Five questions that have to be asked after college football Week 3

What took so long, Aggies? At first, Texas A&M looked exactly like the team that struggled to beat FCS opponent Nicholls State last week. Then the second half happened and the Aggies remembered that they were supposed to be an SEC team with more talent than UL Lafayette and held the Cajuns scoreless the remainder of the game. A&M’s offense only generated 14 points in the first half against a UL defense that allowed 48 points to Southeastern Louisiana and 66 last week against Tulsa. At one point, A&M had -22 rushing yards against the nation’s second-worst rush defense. The Aggies finished with just under 180 yards on the ground thanks to big second halves from running backs Jacob Kidobi and Kendall Bussey, but again, what took so long? But with that said... Is Kellen Mond finding his footing? He didn’t exactly face the stingiest of defenses Saturday, but freshman quarterback Kellen Mond looked like the best player inside Kyle Field for the majority of the game finishing with a sneaky 301 yards, three touchdowns and completion percentage over 60. When his running backs were able to alleviate some of the pressure, Mond looked a lot more composed. A&M Offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone may need to start taking the training wheels off Mond if the Aggies want opposing teams to fear Christian Kirk and the rest of its receivers as SEC play begins next week against Arkansas. Is TCU a legit Big XII threat this season? Right now, the Big XII champion looks like it’ll come from the Bedlam state this season, but don’t be too quick to pass over TCU. After SMU jumped out to a 19-7 lead Saturday, the Horned Frogs turned it into high gear and outscored their rivals 49-17 and came away with a convincing 56-36 win. It’s worth mentioning that SMU’s first two touchdowns came after two flea flickers and the Horned Frogs held the Mustangs to go 1-for-6 on their following seven possessions. If Kenny Hill continues to be as accurate as he’s shown over the start of the season (72 percent) and head coach Gary Patterson’s defense is getting back to its tenacious ways that until recently seemed to be an afterthought, TCU could give the state of Texas its best chance to challenge the Oklahoma schools. How does Baylor get back on track? It wasn’t hard to anticipate Baylor struggling in head coach Matt Rhule’s first season, but who expected an 0-3 start? Sophomore quarterback Zach Smith got the nod in place of the injured Anu Solomon and looked decent even in spite of his three interceptions. When he had time to throw (He was pressured nine times), he was able to spot the open man and move the offense. But this one boiled down to Baylor’s inability to tackle Duke’s running backs, Shaun Wilson and Brittain Brown. Brown’s 34-yard run in the second quarter, in which he ran over through and around the entire Baylor defense, summarized the Bears’ night and season thus far. Things aren’t going to get easier for the Bears who  host No. 2 Oklahoma next weekend. Is Texas State slightly ahead of schedule? Head coach Everett Withers said it himself during the off-season, Texas State was still probably still a year away from competing for a Sun Belt title. That’s still likely the case, but the Bobcats’ narrow 20-13 loss to conference-favorite Appalachian State certainly raised eyebrows Saturday night. It took a touchdown-saving tackle at the one-yard line as time expired to keep Texas State from tying it up. The team’s defense has turned into a very sound unit after a shaky season-debut against Houston Baptist and held the Preseason Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year, Jalin Moore, to just 14 yards rushing. Senior quarterback Damian Williams showed exactly why he was tabbed by Withers as he spearheaded a gritty offensive performance against the conference’s top defense. He finished with 260 yards through the air and a score. Whether the young Bobcats can maintain this form over the course of a season remains to be seen, but if they can, Texas State might come away with a better record than many initially anticipated. This wasn’t a performance in the same vein as last season’s win at Ohio in which some things broke Texas State’s way en route to victory, the Bobcats played at the same level as arguably the best team in the league.

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