JIMBO’S JUMBLE
FORMER FSU COACH, NOW AT TEXAS A&M, FACES A FAMILIAR MENACE
KEYS FOR CLEMSON
Two-QB success. The Tigers will play returning starter Kelly Bryant and touted freshman Trevor Lawrence at quarterback, so both need to produce something similar to the success they enjoyed in an opening win against Furman. Bryant was 10-16 passing for 127 yards and a touchdown, then ran for another. Lawrence was 9-15 for 137 yards passing and three touchdowns in his college debut. Dominate up front on defense. Clemson’s defensive line is regarded as the best in college football this season, and it will need to live up to that reputation against the Aggies. Texas A&M returns a veteran blocking corps, but that group surrendered 29 sacks a year ago.
KEYS FOR TEXAS A&M
Get to the edge on offense. Junior Trayveon Williams began 2018 with a 240-yard, three-touchdown rushing effort in just two quarters against Northwestern State. Williams won’t pile up those kind of numbers against Clemson, but if he can manage to get to the edge often enough he could do some major damage.
Poise in the pocket. Sophomore Kellen Mond displayed calm and poise not present a year ago at quarterback in the opener. Mond will need to maintain that even more and avoid turnovers in the face of what will no doubt be constant pressure from Clemson’s defensive front.
PREDICTION
Even though Texas A&M’s new head coach Jimbo Fisher split eight games with Clemson during his tenure at Florida State, the chances of pulling an upset this time around are far less than 50-50. The big-game spotlight is nothing new for the Tigers, even at this early date. They’ll come to College Station with the swagger of a potential national champion and leave the same way.