We’ve made it. Texas A&M’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad season is coming to an end, and not to live in the land of sports panacea, but the Aggies’ season finale vs. the now 5th-ranked LSU Tigers could be one of the better matchups during rivalry weekend, mainly due to the fact that the maroon and white sloppily earned their 4th win of the season vs. UMass last weekend, thus ending their historic 6-game losing streak.
Overall, the game was pretty forgettable, aside from the stark improvement by the run defense, who finally held an opponent to under 200 yards on the ground for the first time in four games. Quarterback Conner Weigman also gave a surprisingly exciting performance on the ground, totaling 66 yards on scrambles and designed runs showing just how athletic the former 5-star prospect can be.
This weekend, the 5th-ranked LSU Tigers, who are literally on the cusp of the college football playoffs, make their way to Kyle Field this Saturday night with an eye on reaching 10-2, and 7-1 in the SEC. Are the Aggies a real threat to sabotage the Tigers’ chances? Who knows, but I will say that the 12th man will do everything they can to impact the game, and as we know, magic happens during night games at Kyle Field, and this Aggie squad has absolutely nothing to lose. Game. On.
So, here are my official areas of concern for the Aggies heading into their 6:00 PM CT. Kickoff on ESPN.
Texas A&M’s rushing attack vs. LSU’s run defense
This is may sound like a pretty blase’ point of concern for a team that has star running back Devon Achane at their disposal, but after missing the last two games with an injury, the running back room has been led by sophomore Amari Daniels and freshman Le’veon Moss, who had their best outing against UMass last weekend, rushing for a combined 145 yards and a touchdown. This week, as Achane is on track to return to the starting lineup, LSU’s stout defensive front and linebacker rotation lead their 43rd-ranked run defense, limiting opponents to 132 rushing yards per game so far this season.
For the Aggies to have any chance, a balanced attack is needed, and a healthy dose of Achane with a mix of Daniels and Moss should be enough to get the offensive line in rhythm and set up quarterback Conner Weigman to expose LSU’s secondary.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels vs. Texas A&M’s run defense
Well, you knew this concern was coming, as the Aggies have one of the worst run defenses in the country, ranked 123rd while allowing 210 yards per game, and comically sporting the 2nd, yes 2nd ranked passing defense in the country, only allowing 152 passing yards per game on average. This week, highlight reel quarterback Jayden Daniels comes to town, as the junior Arizona State transfer is having one of the best seasons of any player in the FBS this season, with 15 touchdowns through the air, and 11 on the ground.
There is no cure this season for Texas A&M’s putrid run defense because it simply is what it is, but that doesn’t mean this group, led by junior nose tackle McKinnley Jackson can play inspired football this weekend, and just focus on their gaps and prevent chunk plays early on. They’re going to give up big yards, that’s a given, but it’s the last game of the season for a group that’s been ridiculed week in and week out, so let’s just say there isn’t a lack of inspiration to prove the doubters wrong.
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