Published October 10, 2012 - 1:30pm
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The Matchup: #22 Texas A&M (4-1, 2-1) at #23 Louisiana Tech (5-0)
When: Saturday, October 13th
Where: Shreveport, Louisiana
Game Time: 9:00 PM ET
TV: ESPNU
Past History: Texas A&M is 10-0 against Louisiana Tech, winning by an average score of 42-12 and a margin of 30 points per game.
What you will like: If you like offenses moving it up and down the field, this is must-watch football (not you, Nick Saban!). Louisiana Tech averages over 50 points per game through six weeks, and Texas A&M is just under that at 44.6. Louisiana Tech’s coach Sonny Dykes is a hot commodity, and I’m sure he’ll be mentioned for the Arkansas job before it’s over, too. The Bulldogs would want nothing more than to take down a ranked SEC team in TAMU.
What you need to know about Texas A&M: The Aggies are the biggest unknown in the SEC through six weeks. They have two wins in conference, and they look primed for more. The offense has much upside, with young players getting better week to week, and the defense has made plays when they need to. Quarterback Johnny Manziel leads the Aggies, in addition to leading the SEC in total offense. But the Aggies’ defense is a little underrated overall, especially with defensive end Damontre Moore leading the SEC in sacks and tackles for loss. If the Aggies can get through the explosive offense of the Bulldogs with a win, they could be on their way to a nine-win season.
What you need to know about Louisiana Tech: Don’t let a team from the WAC blind you so much that you can’t see what Louisiana Tech has accomplished on the field. The Bulldogs have played lights out with a nasty offense, having beaten two BCS schools in Illinois and Virginia. This will be the toughest task yet against the Aggies. Quarterback Colby Cameron has thrown for 1,456 yards and 13 touchdowns without an interception. Running back Kenneth Dixon and company lead the nation’s 16th ranked rushing attack, averaging over 232 yards per game. However, wide receiver Quinton Patton is the best player you’ve never heard of. He’s caught 34 passes for 532 yards and five touchdowns.
However, it’s a different story on the defensive side of the ball. The Bulldogs are ranked 109th in total defense, spotting their opponents over 35 points per game.
Storyline(s): The biggest storyline entering this game is the offenses. This game should turn into a shootout, and we can figure around 80 total points being scored. The Bulldogs have scored on everyone they’ve played so far…in bunches. Louisiana Tech is really the only BCS buster left, and they are this year’s Boise State. We’ll see how they fare against an SEC team.
Player(s) To Watch: For Texas A&M, Johnny Manziel is the player you want to watch. He’s getting better every week, and his legend is growing. He has downright dominated defenses through the better half of this season, but last week Manziel found a way to score two fourth-quarter touchdowns to lead the Aggies to a victory. He totals 18 touchdowns and leads the SEC in total offense.
For Louisiana Tech, wide receiver Quinton Patton can do it all. Coming off of a 1,200 yards season in ‘11, he’s following it up with another strong performance to prove he’s one of the best receivers in the country. He’s caught five touchdowns on the season so far. Patton will test the Aggies’ secondary, behind the arm of quarterback Colby Cameron.
