QUARLES: Eyes will be on Texas, A&M Nov. 30

Its a month out and already the not-so-random conversations are happening around the UT-A&M game set for Nov.

30 at Kyle Field in College Station.

Out of nowhere, at a junior high girls basketball game earlier this week, a coach turned to me and another coach and said, I dont know why A&M isnt ranked ahead of Texas right now.

Theyre the better team.

In the latest Associated Press poll, Texas is ranked No.

6 and A&M No.

10.

And, oh by the way, A&M is in first place in the Southeastern Conference.

There were some I dont knows and then Are you saying that because you think Marcel Reed is going to continue to play QB for A&M? Because hes not.

The coach held to his opinion.

Even held it when asked if he was saying that because Quinn Ewers is starting for UT, if it would be different if Arch Manning was the starting QB.

Both teams are 7-1 and have three games remaining before meeting the last Saturday of November.

The Aggies play at South Carolina, host New Mexico State and play at Auburn before the UT game.

The Longhorns host Florida, play at Arkansas and host Kentucky before playing A&M.

The Longhorns loss came in an SEC game at home to Georgia.

A&Ms was at home the opening week of the season to Notre Dame.

Georgia is currently ranked No.

2 and Notre Dame at No.

8.

Both teams have somewhat of a quarterback controversy.

For UT, Ewers, the starter entering the season, struggled in the loss to Georgia and was replaced by Manning in the first half.

Ewers earlier had an injury that added to the Manning legend that really hasnt been created yet.

But Arch is a Manning.

For A&M, Connor Weigman was pulled in the third quarter of the Aggies win over LSU at Kyle Field last week.

Reed came in with A&M trailing 17-7 and led the team to a 38-23 win over the Tigers.

Reed ran for 62 yards and three scores and completed both pass attempts for 64 yards.

As of Thursday evening, A&M head coach Mike Elko has not named a starter for Saturdays game at South Carolina.

UT is off this week, and Ewers is expected to start next week against Florida.

Both teams should win each of their next three games, which could set up a matchup with both being ranked in the top five, which would be a first for the rivalry.

If youd told me a few years ago that UT and A&M would not only be playing again as conference opponents but also as top 5 teams and frontrunners in the SEC, I wouldnt have believed you.

But then, Im not sure I thought they could compete in the Big 12 after moving from the Southwest Conference back in the 1990s.

Im not sure anyone was expecting this, but it sure looks like its going to be a pair of 10-1 teams meeting that day.

The rivalry is featured in the November issue of Charm, and the Angelina County Aggie-Longhorn Shindig has been brought back as well..

This article has been shared from the original article on lufkindailynews, here is the link to the original article.