Arkansas Razorbacks at Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M powers past Arkansas 34-7 behind KJ Edwards’ 2 TDs

Texas A&M (3-2, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) bounced back after consecutive losses to Kentucky and LSU.

“This was a major win to get our confidence back,” Edwards said. "The last two weeks we’ve been kind of down so good thing we got this win so we can keep it going.”

The Aggies led by 7 late in the first quarter before scoring the next 20 points to roll to the victory.

Edwards and Reed ran for 66 yards apiece as the Aggies piled up 231 yards rushing a week after being limited to a season-low 68 in a 35-6 loss at LSU.

Texas A&M coach Mike Elko thought Reed getting some runs off early helped get him going.

“I thought he was able to use his legs and get out on the perimeter a little bit,” Elko said. "I think when people allow him to do that, it makes it a little bit easier for him ... that gets him in rhythm and gets him comfortable.”

KJ Jackson threw for 111 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Arkansas (2-3, 0-2).

“Every single person in the program, starting with me, needs to look in the mirror and find ways to improve,” coach Ryan Silverfield said. “Be mad but find ways to get better.”

The second touchdown by Edwards came on a 3-yard run on A&M’s first drive of the second half that made it 31-7. That score was set up by a 54-yard catch and run by Kiotti Armstrong on the previous play.

The Razorbacks went for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1 on the next drive and Braylen Russell was stuffed for a loss of 2 yards by Dalton Brooks and Landon Rink.

Brooks intercepted Jackson on the third play of the game to give the Aggies the ball at the Arkansas 28. They cashed in on the error on a 2-yard TD run by Carsyn Baker.

The Aggies made it 14-0 when Edwards scored on a 20-yard run later in the first quarter.

Arkansas cut the lead to 14-7 on a 26-yard touchdown catch by Chris Marshall near the end of the first.

Reed’s 1-yard scamper extended the lead to 21-7 about 2 1/2 minutes before halftime.

David Olano’s career-long 57-yard field goal made it 24-7 at the break. It was the longest field goal by an Aggies kicker since 1999.

“I knew I had the range and love that coach trusted me with that," Olano said.

Olano made a 50-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 34-7.

The takeaway The Razorbacks have trouble on both sides of the ball and will have to clean up their problems quickly if they hope to avoid another bad season after going 2-10 last year.

The Aggies looked much better than they had in the last two weeks but will still need to improve and limit penalties as they prepare for stronger SEC competition.

Relieved? Elko was not fond of being asked if he was relieved after getting a win on Saturday following two losses.

“The day I feel relief for winning is the day I quit," he said. "So you're going to come in here for a press conference and I won't be standing here. We have joy when we win. That’s the word that we use when we win football games.”

Up next Texas A&M visits 25th-ranked Missouri on Saturday.

Arkansas hosts No. 17 Tennessee on Saturday.

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