ESPN analyst identifies Marcel Reed’s ‘fatal flaw’ after loss to Miami
By David Wasson
Published:
Former LSU great and ESPN college football analyst Booger McFarland is a seasoned observer of the sport, and he feels he spotted what he considers a substantial deficit in the game of Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed.
McFarland took to his X account Saturday afternoon following the Aggies’ 10-3 loss to Miami in the first round of the College Football Playoff to offer this:
Reed statistically outshined Miami quarterback Carson Beck on Saturday, throwing for 237 yards on 25-of-39 passing but also uncorked two interceptions – including the game-sealing one with less than 30 seconds remaining in the game and the Aggies on the doorstep of a potentially game-tying score.
But it was those two interceptions, both by Miami defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald, that helped trigger McFarland’s critique of the sophomore quarterback. Still, Reed finished his third season in College Station with a career-high 2,932 passing yards and 25 touchdowns against 10 interceptions with a 61.8 completion rate. He also added 466 rushing yards on 89 carries with six touchdowns in 2025.
The 10th-seeded Hurricanes (11-2) advanced to take on No. 3 seed Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Eve (7:30 pm ET, ESPN), while the seventh-seeded Aggies finished their season on a two-game losing streak and with an 11-2 record.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
