A once very heated rivalry is being revived. Texas A&M and LSU have played 56 times dating all the way back to 1899 when the Aggies mauled the Tigers 52-0 in College Station. But LSU leads the all-time series 33-20-3 and have had their way since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012.

LSU has won all six meetings as SEC foes and currently holds a 7-game win streak over the Aggies, their longest in the series.

But all that is about to change when the two renew the rivalry on Saturday night at Kyle Field, where the Aggies hold a 7-4-1 series lead. Texas A&M hasn’t beaten LSU since 1995, but here are five reasons that will change.

1. The Aggies stop the run

Texas A&M leads the SEC and is second in the nation against the run, yielding an average of just 82.82 yards per game. Only twice in the past seven games has an opponent topped 100.

LSU has been one-dimensional on offense since Les Miles began eating grass. The Tigers go only as far as the running game takes them. Texas A&M will take away the run game and force quarterback Joe Burrow to win this game. The Tigers’ quarterback ranks no better than eighth in the SEC and 63rd nationally in passing.

2. This isn’t the same Texas A&M program

Jimbo Fisher has brought a new toughness and a much needed attitude change to the program. “It ain’t gonna be how it used to be” is a battle cry the Aggies have taken seriously. No longer soft on both offensive and defensive lines, the Aggies can hold their own against the best the conference has to offer.

The biggest offensive line in program history doesn’t hurt, either. The “Maroon Goons” tipped the scales at an average of 313 pounds for the season opener. And for the first time in program history, the Aggies started three 300-pounders on the defensive front.

3. Third down

This is where the Aggies have held a big advantage. Texas A&M is third in the conference, holding opponents to a 30.23 percent conversion average on third downs. It should continue to be a big edge over LSU, which has had its problems converting on third down. The Tigers are just 10th in the conference, converting only 37.72 percent of third-down opportunities.

If the Aggies can keep LSU behind the sticks, they will severely limit the opportunities for the Tigers to keep drives alive and off the scoreboard.

4. Time of possession

This also plays into the hands of the Aggies, who not only keep the opposition off the field, consistently stopping them on third down, but also hold the ball themselves better than anyone else in the SEC. Nationally, only Army (39:15) has held the ball more than the Aggies (35:24) in average time of possession per game.

The Aggies hold the ball, limit LSU’s opportunities and then stop the Tigers on third down, they will make Reveille a very happy canine Saturday night.

5. Kellen Mond is better than Joe Burrow

Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond gets the quarterback advantage over Burrow. How big of an advantage will depend upon a couple of things. First and foremost is mobility. Granted Mond has been sacked more than anyone in the SEC this season, but it isn’t for a lack of mobility. He’s capable of evading pressure and at times turning a heavy pass rush into a big gain via the scramble.

Burrow is not exactly an escape artist. He has produced yardage on the ground with option carries, but as far as pass rush goes, he typically isn’t a threat to break the pocket for a big gain. Add that to the fact that the Aggies are fifth in the SEC in sacks (2.64 per game) plus they are fifth in the conference in passing while LSU languishes near the bottom, ranking 10th in the SEC, and you have a decisive advantage for Mond.

6. Trayveon Williams will show why he’s the SEC’s top rusher

In what might be Williams’ final home game, expect him to extend his streak of 100-yard rushing games to a career-high 4 games.

LSU has a reputation for stopping the run, but the Tigers already have allowed three opponents to top 200 yards.

They held A&M to 55 yards last year — Williams providing every bit of them. He’ll be plenty motivated to atone.

Williams enters with 1,326 yards. He needs just 85 to move past Johnny Manziel and into third all-time on the Aggies’ single-season list. Darren Lewis occupies the top two spots, rushing for a record 1,692 yards in 1988 and 1,691 in 1990.