Sources: Texas A&M to make game-time QB call
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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman‘s injured shoulder is improving and he is healthy enough where he’s expected to dress and be available against No. 9 Missouri on Saturday, sources told ESPN.
After not dressing against last week against Arkansas and not playing since Sept. 7, Weigman has taken meaningful reps and improved enough where he will be back in uniform for the No. 25 Aggies, sources said.
The decision whether to start Weigman or Marcel Reed is a game-time one, per sources. Reed looms as the expected starter for the fourth straight game, according to sources, who cautioned that if Weigman is feeling 100% that there is a chance that he could resume his starting role.
Weigman’s participation has increased in practice this week after he was not cleared to play against Arkansas. With his activity in practice ramping up and with him available Saturday, a compelling decision at the quarterback position will loom for the Texas A&M coaching staff in the near future.
Weigman clearly earned the job out of camp as Texas A&M’s best quarterback, which will factor into the staff’s decision, sources said. Reed played at a high level against Florida and has been solid but unspectacular in the past two games.
Texas A&M gained just 297 total yards against Arkansas, as Reed went 11-for-22 and gained just 13 rushing yards on 10 carries. (He took three sacks, contributing to that low total.) Reed ran for 91 yards against Bowling Green but was 16-for-29 passing.
That came in the wake of an efficient performance against Florida, as Reed rushed for 83 yards and completed 11 of 17 passes. Texas A&M finished that game with 488 yards on offense.
The Texas A&M passing game has been inhibited by a pedestrian receiving corps, as Cyrus Allen is the team’s leading receiver with 11 catches for 203 yards. Texas A&M’s passing offense is No. 117 in the country and last in the SEC with 162 yards per game.
Weigman has been out since the second week of the season, as he injured the AC joint in his throwing shoulder in the season-opening loss to Notre Dame. He aggravated that injury in Week 2 against McNeese and has missed the three subsequent games.
Missouri wide receiver Marquis Johnson is a game-time decision as well, sources said. Johnson, who has been listed as questionable, has 12 catches for 117 yards this year for the Tigers.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Julian Sayin had a 40-yard touchdown pass to Carnell Tate early in the fourth quarter, Ohio State got a couple of key stops in the red zone and the third-ranked Buckeyes opened the defense of their national championship with a 14-7 victory over top-ranked Texas on Saturday.
It was the fourth time the No. 1 team in the AP preseason poll has met the previous season’s national champion in the opener. The defending champ has won the last three.
“Just a gritty win to start the season,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “We just felt like in Week 1, we didn’t want to beat ourselves. We took that into consideration with everything that we did.”
Arch Manning completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards, a touchdown and an interception for the Longhorns.
Texas was 1 of 5 on fourth down, including being stopped twice in the red zone. Manning was stuffed at the 1-yard line on fourth-and-goal by Caden Curry and Lorenzo Styles Jr. on a QB sneak in the third quarter.
The Longhorns were driving for a tying touchdown late in the game but Jack Endries was stopped by Caleb Downs 1 yard short of a first down to end hopes of a comeback.
“Ultimately, not good enough. Obviously you don’t want to start off the season 0-1,” Manning said. “They’re a good team. I thought we beat ourselves a lot, and that starts with me. I’ve got to play better for us to win.”
Sayin was 13 of 20 passing for 126 yards. His best pass of the day came with 13:08 remaining in the game, when Tate beat Texas cornerback Jaylon Guilbeau for the long score. Tate juggled the ball before pulling it down in the end zone to put the Buckeyes up by two touchdowns.
CJ Donaldson opened the scoring midway through the second quarter on a 1-yard run up the middle to cap a 13-play, 87-yard drive that took eight minutes off the clock. The Buckeyes benefitted from a pair of penalties, including a face mask call on Colin Simmons that wiped out an incomplete pass on third-and-4.
Texas finally got points with 3:28 remaining in the fourth quarter when Manning connected with Parker Livingstone on a 32-yard touchdown.
The Longhorns defense forced a three-and-out, giving Texas a chance to tie.
After an entertaining Week 0 appetizer and a smattering of games Thursday and Friday, it’s time for Week 1 of the college football season to finally kick off. And the game to start off the first full Saturday of the season couldn’t be much better.
It’s the Texas Longhorns vs. the Ohio State Buckeyes. It’s the No. 1 and No. 3 teams in the preseason AP poll facing off. It’s a College Football Playoff rematch and Arch Manning’s first major test as starter against the defending national champions.
Needless to say, it’s going to be good.
We’ll be keeping track of Texas-Ohio State — and any other notable happenings that might pop up — as the college football season returns. Here’s everything that’s going on across Week 1 in college football:
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