Five takeaways from Texas A&M's huge home win over LSU

And then there was one.

The No. 14 Texas A&M Aggies erased a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat the No. 8 LSU Tigers 38-23 and secure sole possession of the top spot in the SEC standings.

The Aggies have now won seven straight games and are now the only team in the SEC undefeated against their conference opponents.

In a game that was sure to be a roller coaster ride for the 12th Man, this has to be a positive going forward as the Aggies focus on defending their undefeated conference record.

Until then, here are five takeaways from Texas A&M's win over LSU:

Is there still a quarterback debate in College Station?

As in the last two games, Conner Weigman was the starting reliever for the Aggies tonight.

The only thing was that it didn't go the way Mike Elko probably expected.

Weigman struggled to hit his receivers in the first half as the Tiger defense limited him to six completions on 18 attempts and 64 yards passing. Luckily there were no interceptions, but the quarterback's red-shirt performance wasn't there.

Enter Marcel Reed…again.

Reed got the nod for the second half because Mike Elko claimed the passing game “wasn't working” and he needed Reed's mobility in the backfield.

And boy, did he get it.

Right off the bat, Reed found his way into the end zone for the Aggie score, one of three rushing scores he had tonight. He finished the game with nine carries for 62 yards and three touchdowns.

As for passing, Reed threw just two passes and completed both for 70 yards, including a 54-yard arc that landed right in the arms of Noah Thomas. Needless to say, it was a crucial part of the Aggie win tonight, and it will be interesting to see who Elko focuses on early in the game against South Carolina.

Run TAMC Strikes again

After suffering some relief last week against Mississippi State, the Aggies returned this week against the Tigers with their in-your-face run game in both yards and points combined 242 yards and five touchdowns. Amari Daniels led the way with 91 yards on a dozen carries, Le'Veon Moss took 14 carries for 83 yards and two touchdowns, and as mentioned, Marcel Reed contributed 62 yards and three touchdowns in his work half. As with any SEC game, trust your running game and reap the benefits.

You're coming for the 12th man, you best not miss it

Garrett Nussmeier isn't the only quarterback playing for an SEC team called the Tigers that has tested the volume of the 12th man this season.

In an interview earlier this week, when asked about the atmosphere, Nussmeier responded, “Kyle Field was loud, but it's not Death Valley,” referring to LSU's home stadium, Tiger Stadium.

And history seems to have repeated itself.

LSU was hit with one false start after another. “Mo Bamba” blared from the Kyle Field speakers at deafening volume throughout the game. A decibel reader read 114 decibels. The Tigers had a hard time getting anything going in the second half as Nussmeier threw three interceptions that sent the six-figure crowd into an absolute frenzy.

It will be interesting to see if anyone from New Mexico State or Texas State tries to intimidate the 12th Man. As Missouri and LSU found out the hard way, you're in for a long game if this happens.

The defensive halftime adjustments are making a big impact again

This was also the story at Mississippi State last week. The team will forego big passing plays in the first half and then shift to an all-out shutdown defense in the second half. Tonight was another prime example of that. Garrett Nussmeier finished the game with 405 passing yards and threw both of his passing touchdowns in the first half.

Then came the second half and the roles were reversed.

Nussmeier threw three picks in the second half, including two to BJ Mayes and one to Taurean York late in the fourth, essentially sealing the Aggie victory.

Of course, Mike Elko and Jay Bateman want these guys to put together two solid defensive halves on offense, but given the defense's performance in the second half alone, they may be able to rock the first half a bit.

The SEC league leader

The Aggies are now the only undefeated team in SEC conference play. Now that's great news, but there's now a big target on the back of the Maroon and White. A goal that South Carolina, Auburn and Texas are sure to shoot for.

If the Aggies stick to their guns and do what they've been doing on both sides of the ball, they should have no problem winning, even against the Longhorns, and even qualifying for the SEC Championship Game if the Smoke clears.

But unfortunately, this is the SEC, and that's much easier said than done.

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