Here are five of the biggest takeaways from Texas A&M’s 38-10 win against Rice.

  • Myles Garrett is going to start hearing Jadeveon Clowney comparisons. The true freshman added 2.5 sacks against Rice, raising his season total to 5.5. That ties the school record for a freshman (Sam Adams in ’91 and Damontre Moore in ’10). Up next: the SEC freshman sack record of 8, set by Clowney in 2011. The 2014 No. 1 overall draft pick needed two sacks in a bowl game against Nebraska to reach the mark. With another day like Saturday, Garrett conceivably could get there in four games. The five-star recruit still needs to add some heft to his body to be more equipped against the run, but he already is one of the best pass rushers in the nation.
  • Injuries are becoming a concern. Texas A&M played without starting tight end Cameron Clear, starting middle linebacker Jordan Mastrogiovanni and starting center Mike Matthews. Receiver/kick returner Speedy Noil took a ride in a cart Saturday, though coach Kevin Sumlin wasn’t interested in addressing his potential injury after the game. (Noil himself tweeted an Instagram photo of his first college touchdown on Sunday afternoon, leading to a round of speculation about his health.) DT Zaycoven Henderson, DT Alonzo Williams and DE Daeshon Hall all left the game due to injuries as well, though the latter two players re-entered the game. A&M needs all the healthy bodies it can get, particularly on defense.
  • This team looks awfully familiar. Before the season, a strong undercurrent suggested that an improved defense and a regression on offense may offset for the 2014 Aggies team. The Johnny Manziel-Mike Evans combination departed for the NFL. But the offense has been just as prolific, including a 52-28 win at South Carolina that now looks even better. (The Gamecocks knocked off No. 6 Georgia on Saturday.) Unfortunately, the defense also looked a lot like 2013 against Rice, giving up nearly 500 yards. Teams with run-pass read option plays like the Owls executed again and again Saturday can take advantage of a unit that sometimes fails to play disciplined football. I’m looking at you, Auburn.
  • Kenny Hill protects the football. Manziel took risks and made SportsCenter. Hill stays within the system. It’s worked, as Hill became the only Texas A&M player in history to throw for 1,000 yards in the first three games of the season. And Hill has yet to throw an interception in 117 pass attempts, though he did pick up an intentional grounding call in the first quarter Saturday. By contrast, true freshman Kyle Allen now has thrown two interceptions in just 18 pass attempts. It doesn’t seem likely the Aggies are ranked No. 6 in the AP Poll if the coaches had given the job to Allen instead.
  • The Aggies must hope for dry days. After recent heavy rain, the playing surface at Kyle Field nearly disintegrated Saturday. The scary part? It could’ve been worse. With five more scheduled home games, the program may be praying for rainless conditions several times in the coming weeks.