Powerful Hubbard will test defense
Aggies try to stop top rusher in NCAA without Madubuike
COLLEGE STATION — The NCAA’s leading rusher visited his hometown Oilers this weekend before playing in a bowl game in Houston’s NFL venue this Friday.
If that seems a bit perplexing, or perhaps a line from yesteryear, this should help clear up any sudden short-circuitry: Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard, who tops the nation with 1,936 rushing yards this season, hails from Canada and was honored at an Edmonton Oilers NHL game Friday night.
This Friday, he’ll lead the No. 25 Cowboys (8-4) of the Big 12 against Texas A&M (7-5) of the SEC in the Academy Texas Bowl in NRG Stadium.
“He’s sturdy, and he sheds a lot of tackles,” A&M safety Keldrick Carper said of Hubbard. “If you’re not coming with (purpose), he’ll run right through you and take it the house.”
The SEC has a reputation for powerful running backs, but the best two the Aggies will face this year are from the ACC and the Big 12. Clemson’s Travis Etienne is seventh nationally with 1,500 yards this season, but the Aggies held him to 53 yards on 16 carries in the Tigers’ 24-10 victory on Sept. 7 at Clemson.
A&M ranks 29th nationally against the run, but that’s a step back from last season, when the Aggies ranked third nationally behind Michigan State and Mississippi State.
The Aggies haven’t played since No. 1 LSU ran them up and down the field in the Tigers’ 50-7 romp, so they’re eager to try and rinse out the sour taste of their worst loss to LSU in 58 meetings.
But that bad taste coincides with bad timing for the Aggies: Junior defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, their top run-stuffer and overall top defender, not only declared for the NFL draft but joined the growing trend of players skipping bowl games that don’t have College Football Playoff ties.
“It’s tough to replace a guy like Justin,” Carper said, “but we’ll figure out a way.”
Madubuike leads the Aggies in sacks (5½), tackles for loss (11½) and quarterback hurries (seven), and he’s also fifth on the team in tackles with 45. Fellow junior Jayden Peevy is scheduled to start in Madubuike’s place.
“Throughout this break I’ve been working harder, getting guys on my back so I can be a leader on the defensive line,” said Peevy, who’s eighth on the team with 32 tackles.
Peevy and fellow linemen Tyree Johnson, Bobby Brown, Micheal Clemons and DeMarvin Leal will be tasked with slowing Hubbard, who despite rushing for nearly 2,000 yards in a dozen games was not one of the four Heisman Trophy finalists, who were three quarterbacks and one defensive lineman.
Hubbard, who teammates describe as gracious and giving, posted a video to social media saying in part he was “blessed to be in the position” of even being considered following the Heisman snub.
A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said the Aggies will have their hands full with an incentivized Hubbard in trying to avoid a third consecutive loss to close out the season.
“He’s got power, he’s got speed and he can make you miss,” Fisher said. “He’s just a complete back, and knows how to ‘tempo’ run.”
Fisher explained the ability to run with tempo means mixing it up instead of just a lowering of the helmet and blasting full speed.
“He can accelerate, decelerate, get that shoulder down, not take shots and deliver shots,” Fisher said. “He’s extremely natural in everything he does.”
A year ago the Aggies closed their first season under Fisher with four consecutive victories, including a 52-13 whipping of North Carolina State in the Gator Bowl. This year they lost at No. 5 Georgia and at LSU, however, to close out this regular season.
The last time the Aggies played in the Texas Bowl, they lost to Kansas State following the 2016 regular season, coach Kevin Sumlin’s second to last year at A&M. The Aggies are favored by about a touchdown over the Cowboys, but know it won’t be easy thanks to a Canadian who loves the Oilers in the OSU backfield.
“(Hubbard) is a great back and he’s fast, so we’ve got to be sound and play physical to get him on the ground,” A&M linebacker Buddy Johnson said.