For a team that won 50-0 in the opening week of the season, it’s hard to think they have any questions on their sideline. But, Texas A&M absolutely does going into Week 2’s matchup against Arizona State, a game that should provide a much better measuring stick for the Aggies than the season opener.

The Aggies and Sun Devils both cruised through tune-up games in Week 1, with Texas A&M blanking Missouri State and Arizona State rolling to a 70-7 win behind new quarterback Cutter Boley. Now the real tests begin.

This is going to be a competitive matchup against an established Big 12 program for A&M, and there are plenty of angles to break down on both sides of the ball. But before we get into the full preview, here are the early questions worth tracking.

Can Texas A&M’s defense handle misdirection?

This is my biggest concern. Texas A&M’s defense played strong in the opener with a shutout performance, but there’s a ton of new pieces, and last year there was room for growth when it came to communicating against misdirection.

And maybe you don’t follow Arizona State closely. I am warning you now, there will be a curveball thrown into this game. Kenny Dillingham loves punching above his weight class. I wouldn’t be shocked if there’s a trick play involved in this one. Arizona State’s wide receivers are really good, and Dillingham will try to exploit any communication breakdowns on the back end. The Aggies need to be locked in from the first snap.

Can Texas A&M’s offensive line get a faster start?

The second half was a much better performance up front against Missouri State, but I want to see a quicker start in the first half by this offensive line, which we knew was going to be a concern going into the season.

Against a Big 12 defensive front, you can’t afford to spend two quarters finding your rhythm. Texas A&M’s offensive line needs to establish itself early and give quarterback Marcel Reed time and space needed to operate.

Red zone play-calling needs a spark

My third question is about the red zone offense. Maybe the coaching staff kept things simple on purpose, holding back their go-to red zone plays for a game like this.?

But even with that in mind, I want to see Reed moving, using his legs as a threat in the red zone, because I think it’s going to make the offense a hell of a lot better. If the Aggies settle for field goals against a team like Arizona State, that’s going to be a problem.

Creating more havoc on defense

I understand it was a shutout last game. That’s phenomenal. But only one sack? I want to see more turnovers too, because these quarterbacks are going to be a test for the Aggies against better competition, starting this week.

Arizona State has legitimate playmakers at wide receiver, and Cutter Boley looked comfortable in his debut. The Aggies need to force sacks and turnovers this time around to give their offense short fields to work with.

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Those are the early questions. You may say this is overthinking a game against Arizona State — maybe. But this is the kind of game that tells you what a team actually is. A shutout against Missouri State is nice. Answering these questions against an established program is where the real growth happens.