a 27-yard scoring pass to tight end Theo Melin Ohrstrom, A&M's next four series stalled out short of the end zone. Kicker Randy Bond was called upon to hit two field goals late in the second half, including one that capped off a drive which began on the Bowling Green 44 after a failed onside kick attempt.

The Aggies took a 13-3 lead to the locker room at the half, when Elko told the SEC Network that they needed to get Reed settled down.

After the game, Elko clarified that meant the entire offense.

"When you talk about settling him down, it's across the board," Elko said. "We've got to make sure we're getting the right calls against the right looks. Sometimes that's a quarterback. Sometimes that's O-line. We've got to makes sure we're running the routes at the speed and tempo we've got to run them. So, when you talk about settling down your quarterback, it's probably a catchphrase for, we've got to operate more consistently with what we're doing."

A&M settled into run-heavy play calling through the third quarter that led to a touchdown a punt and a field goal at the end of a 12-minute, 12-play drive. Meanwhile, the Aggie defense's lapses allowed the Falcons back in the game. The blocked punt could have made matters worse, but three defensive stops inside the 10 as a stroke of luck led to a missed field goal by Falcon kicker Jackson Kleather.

Bond's fourth field goal of the game with seven minutes to play put A&M put by nine, but Bowling Green converted on fourth down twice in the next drive to get just outside the red zone. The game appeared to be in hand on safety Marcus Ratcliffe's third interception of the season, but running back Le'Veon Moss fumbled on the next play and turned the ball back over the the Falcons on the Aggie 35.

A&M's defense made enough plays to hold Bowling Green to a 23-yard field goal and recovered the ensuing onside kick to put a dagger in a Bowling Green team that wouldn't say die.

The Aggies knew Fannin would be a prime target in the game, but A&M's defensive secondary allowed the nation's leader in reaching yards for tight end to collect a game-high 145 yards and a touchdown on eight catches.

A&M's defensive front was the bright spot of the night, recording seven tackles for loss three sacks and three quarterback hurries. That, however, wasn't enough for Scourton.

"We've just got to dominate," Scourton said. "We've got guys who are in a position to get drafted. I think we need to make more plays. I think we need to stop runs before they get to the second level and I think we're going to practice harder, we're going to go work harder and we're going to try and stop that."

SEC ramps up to full force in a week's time as the Aggies square off against Arkansas in a Southwest Classic matchup that always throws a few curves. A&M heads into that game with a narrow win to close out the first third of the season.

"That's a very good football team who came in here and certainly didn't take a backseat in any way to us," Elko said. "And, in a lot of ways, took it to us for a good part of the night. Proud of our guys for making enough plays to win the game."