The Texas A&M Aggies will roll into their second game of the 2026 season carrying momentum as the Aggies, as expected, crushed the Missouri State Bears to the tune of a 50-0 shutout victory to begin the season.
The Aggies will undoubtedly see a step up in competition as they take on the Big 12's Arizona State Sun Devils, who, like Texas A&M, dominated in their first game of the season, taking down the Morgan State Bears 70-7 a week ago.
Texas A&M welcomes Arizona State into Kyle Field as its marquee non-conference matchup of the 2026 season, and when the Aggies take the field, one defensive player could be in line for a breakout game against the Sun Devils' offense.
Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Anto Saka (14) applies pressure to Missouri State Bears quarterback Skyler Locklear (9) during the first quarter at Kyle Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
One of the biggest goals for the Aggies headed into the weekend is to control the high-powered Arizona State offense that showed it can be explosive and put up plenty of points. The Sun Devils remarkably totaled 681 yards of total offense while averaging close to 10 yards per play.
The best way to control a high-flying offense is a pass rush, and the Aggies have the talent in order to pressure Arizona State quarterback Cutter Boley. And of the many edge rushers that head coach Mike Elko and defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill have at their disposal, graduate edge rusher Anto Saka is at the top of the list of players who can make a mark on the game.
A transfer from Northwestern, Saka was brought to College Station to replace the pass rush the Aggies were losing following the 2025 season.
While the transfer didn't have a massive Aggies debut that grabbed any headlines, recording just a lone tackle and a fumble recovery, Saka has more than enough talent to be productive, and a game against Arizona State provides the opportunity to be impactful.
The Sun Devils want to throw the football all across the field on Saturday, as they had plenty of success a week ago, as Boley nearly totaled 400 yards passing, as he completed 21 of his 27 pass attempts and threw for six touchdowns.
Saka and the Aggies' defensive line should get plenty of opportunities to pin their ears back and rush the passer against Arizona State's passing attack. And for Saka, who's a player who can move around and rush from multiple spots along the defensive line, it gives him more opportunities to make a big-time sack or create a turnover.
The veteran pass rusher is expected to be an impact player for the Texas A&M defense, and in a matchup against a pass-happy Arizona State offense, Saka could be in line for a massive performance.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/tamu as Texas A&M Defender Could Be in Line for Breakout Game vs. Arizona State .
