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The Music City Bowl is going down on Wednesday night.
Texas A&M against Louisville isn’t the sexiest of matchups, but there is a lot of drama surrounding this game.
Here are five things to look for heading into the game between the Aggies and Cardinals.
1. Texas A&M QB situation: Both Kyler Murray and Kyle Allen are transferring. For Kevin Sumlin, this hasn’t been a good month. But a bowl victory would help. It begins with QB Jake Hubenak making his first career start against Louisville. Sumlin may not plan on heading into 2016 with Hubenak as the starter, but a solid performance from the junior-college transfer on Wednesday would be a step in the right direction.
2. The Aggies defensive line vs. the Louisville rushing attack: The Cardinals haven’t been great running the ball, but they average 160 yards per game. In their last game against an SEC team, the Cardinals rushed for 314 yards in a win over Kentucky. The Texas A&M front seven is an impressive group led by Myles Garrett. Still, the Aggies allow 206 yards on the ground. Texas A&M needs to force Louisville into passing situations. The Aggies are fourth in the nation against the pass.
3. How will Tra Carson go out? The senior running back had a good year with 1,059 yards rushing and six touchdowns. He was somewhat overshadowed in a conference dominated by top-tier running backs. A big performance in the bowl game could help improve Carson’s NFL Draft stock and finish his college career with a lasting memory. It’ll be tough sledding against a Louisville defense that ranks 14th in the nation against the run.
4. Who will have the fewest turnovers? Both teams turn the ball over way too much. The Aggies had 22 on the season, their most since 2011. Louisville led the ACC with 27 turnovers. With Hubenak starting his first game, he might be expected to make a few mistakes. But both teams obviously have trouble holding onto the ball — this may be the difference maker.
5. Going forward: Kevin Sumlin is in no danger of losing his job this year. But the Aggies haven’t gotten over the hump. Instead, they look like they are regressing. This game is important for Sumlin to build momentum heading into 2016. The Aggies are coming off a tough loss to LSU and the loss of their top two quarterbacks, both five-star prospects. If Hubenak does well and Texas A&M wins, the Aggies can take something positive into the offseason. If not, it will be a long nine months in College Station until next season.
Sean Labar is an SEC football contributor for Saturday Down South.
