Salient Stats: Texas A&M vs. ULM

If you liked “By the Numbers,” then you’ll love “Salient Stats” (because it’s the same article rebranded. Texas A&M got back on the winning side of things over Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday, here are some numbers that tell the story of how this game played out.

• 0: Second half passing yards for ULM. After the secondary got obliterated against Miami, it was nice to see them hold their own, even against a team not known for their passing prowess. The Warhawks had 95 passing yards in the first half, aided by a couple well-placed deep shots. And in case you were wondering, ULM also only had 63 rushing yards on 19 attempts in the second half as well.
• 0: Fourth quarter snaps for Conner Weigman. This was supposed to be a blowout of a cupcake opponent, and in those games, you rest your starters in the fourth quarter. A&M played well enough to do so again yesterday. You may say that’s not an accomplishment, but we’ve seen plenty of previous A&M teams not able to do it.
• 1: Third down conversion by ULM all game. Once again, we’re noting who this was done against. But after watching the defense (and the secondary in paritcular) look so porous a week ago, it was still therapeutic to see them get off the field.
• 2: Consecutive lightning delays this season. Not a huge deal, but definitely an annoyance for all involved. The forecast for Auburn is currently sunny with a high of 95, so hopefully this streak is about to end.
• #9: Jahdae Walker. On a day where the Aggies were without Evan Stewart and lost Noah Thomas very early, we knew someone else would have to step up. Many assumed that would be Moose Muhammad, but transfer Walker was the one with a breakout game. He caught five balls for 110 yards and a touchdown, complementing Ainias Smith’s seven for 127 effort.
• 86%: Conner Weigman’s completion percentage. Per TexAgs, that’s the highest mark for an Aggie QB since the team moved to the SEC in 2012. Regardless of oppnenet, that’s impressive. Conner continues to show that he 100% is that dude.
• 92.8: Conner Weigman’s QBR, currently good for No. 2 in the country behind Washington’s Michael Penix. Once again, Weigman in this offense is a cheat code as long as the offensive line can give him time.
• 335: The yardage advantage for A&M over ULM (557 to 222). Considering A&M had four games where we didn’t even reach that number ourselves in 2022, it’s safe to say the offense is playing well.
• $1.6 million: The amount Texas A&M paid to NOT lose to a Sun Belt team this time around.