2018 TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL
GAME 12 | VS LSU
SATURDAY, NOV. 24, 2018
GAME TIME: 6:30 PM CT | SITE: KYLE FIELD | TV: SEC NETWORK
WHAT TO WATCH FOR #TAMUvsLSU:
- Texas A&M wraps up the regular season with a 6:30 p.m. matchup against LSU at Kyle Field on SEC Network.
- With a win, the Aggies would finish second in the SEC West and post their best finish in the SEC since finishing 6-2 in 2012.
- In a series that dates back to 1899, Saturday's contest is the 57th game between the two teams with LSU holding a 33-20-3 record in the series.
- Texas A&M is looking for its first win against LSU since defeating the Tigers, 33-17, on Sept. 2, 1995. LSU has won the previous seven meetings, including all six in SEC play.
- Texas A&M is bowl-eligible for the 10th-consecutive season, which is tied for the 11th-longest active streak in the FBS, fourth-longest among SEC schools behind Georgia (22), LSU (18), Alabama (15) and the longest among the 11 FBS schools in the state of Texas.
- The Aggies are facing their fifth opponent of the season ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll and the eighth opponent that is either ranked or receiving votes in the AP Poll.
SETTING THE SCENE: TEXAS A&M vs. LSU
- KICKOFF: 6:30 p.m. (CT)
- SERIES VS. LSU: LSU leads 33-20-3
Last 10 Meetings
11/25/2017 | Baton Rouge | L, 21-45
11/24/2016 | College Station | L, 39-54
11/28/2015 | Baton Rouge | L, 7-19
11/27/2014 | College Station | L, 17-23
11/23/2013 | Baton Rouge | L, 10-34
10/20/2012 | College Station | L, 19-24
1/7/2010 | Arlington, Texas | L, 24-41
9/2/1995 | College Station | W, 33-17
9/3/1994 | Baton Rouge | W, 18-13
9/4/1993 | College Station | W, 24-0 - SITE: Kyle Field (capacity: 102,733)
- RANKINGS: LSU: 8 (AP), 8 (Coaches) | Texas A&M: RV (AP), RV (Coaches)
- TELEVISION: SEC Network (National)
Taylor Zarzour, play-by-play
Matt Stinchcomb, analyst
Kris Budden, 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
Westwood One (National)
Ted Emrich, play-by-play
Al Groh, analyst
SIRIUS XM: The Texas A&M Radio Network call of the game can be heard on SiriusXM at Sirius 99 / XM 190 / Internet 961.
MILESTONES TO WATCH:
- RB Trayveon Williams is currently fifth in school history with 3,181 career rushing yards. Williams is within striking distance to surpass Greg Hill (1991-93; 3,262 yards) and Cyrus Gray (2008-11; 3,298 yards) for third all-time.
- Williams is on pace to rush for over 1,500 yards and would become just the second Aggie (Darren Lewis; 1988 & 1990) to do so.
- QB Kellen Mond is 320 yards shy of becoming the fifth Aggie to throw for 3,000 yards in a single season.
- With three more touchdown passes, Mond would become the seventh Aggie quarterback in school history to throw for 20 touchdowns in a single season.
- Senior safety Donovan Wilson needs just six tackles to reach the 200 career tackle milestone.
QUICK HITS:
- The Aggie defense is holding opposing offenses to 82.8 rushing yards per game, which is the best in the SEC and second in FBS behind Michigan State (78.9). The mark would also be the second-best in school history behind 1975's school-record total of 80.3.
- Texas A&M has dominated possession throughout the season, averaging 35:23 per game. The tally ranks first in the SEC and second in FBS behind Army, who is averaging 39:15 per game.
- Texas A&M has recorded 285 first downs this season, the most in the SEC and sixth in FBS, and has allowed just 176 (16.0 per game) first downs defensively, which tied for second in the SEC and is fifth among P5 schools.
- The Aggies are just one of six schools nationally to rank in the top 30 in both total offense and total defense, joining Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame and Washington State.
LEADING THE PACK:
- The SEC's leading rusher by over 120 yards with 1,326 yards, Trayveon Williams tormented the UAB defense last Saturday for 167 yards and two touchdowns.
- Williams is also tied for first in the SEC with 13 rushing touchdowns.
- In addition to rushing, the Doak Walker Award semifinalist is one of the SEC's top receiving backs and is SEC leader in all-purpose yardage at 1,606.
- With his 1,326 yards, Williams became the fifth Aggie to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark twice in his career. The tally ranks fifth on Texas A&M's single-season list.
- Williams broke the Aggie school record for the most rushing yards by a junior, surpassing Bob Smith's (1950) record of 1,302.
- Williams' 228 yards against Ole Miss was his fourth career 200-yard rushing game, tying him with Darren Lewis (1987-90) for the school record. He also joined Lewis as the only two Aggies to record two 200-yard rushing games in a season.
- The Houston native recorded his seventh 100-yard game of the season against UAB and his 12th game with 100 yards or more in his career.
- Williams is averaging 167 yards rushing with five touchdowns in his last three games.
- At Auburn, Williams recorded his first receiving touchdown of his career and his second career game with at least three total touchdowns.
- Williams ran roughshod through the Northwestern State defense in the season-opener rushing for 240 yards with three touchdowns on 20 carries. The 240 rushing yards rank No. 2 in school history behind Bob Smith's 297 vs. SMU in 1950.
- The 240-yard outburst is the No. 12 single-game effort in FBS this season. Williams is the only FBS player with 200-yard rushing games in 2016, 2017 & 2018.
MAMA, THERE GOES THAT MANN AGAIN:
- A leading candidate for the Ray Guy Award, junior punter Braden Mann leads all of the FBS in gross punting and has solidified himself in the NCAA record books in two categories.
- Mann, a Ray Guy Award semifinalist, is averaging 50.90 yards per punt, the best mark in college football history by just under a yard (min. 36 punts).
- At No. 1 Alabama, Mann broke the NCAA record with the highest gross punt average in a single game at 60.8 on five boots, which broke the old record of 60.4 that was originally set by BYU's Lee Johnson vs. Wyoming in 1983 and matched by Quinn Sharp of Oklahoma State vs. Nebraska in 2010.
- A field-flipping connoisseur, Mann owns the NCAA record for the most 60-or-more yard punts in a single season. Previously set by Ryan Plackemeier of Wake Forest in 2005, 14 of Mann's 42 punts in 2018 have been 60-or-more yards in length, including a career-long 82-yarder against Kentucky.
- Mann leads the SEC with a 50.90 average on 42 punts through 11 games, and leads the No. 2 punter, LSU's Zach Von Rosenberg, by 5.3 yards.
- Texas A&M is second in the FBS with a 43.95 net punting average. No team in FBS since BYU in 1983 has averaged 45.0 or more net yards per punt for a full season.
- Mann is on pace to break the NCAA season record of 50.3 (min. 36 punts) set by LSU's Chad Kessler in 1997. (Also the SEC record)
- Mann's 82-yard boot is the second-longest punt this season in FBS and the third longest in Texas A&M history.
- Sometimes long punts can lead to long punt returns, but only 16 of Mann's boots have been returned for a total of 112 yards.
- On the longest return, a 32-yarder by South Carolina's Bryan Edwards, Mann forced a fumble that was recovered by the Aggies.
- Texas A&M is #PunterU and counts long-time NFL standouts Shane Lechler (9-time NFL All-Pro), Yale Lary (NFL Hall of Fame) and Steve O'Neal (NFL record 98-yard punt in 1969) among its alumni.
SETTING THE STANDARD:
- A midseason All-American by various outlets and Mackey Award semifinalist, JUCO transfer TE Jace Sternberger has immediately become an integral part of the Aggie offense.
- Sternberger has hauled in eight TD catches, which is the Aggies' TE school record and is tops in the SEC and FBS among tight ends.
- Sternberger's 729 receiving yards is a new school record for the most single-season receiving yards by a tight end.
- Sternberger, who ranks third in touchdown receptions and fifth in receiving yards in the SEC, has posted at least one 20+ yard catch in 10 of the Aggies' 11 games this season.
- He earned John Mackey TE of the Week honors after making five catches for 56 yards with two TDs against NSU (8/30) and was an honorable mention after his performance at South Carolina in which he set career highs in receptions (9) and yards (145) with a touchdown.
CONTROLLING THE BALL:
- Through 11 games, including four against current AP top 25 teams, Texas A&M is the SEC's leader in offensive first downs and time of possession.
- Texas A&M leads the SEC with 285 first downs, and is averaging 25.9 first downs a game, tops in the conference.
- Defensively, the Aggies are second in the SEC in first downs allowed at 176.
- Speaking to the balance of the Aggies' offense, Texas A&M is one of three FBS schools with 120+ first downs via rush (121) and 135+ first downs via pass (136).
- The Aggies are far-and-away the SEC leader in time of possession with an average of 35:23 per game, which is more nearly four minutes per game more than No. 2 LSU (31:48), and ranks second nationally.
CONNECTIONS:
- Texas A&M AD Scott Woodward is a 1985 graduate of LSU and served as the Director of External Affairs at his alma mater from 2000-04.
- Head coach Jimbo Fisher spent six seasons at LSU under Nick Saban as the offensive coordinator, where he won a national championship in 2003.
- Offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey spent three seasons as the LSU tight ends coach from 1991-93.
- Wide receivers coach Dameyune Craig has made two stops in Baton Rouge, once as a GA in 2004 and as the WR coach in 2016.
- Linebackers coach Bradley Dale Peveto served as the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2005-08 as well as the special teams and linebackers coach from 2014-16.
- Associate AD for Football Personnel Austin Thomas spent the last five seasons at LSU where was the General Manager of the football program.
- LSU offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger previously served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Texas A&M from 1994-96. He and Texas A&M DL coach Terry Price were on the same Auburn staff from 2003-08.