Kickoff: 2 p.m. ET

Texas A&M (7-5) and West Virginia (7-5) each skidded to the finish line sideways.

The Aggies lost five of seven after staring the season 5-0, and the two wins came against Louisiana-Monroe and Auburn in tight one-possession contests. With so much hype around Texas A&M — including great recruiting, facilities and stadium upgrades, and a huge contract for Kevin Sumlin — this team is expected to be a mainstay in the Top 25 rankings at the least, with or without Johnny Manziel.

But instead, a less-than-terrifying offense and a nightmarish defense limited the Aggies, particularly against the best competition. (See: Alabama 59, A&M 0.)

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

  1. Texas A&M QB Kyle Allen needs to show development and progress at quarterback with several extra practice weeks. It seems likely either he or Kenny Hill will leave the program this offseason, and Allen’s performance in this game may have an impact on that decision.
  2. West Virginia QB Clint Trickett on Friday announced his retirement from football due to multiple concussions. That leaves WVU without a player that threw for more than 300 yards in the Mountaineers’ first seven games this season. How will sophomore backup Skyler Howard perform?
  3. The Aggies fired defensive coordinator Mark Snyder and “parted ways” with offensive line coach B.J. Anderson. Receivers coach and recruiting coordinator David Beaty left to become the head coach at Kansas. How will that affect Texas A&M during the bowl, and more specifically, will the search to fill those positions distract coach Kevin Sumlin from bowl preparations? (Shannon Dawson, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for WVU, also left to become coordinator at Kentucky.)
  4. WVU WR Kevin White is a spectacular player and was a Biletnikoff Award finalist, but the Mountaineers have a handful of effective skill players, including RBs Rushel Shell and Wendell Smallwood as well as WRs Mario Alford and Jordan Thompson. Does a coordinator-less defense that ranks 102nd in total defense have any chance at stopping the WVU offense?
  5. Three of the SEC’s 12 bowl teams are betting underdogs, including the Aggies. Texas A&M seems to play its best in recent seasons when it embraces the underdog role, as it did in big upset wins at Alabama (2012) and Auburn (2014). Can the team embrace that role for the bowl game?

TEXAS A&M

Motivation: After climbing to a No. 6 ranking heading into October and then gliding out of the Top 25, one has to wonder what this game means to the Aggies players, the majority of whom are underclassmen.

If You’ve Never Seen Them: The Texas A&M offense (sans the Manziel improvisation) is based on timing. Left to scan the field comfortably from the pocket, Kyle Allen can pinpoint short to intermediate routes and allow a deep group of athletic receivers to run after the catch. If defenses are able to pressure Allen or jam the receivers at the line, the Aggies aren’t as effective, as the team’s smallish group of running backs needs the defense back on its heels to be effective. On defense, freshman Myles Garrett is one of the best pure pass rushers in the SEC, and cornerback Deshazor Everett may be the team’s best tackler.

Weakness: The offensive line didn’t perform as well as its talent, a deep group of receivers never dominated and quarterback play was mediocre after the hot five-game start by Kenny Hill. But the defense represents the weak point that teams have attacked again and again the last two seasons. Specifically tackling and getting knocked on their butts against physical teams — or avoiding contact altogether (I’m looking at you, Armani Watts).

WEST VIRGINIA

Motivation: The Mountaineers lost three of four to end the season, then lost their athletic director, offensive coordinator and quarterback.

If You’ve Never Seen Them: Head coach Dana Holgorsen always reminds me of a flustered used car salesman. But he served as offensive coordinator at Houston under Kevin Sumlin, and then later as the boss of current A&M offensive coordinator Jake Spavital at Oklahoma State and West Virginia. In other words, the Mountaineers offense may look very familiar to Aggies fans. White is a big-time receiver who gave Alabama’s secondary all sorts of trouble, and WVU likes to throw it all over the field. The Mountaineers have an above-average offensive line as well, but are just OK on defense, with no dominant players.

Weakness: Turnovers, and specifically ball security. WVU is last in the Big 12 with a -15 turnover margin, thanks in large part to 18 lost fumbles. That’s second-to-last in all of FBS. The Mountaineers also have recovered just two opponent fumbles all season.