TEXAS A&M vs. LSU
Records: Texas A&M 7-4, 4-3 SEC; LSU 8-3, 5-2. Series history: LSU leads 32-203.
Key players: Texas A&M — QB Nick Starkel, RB Trayveon Williams, FS Derrick Tucker; LSU — QB Danny Etling, RB Derrius Guice, LB Devin White.
Who has the edge
Offense — Even. Williams went off in the Aggies’ opener, rushing for 203 yards and two touchdowns against UCLA. He has only one 100-yard rushing game since then, and he barely cracked 100 (103) in that game against Auburn. He ran for 75 yards on 26 carries last week. The Aggies and Tigers are pretty even in total yards. The Aggies are a little better passing, and the Tigers are a little better rushing.
Defense — LSU. White leads the SEC with 114 tackles, which is tied for fifth nationally. The Tigers are 18th in the FBS against the pass (181.5) and have the 17th-best scoring defense (18.5). They held Tennessee to 10 points, all in the second quarter, 287 yards and 1.1 yards per carry (38 on 34 rushes). Texas A&M gave up 391 yards last week, with Mississippi rushing for 202 yards on 39 carries (5.2 yards per run). Special teams — Even. Both teams have a potent return game. Christian Kirk and Williams returned kickoffs last week. Kirk boasts 18 kick returns for 425 yards and one TD this season, and he also returned a punt for a score. LSU’s D.J. Clark has two punt-return TDs. Both kickers had issues last week. A&M K Daniel LaCamera missed a 45-yarder. LSU’s Connor Culp missed from 53 and 25 yards.
Notable: The Aggies have lost six consecutive games to LSU, including a surprising 54-39 shootout loss last season, when the previously offensively challenged Tigers erupted for 622 total yards. Etling threw for 324 yards and two TDs
and Guice had 285 yards and four TDs rushing. Texas A&M won five straight games in the series from 1991 to 1995.
About Texas A&M: The Aggies might be looking for a new coach in the offseason regardless of what happens this week, but a win over the Tigers would go a long way toward saving coach Kevin Sumlin’s job. The Aggies haven’t beaten LSU under Sumlin, but they have a little momentum coming off back-to-back wins,
including 31-24 over Mississippi last week.
About LSU: The No. 19 Tigers won for the fifth time in six games last week, throttling Tennessee 30-10 in pouring rain in Knoxville. Their defense supplied two takeaways and forced the Vols into three turnovers on downs. Guice ran for 97 yards and one TD, giving him 1,026 yards and 10 TDs on 188 rushes. He’s fourth in the SEC in rushing.