Photo by: Sam Craft/Texas A&M Athletics
What To Watch For | Texas A&M at Auburn
Nov 01, 2018 | Football
2018 TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL
GAME 9 | AT AUBURN
SATURDAY, NOV. 3, 2018
GAME TIME: 11 AM CT | SITE: JORDAN-HARE STADIUM | TV: ESPN
WHAT TO WATCH FOR #TAMUvsAU:
- Texas A&M seeks to remain undefeated at Jordan-Hare Stadium, as the No. 25 Aggies take on Auburn at 11 a.m. Saturday in Auburn, Ala., on ESPN.
- With a win, the Aggies' would be eligible for their 10th-consecutive bowl game, which is is tied for the 11th-longest active streak in the FBS (fourth-longest among SEC schools behind Georgia (22), LSU (18), Alabama (15).
- Texas A&M holds a 5-3 advantage in series history against Auburn with the Aggies winning all three meetings inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. In fact, since joining the SEC in 2012, the road team has won every game in the series.
- In the eight-game series, only two games have been decided by 10 points or less with the average margin of victory at 16.1.
- Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher and Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn square off for the second time as head coaches. In 2014, Fisher's Florida State Seminoles defeated Malzahn's Tigers, 34-31, in the BCS Championship Game in Pasasdena, Calif.
SETTING THE SCENE: TEXAS A&M vs. AUBURN
- KICKOFF: 11 a.m. (CT)
- SERIES VS. AUBURN: Texas A&M Leads, 5-3.
11/4/2017 | College Station | L, 27-42
9/17/2016 | Auburn | W, 29-16
11/7/2015 | College Station | L, 10-26
11/8/2014 | Auburn | W, 41-38
10/19/2013 | College Station | L, 41-45
10/27/2012 | Auburn | W, 63-21
1/1/1986 | Dallas (Cotton Bowl) | W, 36-16
1911 | Dallas | W, 16-0 - SITE: Jordan Hare Stadium, Auburn, Ala. (capacity: 87,451)
- RANKINGS: Auburn: RV (AP), RV (Coaches) | Texas A&M: #25 (AP), RV (Coaches)
- TELEVISION: ESPN (National)
Bob Wischusen, play-by-play
Brock Huard, analyst
Allison Williams, sideline - RADIO:
Texas A&M Radio Network (Regional) - The Texas A&M Radio Network provides coverage via nearly 60 stations across the state of Texas.
Andrew Monaco, play-by-play
Dave Elmendorf, analyst
Will Johnson, sideline
Texas A&M Spanish Network (Regional) - Texas A&M's Spanish broadcast can be heard on radio stations in Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, El Paso, Brownsville and McAllen, Texas. Locally, the TAMU Spanish Network can be heard on 1550 AM.
Pedro Vela Almaguer, play-by-play
Noel Orellana, analyst
Touchdown Radio (National)
Brett Dolan, play-by-play
Gino Torretta, analyst
SIRIUS XM: The Texas A&M Radio Network call of the game can be heard on SiriusXM at Sirius 81 / XM 81 / Internet 81.
MILESTONES TO WATCH:
- RB Trayveon Williams is on the cusp of breaking into the top 10 in career rushing at Texas A&M. With 2,679 career yards, the junior needs 33 yards to pass surpass Courtney Lewis (2003-06) for 10th.
- Senior LB Otaro Alaka, who has started in 34 consecutive games, needs just four tackles to eclipse the 250 career tackle mark.
- Senior DL Landis Durham is five tackles away from 100 career stops.
QUICK HITS:
- Texas A&M's defense ranks first in the SEC and seventh in FBS in third-down conversions, holding opposing teams to just 25-of-91 (27.5%).
- The Aggie defense is holding opposing offenses to 89.3 rushing yards per game, which is the best in the SEC and fifth in FBS.
- Texas A&M has dominated possession in the first eight games averaging 36:11 per game. The tally ranks first in the SEC and second in FBS behind Army, who is averaging 40:02 per game.
- Texas A&M is averaging 26.0 first downs per game, the most in the SEC and fifth in FBS, and is allowing just 14.9 first downs defensively, which tops the SEC and is second among P5 schools.
- The Aggies are just one of five schools nationally to rank in the top 30 in both total offense and total defense, joining Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Washington State.
ROAD WARRIORS:
- Texas A&M has made Jordan-Hare Stadium its home away from home since joining the SEC in 2012, winning all three contests at Auburn.
- The Aggies drubbed Auburn in 2012, 63-21, as Texas A&M's offense scored the most points ever by an Auburn opponent at home.
- In 2014, Texas A&M rolled into Jordan-Hare Stadium and upset the third-ranked Tigers, 41-38.
- Trayveon Williams rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown in 2016 as the Aggies defeated Auburn, 29-16.
ELKO EFFECT:
- A defensive mastermind that has produced a top 50 defense the past six years at different schools, Texas A&M's Mike Elko has wasted no time in turning the Aggies into a formidable defense.
- Despite the national trend in which FBS offenses are scoring 1.4 more points per game than a year ago, the Aggies have made significant strides in total defense, rushing defense, scoring defense, third-down defense and redzone defense.
- In Elko's 'multiple' scheme, Texas A&M, which has faced three teams in the AP Top 15 including No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Clemson, is allowing nearly 90 less yards on the ground compared to last season.
- A top candidate for the Broyles Award, given to the nation's top assistant, Elko held Kentucky's Benny Snell Jr. (4th in FBS with 868 yards) to a season-low 60 yards and Clemson's Travis Etienne (10th in FBS with 800 yards) to 44 yards.
- A year ago, the Aggies allowed 35+ points in six of the 13 games, while this season, Texas A&M has only allowed 35 or more points in one game (45, at No. 1 Alabama), and has held four teams to 20 points or less.
CONTROLLING THE BALL:
- Through eight games, including four against current AP top 25 teams, Texas A&M is the SEC's leader in first downs per game and time of possession.
- Texas A&M leads the SEC with 189 first downs, and is averaging 26.0 first downs a game, tops in the conference.
- Speaking to the balance of the Aggies' offense, Texas A&M is one of seven FBS schools with 80+ first downs via rush (85) and 100+ first downs via pass (103).
- The Aggies are far-and-away the SEC leader in time of possession with an average of 36:11 per game, which is more than four minutes per game more than No. 2 LSU (31:58), and ranks second nationally.
CONNECTIONS:
- Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher served as Auburn's quarterbacks coach under Terry Bowden from 1993-98.
- Aggie wide receivers coach Dameyune Craig was a standout QB for the Tigers from 1993-97.
- Craig still holds numerous Auburn passing records including attempts (403) and passing yards (3,227) in a season and led Auburn to a 18-7 mark in 25 career starts.
- Texas A&M defensive line coach Terry Price was Auburn's defensive line coach for 10 years (1999-2008) under Tommy Tuberville.
Players Mentioned
Monday, April 27
Saturday, April 18
Saturday, April 18
Saturday, April 18
