No. 14/13 Texas A&M (2-1, 0-1 vs. Big 12)
vs.
No. 18/18 Arkansas (3-1, 0-1 vs. SEC)
KICKOFF/DATE: 11 a.m. (CT), Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011
SITE: COWBOYS STADIUM, ARLINGTON, TEXAS
TELEVISION:
ESPN (national)
Dave Pasch, play-by-play
Chris Spielman, Urban Meyer, commentary
Shelley Smith, sidelines
RADIO
Texas A&M Sports Network
Dave South, play-by-play
Dave Elmendorf, commentary
Tom Turbiville, sidelines
(Sirius channel 91/XM channel 91)
ESPN Radio (national)
Bill Rosinski, play-by-play
David Norrie, commentary
Joe Schad, sidelines
RANKINGS
Texas A&M (14th - AP Top 25/13th - USA Today Poll)
Arkansas (18th - AP Top 25/18th - USA Today Poll)
SERIES HISTORY: Arkansas leads, 40-24-3
LAST MEETING: 2010: UA 24, A&M 17 in Arlington, Texas
LIVE AUDIO: aggieathletics.com, radioaggieland.com
LIVE STATS: aggieathletics.com
FORMER AND FUTURE CONFERENCE RIVALS FACE OFF
Former and future conference rivals, the Aggies and Razorbacks face off in the third edition of the Southwest Classic with a 11 a.m. kickoff on Saturday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Aggies and Razorbacks were both longtime members of the Southwest Conference, and the two schools will be conference mates again next year when Texas A&M begins play in the Southeastern Conference (see full Texas A&M-to-SEC release on page 2).
With the Razorbacks as the designated home team, the game will be televised nationally as part of the SEC television package on ESPN. Calling the action for the ESPN television broadcast will be Dave Pasch, Chris Spielman, Urban Meyer and Quint Kessenich, while Bill Rosinski, David Norrie and Joe Schad on the ESPN Radio national broadcast.
As members of the SWC, the Aggies and Razorbacks played annually from 1927-1991, and their all-time series began in 1903. The two teams have played 67 times with the Razorbacks holding a 40-24-3 edge in the series.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR …
• The Aggies will be facing a ranked opponent for the second straight game, and have battled a top 25 opponent in seven of their last 13 opponents.
• WR Jeff Fuller is within 150 yards of Terrence Murphy's career school record for receiving yards.
• Fuller has 182 career points. With three more TDs, Fuller will become the sixth non-placekicker to score 200 points and the first wide receiver.
• QB Ryan Tannehill, who has started nine games at QB, is 274 yards from the 3,000-yard plateau in total offense.
• Texas A&M is seeking its first-ever win at Cowboys Stadium. A&M is 0-3 in three previous trips.
• The Aggies will be seeking its first win against a SEC opponent since 1995 (A&M 33, LSU 17 at Kyle Field). A&M has dropped its last six games against SEC foes.
• SW Classic is a matchup of two former NFL head coaches. Sherman went 59-43 in six seasons with the Green Bay Packers, and won three division titles. UA coach Bobby Petrino coached the Atlanta Falcons in 2007 and posted a 3-10 record before becoming the Razorback head coach.
AGGIES IN THE RANKINGS
Texas A&M is in both the Associated Press media poll and the USA Today head coaches poll for the 10th straight week dating back to Nov. 7, 2010.
Ranked No. 8 in both polls last week, the Aggies fell to No. 14 in the AP Top 25 and No. 13 in the USA Today poll after falling to Oklahoma State on Saturday. Arkansas goes into Saturday's matchup with the Aggies ranked No. 18 in both polls.
LAST TIME OUT: Aggies fall to Cowboys, 30-29
The Aggies shot out to a 20-3 halftime advantage, but the OSU Cowboys roared back for a 30-29 comeback victory at Kyle Field.
• Saturday's crowd of 87,358 was an over-capacity sellout (Kyle Field capacity 83,002). It marked the Aggies' third-straight sellout to open 2011, which has never happened before. A&M's streak of sellouts stands at four, dating back to last year's record crowd of 90,079 at the Nebraska game.
• ILB Garrick Williams posted the sixth double digit tackle game of his career with a game-high 13 tackles. It was just off his career high of 15 against LSU in Cotton Bowl.
• WR Ryan Swope posted 105 yards on seven catches, which marked his second 100-yard receiving games in 2011 and the fifth of his career.
• The Aggie offensive front gave up their first two sacks of the season, while the defense posted three sacks of OSU QB Brandon Weeden. The A&M defense came into the game ranked No. 1 nationally in sacks/game at 5.5 per contest.
• Coming into 2011, OLB Sean Porter had posted 1.5 sacks in 23 games. He had two sacks against OSU to raise his season total to a team-best 3.5.
• Turnover-free in the season-opener, A&M has had six turnovers in the last two games while gaining just one takeaway.
• RB Cyrus Gray rushed for 35 yards on 13 carries, halting his nine-game streak of 100-yard rushing games.
• PK Randy Bullock became the seventh Aggie PK with 40-plus career field goals with his first three-pointer of the game.
AGGIES STILL ATOP THE NCAA QB SACK RANKING
Entering week five of the college football season, the Aggies lead in the nation in sacks per game with an average of 4.7, while compiling 14 quarterback sacks in the first three games, despite the departure of two-time Big 12 sack leader Von Miller.
Leading the way for the Wrecking Crew are junior outside linebacker Sean Porter and senior defensive end Tony Jerod-Eddie, who have combined for 6.5 of A&M's 14 QB takedowns. Porter has gotten to the QB in every game this season and is tied for third on the NCAA sack list, while Jerod-Eddie is tied for sixth after his three-sack outburst in the season-opener.
PORTER STEPS UP FOR THE WRECKING CREW
On a team seeking to replace the big-play capabilities of departed All-American Von Miller, junior Sean Porter has been impressive from the outside linebacker spot opposite of Miller's old “Joker” position. After three games, Porter leads the team in total tackles, solo and assisted tackles, QB sacks, total tackles for losses and QB pressures.
Being asked to get to the quarterback is new for Porter, who entered 2011 with just 1.5 QB sacks in his previous two seasons (15 starts in 26 games). Porter got to 1.5 sacks in 2011 in the first two games, and then posted a career-best two sacks last week against Oklahoma State.
BULLOCK SHOWS OFF POWER BOOST
If the first three games of 2011 are any indication, senior placekicker Randy Bullock's hard work last summer has resulted in more distance on his kickoffs. One of the most accurate kickers in school history with a career success rate of 74.5 percent on field goal attempts, Bullock had registered only 27 touchbacks in 192 career kickoffs (14.1 percent). In 2011, Bullock already has seven touchbacks, and is averaging 67.0 yards per kickoff (four-yard improvement from 2010). During fall camp, Bullock referenced the key to his improvement: “The biggest thing is I'm not having to play catch-up,” Bullock said. “Last year I had been sick all summer. This year I came in healthy after working all summer and I'm ready to go.”
Bullock has connected on 7-of-8 field goal attempts, and his 2.33 field goals/game average ranks No. 1 in Big 12 and is tied for No. 3 nationally.
DESOTO PIPELINE
Even though two-time All-American Von Miller (DeSoto Class of '07) has matriculated to the NFL, DeSoto High School will still be well-represented on the 2011 Aggies. Three of the Aggies' most experienced and productive players are former DeSoto Eagles -- true senior running back Cyrus Gray, true senior defensive end Tony Jerod-Eddie and fifth-year senior inside linebacker Garrick Williams.
Making an Impact ........................ 2011
Cyrus Gray (DeSoto Class of '08) ... Averaging 89.3 rushing yards/game
Tony Jerod-Eddie (DeSoto Class of '08) ... No. 2 in Big 12 with 3 QB sacks
Garrick Williams (DeSoto Class of '07) ... Game-high 13 stops vs. Oklahoma State
BIG BOYS PAVING THE WAY
All five of the Aggies' starters on the offensive line weigh in at over 300 pounds, and the average weight of the six is 307.8 pounds, making them the heaviest group in school history.
Heaviest O-Line in School History
LT Luke Joeckel -- 310
LG Brian Thomas -- 315
C Patrick Lewis -- 306
RG Shep Klinke -- 305
RT Jake Matthews -- 305
RELEVANT IN THE RANKINGS AGAIN
The Aggies entered the 2011 campaign as a consensus top 10 team in the preseason Top 25 rankings. The last time A&M were in the preseason Top 25 polls by the Associated Press or the USA Today was 2007 when the Aggies were ranked No. 25 by both the AP and coaches. The last A&M was ranked higher than No. 17 (2005) was 1999 when then head coach R.C. Slocum's defending Big 12 Champion Aggies entered the year ranked No. 7 by the AP and No. 8 by the coaches.
Aggies in the Preseason Top 25 Rankings
CBS Sportsline ... No. 7
Associated Press ... No. 8
ESPN.com's Power Rankings ... No. 8
Phil Steele's CFB Preview ... No. 8
USA Today ... No. 9
The Sporting News ... No. 9
FWAA Grantland Rice Super 16 ... No. 10
Rivals.com ... No. 10
Sports Illustrated ... No. 10
Athlon ... No. 11
CollegeFootballNews.com ... No. 11
LIndy's ... No. 13
COMING AND GOING
The Aggies will be one of the most experienced teams in the nation in 2011 with 18 of 22 position starters returning, including 10 of 11 from the offense. A&M also returns a whopping 60 lettermen, which is EASILY the most in school history. The previous high for returning lettermen was 50 on the 1988 and the 2010 squads.
ELITE 1,000-YARD TRIO
The return of seniors Jeff Fuller, Cyrus Gray and Ryan Tannehill puts the Aggies among a select group of teams in the NCAA FBS that have a returning 1,000-yard receiver, rusher and passer. Joining the Aggies in the elite group are SMU, South Carolina and Toledo.
Teams with 1000-yard passer/rusher/receiver returning
Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill, RB Cyrus Gray, WR Jeff Fuller
Southern Methodist QB Kyle Padron, RB Zach Line, Cole Beasley
South Carolina QB Stephen Garcia, RB Marcus Lattimore, WR Alshon Jeffrey
Toledo QB Austin Dantin, RB Adonis Thompson, WR Eric Page
SIX GRADUATES ON AGGIES' 2011 ROSTER
Texas A&M has six graduates on the fall 2011 roster.
Danny Baker August 2011 University Studies (Mays Business School)
Ben Bass May 2011 Ag Leadership and Development
Matt Sherman August 2011 University Studies (Agriculture and Life Sciences)
Lionel Smith August 2011 Ag Leadership and Development
Ryan Tannehill May 2011 Biology
Garrick Williams August 2011 University Studies (Agriculture and Life Sciences)
SIDENOTE: Aggie head coach Mike Sherman gave a rousing speech to the 2011 summer graduates at the commencement convocation ceremony. Included among the graduates were seven current or former A&M football players, including his son, Matt, who is a senior tight end. The complete speech can be found on the University website (tamunews.tamu.edu) or by clicking “12th Man TV” link on the re-designed AggieAthletics.com.
THE VERSATILE RYAN TANNEHILL
No Football Bowl Subdivision player ever can match senior quarterback Ryan Tannehill's versatility résumé. Research has shown that Tannehill is the only player in NCAA FBS history with a 400-yard passing game and a 200-yard receiving game to his credit. The Big Spring High School product had his 200-yard receiving day against Kansas State as a freshman, and posted his 400-yard passing game in his starting debut last season against Texas Tech (ironically, his father's alma mater). In addition, Tannehill remains the Aggies' holder on placekicks and has three career punts to his credit.
Tannehill's Impressive Résumé
Receptions/Single Game 12 vs. Kansas State, 2008 (No. 5 in school history)
Receiving Yards/Single Game 210 vs. Kansas State, 2008 (No. 3 in school history)
Receptions/Season 55 in 2008 (No. 8 in school history)
Receiving Yards/Season 844 in 2008 (No. 4 in school history)
Receptions/Career 112 (No. 4 in school history)
Receiving Yards/Career 1,596 (No. 5 in school history)
Passing Yards/Single Game 449 vs. Texas Tech, 2010 (school record)
Completions/Single Game 36 vs. Texas Tech, 2010 (No. 2 in school history)
Attempts/Single Game 50 vs. Texas Tech, 2010 (No. 7 in school history)
Passing TDs/Single Game 4 vs. Texas Tech, 2010 (tNo. 6 in school history)
Completion Pct./Season 65.0 in 2010 (school record)
Total Offense/Single Game 458 vs. Texas Tech, 2010 (No. 2 in school history)
CYRUS GRAY: ON THE WAY
Preseason first-team All-Big 12 RB Cyrus Gray, a senior from DeSoto, Texas, is the leading returning rusher in the conference after rushing for 1,133 yards in 2010.
Always a solid running back, Gray took his game to the next level in 2010. He earned the starting nod at RB over Christine Michael in game seven, and then Michael suffered a season-ending broken leg in game 8 which forced Gray to shoulder the bulk of the carries for the first time in his career. The transformation was stunning as Gray averaged 134.0 yards in the final seven games of the season after gaining just an average of 32.5 yards in first six games of 2010.
Gray's Résumé
• Named to “watch lists” for Doak Walker Award, the Maxwell Award and the Pony Express Award
• Big 12's leading returning rusher (1,133 yards in 2010)
• Rushed for a career-high 223 yards on 27 carries in the 2010 regular season finale against Texas, who was a record for an A&M player against the Longhorns and was A&M's first 200-yard rushing game since Leeland McElroy had 229 on 35 carries against LSU in 1995.
• Gray is A&M's game, season and career leader in kickoff return yardage.
• Gray is A&M's career all purpose yardage leader.
RECORD-SETTING FULLER
When Jeff Fuller announced that he would forgo the 2011 NFL Draft and stay at A&M for his senior season, it virtually ensured that there would be a new name at the top of every career receiving at the school. Fuller has owned the career receiving touchdowns record since early last season and broke Terrence Murphy's career catches record earlier this season against Idaho. The only major career receiving record in play for Fuller is the career receiving yards mark, and Fuller trails Murphy by 150 yards entering the Arkansas game.
Fuller's Résumé
• Named to “watch lists” for Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the Maxwell Award, the Biletnikoff Award and the Pony Express Award.
• Has caught at least one pass in every game of his career (35 straight).
• School record holder with 28 career TD catches, which is third among active FBS players.
• School record holder with 174 career catches, which is No. 10 among active FBS players.
• Needs 150 yards to match Terrence Murphy's A&M records for career yards (2,600).
• Became Texas A&M's first 1,000-yard receiver in 2010.
• Owns three of the top five single season receiving touchdowns efforts in school history.
• Set the season catches record (tie with Ryan Swope) with 72 catches in 2010.
SWOPE'S SHORT GAME SETS THE TABLE FOR AGGIES
Lining up all over the field, slot receiver Ryan Swope was Mr. Inside to Jeff Fuller's Mr. Outside in 2010. From the first game of the season, Swope helped the Aggie offense hum with his repertoire of bubble screens, sweeps and over-the-middle catches, along with his defense-stretching speed (he's regarded as the fastest receiver on the team).
Swope finished 2010 with a school-record 72 catches (tie with Fuller) for 825 yards. He challenged the Aggies' single game record for catches in last year's season-opener with 13 catches against Stephen F. Austin. His ability to make plays down the field with his blazing speed helped him put the Oklahoma game out of reach with a career-long 64-yard touchdown reception.
Swope's Résumé
• Team leader with 21 catches (7.0/gm) for 288 yards and two TDs.
• Named to “watch list” for the Biletnikoff Award.
• Matched Jeff Fuller's 72 catches in 2010 to break Rod Bernstine's long-standing single season record of 65 catches.
• Opened 2010 season with a 13-catch, 106-yard performance against Stephen F. Austin, which tied for the second-most in school history behind Albert Connell's record 18 catches from 1996 vs. Colorado.
• Has five career 100 yard receiving games. .
• Career-long TD catch of 64 yards helped clinched the Aggies' upset of Oklahoma last season.
TRENDS AND NOTABLES
• Texas A&M's Kyle Field was rated the No. 20 “top venues in sport” by BusinessInsider.com, and was the highest rated college football stadium on the top 100 list. Coach Mike Sherman's old stomping grounds with the Green Bay Packers, Lambeau Field, topped the list.
• The gameday experience at Kyle Field was rated best in the country in the Sport Illustrated College Football Preview. Texas A&M's traditions were rated No. 3 by the publication.
• Aggies own scoreboard bragging rights on every football-playing team in the state of Texas. A&M's winning streaks over the other Texas schools range from a high of 24 over the TCU Horned Frogs (1973-1995, 2001) down to a one-game streak over Texas.
• The Aggies have won five straight games against teams from the state of Texas, and haven't lost to a Texas school since the regular season finale in 2009.
• Aggies on the ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame are bare-foot kicking legend Tony Franklin and the winningest head coach in Texas A&M history, R.C. Slocum. Aggie Legends Gene Stallings and Ray Childress were members of the Class of 2010 at the College Football Hall of Fame.
• Jeff Fuller has caught at least one pass in A&M-record 36 straight games, which is every game of his career. Ryan Swope has caught at least one in 22 straight games, including multiple catches in 19 straight games.
• In a unique statistical double, Tannehill has a 400-yard passing game and a 200-yard receiving game on his career resumé.
• In addition to his rare passing/receiving statistics, Tannehill also has three punts to this credit and has been the holder on 190 place kicks.
• Jeff Fuller already owns three of the top five single season receiving touchdowns totals, including the top two.
• Jeff Fuller spent time last summer working with one of the NFL's top receivers, Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals. Aggies remember Fitzgerald's trip to Kyle Field as a Pitt Panther when he torched the A&M secondary for seven catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns in 2003. “I learned tons of things,” Fuller told the Dallas Morning News. “He's extremely competitive, tries to beat me into the ground running and conditions wise. A great role model, great person. One of the things he said is 'there is not substitute for work,' which I think is incredibly true. The way he goes out and works every single day and makes the people around him better as well.”
• Head coach Mike Sherman has made eight bowl trips as a member of Texas A&M's coaching staff. Only R.C. Slocum with 18 bowl trips has been to more as a Aggie coach.
• A&M has four players on the current roster with 1,000+ career receiving yards --- Jeff Fuller, Ryan Tannehill, Uzoma Nwachukwu and Ryan Swope.
• By the end of the year, the Aggies could have four players on its roster with 100 or more career catches. Prior to 2011, A&M had just nine players in the 100-catch club in its history. Fuller, Tannehill and Swope are already over 100, and Nwachukwu has 89.
AGGIES ON 2011 NFL TRAINING CAMP ROSTERS
Matt Allen, OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Martellus Bennett, TE, Dallas Cowboys
Michael Bennett, DL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rocky Bernard, DL, New York Giants
Red Bryant, DL, Seattle Seahawks
Melvin Bullitt, DB, Indianapolis Colts
Ron Edwards, DL, Carolina Panthers
Mike Goodson, RB, Carolina Panthers
Danny Gorrer, DB, Baltimore Ravens
Geoff Hangartner, OL, Buffalo Bills
Jerrod Johnson, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Shane Lechler, P, Oakland Raiders
Kevin Matthews, OL, Tennessee Titans
Jamie McCoy, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Stephen McGee, QB, Dallas Cowboys
Von Miller, LB, Denver Broncos
Don Muhlbach, DS, Detroit Lions
Cyril Obiozor, LB, Arizona Cardinals
Lucas Patterson, OL, Kansas City Chiefs
Jordan Pugh, DB, Carolina Panthers
Cody Wallace, OL, Houston Texans
Ty Warren, DL, Denver Broncos
Pat Williams, DL, Minnesota Vikings
Billy Yates, OL, Cleveland Browns
Aggies on NFL Coaching Staffs:
Dennis Allen, Denver Broncos (Def. Coordinator)
Kyle Caskey, Cincinnati Bengals (Off. Quality Control)
Jerry Fontenot, Green Bay Packers (Running Backs)
Johnny Holland, Houston Texans (Linebackers)
Gary Kubiak, Houston Texans (Head Coach)
Shawn Slocum, Green Bay Packers (Special Teams Coordinator)