Kicking the Tires: Texas A&M

It's time for another version of bold and daring smart not scared something resembling K-State football this weekend in College Station.  Here is a quick look at what to look for on the field.

Players to Watch

K-State

Passing: Josh Freeman -- 9/143, 1,275 yards, 12 TDs, 2 INTs

Rushing: Lamark Brown -- 55 carries, 183 yards, 1 TD, 3.4 yards per carry

Receiving: Brandon Banks -- 25 catches, 514 yards, 6 TDs, 102 yards per game

Texas A&M

Passing: Jerrod Johnson -- 59/104, 670 yards, 9 TDs, 4 INTs

Rushing: Mike Goodson -- 61 carries, 332 yards, 4 TDs, 5.4 yards per carry

Receiving: Mike Goodson -- 20 catches, 156 yards, 2 TDs, 31 yards per game

Team Stats

Passing Offense

K-State: 16th (275.6 yards per game)

Texas A&M: 83rd (192.8 yards per game)

Rushing Offense

K-State: 75th (136.6 yards per game)

Texas A&M: 84th (125.8 yards per game)

Scoring Offense

K-State: 9th (43.2 points per game)

Texas A&M: 84th (22.8 points per game)

Total Offense

K-State: 36th (412.2 yards per game)

Texas A&M: 95th (318.6 yards per game)

Passing Defense

K-State: 86th (229.2 yards per game)

Texas A&M: 7th (148.6 yards per game)

Rushing Defense

K-State: 101st (192.4 yards per game)

Texas A&M: 114th (225 yards per game)

Scoring Defense

K-State: 94th (29.8 points per game)

Texas A&M: 99th (30.8 points per game)

Total Defense

K-State: 102nd (421.6 yards per game)

Texas A&M: 78th (373.6 yards per game)

As you can tell from the above statistics, this should be one helluva game.  Both teams suck at stopping the run, but for A&M that won't matter much because K-State sucks at running the ball.  However, A&M's "strength" is pass defense -- although I wonder if that's a function of their really poor rushing defense -- while K-State's offensive "strength" is throwing the ball.  Freeman and the receivers better have one helluva game.

I would note that Freeman is coming off easily his worst game of the year, but then again pretty much everyone on our team is coming off their worst game of the year.  I'd like to think that the dropped passes we saw in the Tech game were an aberration, but we won't really know that until we see the team play again.

I don't really have the stomach to discuss this game much longer, so I give you my Texas A&M YouTube, then I'm moving on to predictions for other Big 12 games after the jump.

Aggie Weirdness (via ProudandImmortal)

Oklahoma vs. Texas, 11 a.m. ABC (in Dallas): In my mind, this is without a doubt the national game of the day.  Both teams have looked pretty good this year, and the winner will forcefully vault into the national title picture.  I've seen Texas play once in person and they looked good, but not great.  They'll give OU a tough time, but won't have enough to pull it out.

Red River North 33, Red River South 24

KU vs. Colorado, 11:30 a.m. ESPN2: Will KU decapitate an opposing player, as its fans so artfully exhort them to do?  I doubt it, but I also don't think Colorada has much of a shot at winning this game.  For a moment, the 'beaks will know what it's like to have a pass rush against the patchwork CU offensive line.

Birds 38, Buffs 17

Texas Tech vs. Nebraska, 2:00 p.m. FSN: I hope Nebraska fans got a good look at our game against Tech last week, because that's pretty much what they're looking at in Lubbock this weekend.  Graham Harrell goes for another 400 yards passing and Mike Leach makes another boneheaded call on fourth down.

Punt-Hating Raiders 63, Hapless Huskers 21 (seven of those on a late scoring drive with the starters)

Baylor vs. Iowa State, 6:00 p.m. FCS: While I know they didn't look like they were any good against OU, the Bears didn't look abjectly awful like I thought they might.  Iowa State threw a good scare into KU at home, but I'm guessing Robert Griffin is going to be too much for the Clones to handle.

Robert Griffin 34, USC-Lite 28

Missouri vs Oklahoma State, 7:00 p.m. ESPN2: Will probably be the most exciting game of the day from a scoring standpoint.  I'm very interested to see how Okie State will perform in the spotlight.  One thing is for certain, there will be a lot of points on the Faurot Field scoreboard by the end of this one.

Destiny's Team 55, Hunter's Vest Orange 40