It’s been a recurring theme for Texas A&M: Start fast, then limp home.

Back-to-back 8-5 seasons have made Aggies fans cautiously optimistic about their team’s third consecutive 3-0 start under head coach Kevin Sumlin, a feat that hadn’t been accomplished since Homer Norton did it from 1939-41.

But something seems different about this squad.

The infusion of a new quarterback, Oklahoma graduate transfer Trevor Knight, has added confident leadership to that side of the football. He’s taken a new system of offense implemented by new OC Noel Mazzone and executed it in an effective and meaningful manner.

There’s also a new level of confidence on the defensive side of the football with veteran standouts settling into what second-year DC John Chavis is trying to do. Improved play by the corps of linebackers and a focus on stopping the run have paid dividends in the first three games.

We’re not the only ones impressed. The latest AP Poll and Coaches Poll reflect a similar feeling the Aggies are drawing nationally as well.

Texas A&M moved up seven spots, just as many spots as Louisville after its thrashing of the Seminoles, and into the top 10 (at No. 10) in the AP Poll while climbing up to No. 13 in the Coaches Poll. Among SEC teams, only Alabama at No. 1 is ranked higher in the AP Poll.

We’ll know more, of course, as the season continues to unfold. The next big challenge will be a late Saturday evening clash in Arlington, TX with an undefeated Arkansas team, also 3-0 and looking for respect at No. 17 in the AP Poll. The game dubbed as the “Southwest Classic” kicks off at 8 p.m. CT.

Last Saturday’s 29-16 victory on the road over Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium was a hard-fought and well-deserved win for a team still looking to find its identity.

”It was a question mark game for our team since we came into the season not being picked very high,” Knight said after the game. ”There were all kinds of questions about who we were going to be and what our identity would be.

“We came on the road to a team that I think has one of the better defenses in the country. We played very well, and it was a big win for us.”

Knight threw for 247 yards and a touchdown, completing 20-of-40 pass attempts. Perhaps the most encouraging stat was that for the first time this season he did not throw an interception as Texas A&M remained unbeaten against Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium – sweeping all three road games against the Tigers and continuing a streak in which the road team has won each matchup since Texas A&M joined the SEC.

Knight now has five touchdown passes against just two picks so far this season.

“I wasn’t happy with how we finished the game,” said Sumlin, who is now 19-7 in games away from Kyle Field, including a 13-6 mark in true road games. “To really kind of let down on defense and give up the score and then not close out things the way we needed to in the final five-six-seven minutes. We’ve got to improve there.”

But there’s no denying the improvement defensively over last year’s meeting with Auburn. The Aggies recorded four sacks and collected 13 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

Myles Garrett had two sacks on Saturday and now has 27 for his 28-game career. His next sack will put him in the top 10 all-time among SEC sack leaders.

A couple more notes from Saturday’s victory:

Freshman RB Trayveon Williams’ 89-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter was the longest rush by an Aggie since Christine Michael’s school-record 97-yarder against Baylor in 2009.

Senior WR Josh Reynolds moved into third place all-time on Texas A&M’s career receiving touchdowns list. His second-quarter score was the 20th of his career. Only Jeff Fuller (34) and Ryan Swope (24) have more.

And finally, freshman kicker Daniel LaCamera booted five field goals (46, 35, 31, 25 and 26 yards) on Saturday, the most ever by a freshman in a single game and tied for second most in school history. LaCamera has now connected on nine consecutive field goal attempts after missing the first of his career at Texas A&M in the season opener.