Texas A&M Aggies
SEC
The Aggies made a controversial decision to leave the Big 12 and take their talented squad to the daunting SEC. However, in their first season they have made a huge splash, most notably toppling the top ranked Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa. This is a team that is very exciting to watch, led by Heisman favorite Johnny Manziel, but more commonly known by his nickname, Johnny Football. This electrifying freshman has put Texas A&M on the map and has made their transition into the SEC a smooth and successful one.
2012 Record: 10-2, 6-2
Coach: Kevin Sumlin
Coach Bowl Record: 1-1
Big Wins: 11/3 at Mississippi State (38-13), 11/10 at Alabama (29-24)
Bad Losses: 9/8 Florida (17-20), 10/20 LSU (19-24)
Strengths:
Any time a team has a Heisman candidate on their roster, the side of the ball that the candidate is on is going to be one the best in the nation. For the Aggies, this is Johnny Manziel and their explosive offense. Playing a difficult SEC schedule, where they are continually pitted against top ranked defenses, Texas A&M managed to score an astounding 44 plus points per contest. What makes their offense so dangerous is their supreme balance in their running and passing attacks. They maintain this balance through the dual threat ability of Manziel, who ranks second in the nation in total offense per contest, rushing for over 90 yards and accumulating over 300 through the air. His dynamite performances may be the leading act, but his supporting cast is talented and dangerous as well. Texas A&M also finds success running the ball with their talented pair of upperclassmen running backs, Ben Malena and Christine Michael. This offense finished the season in the top 5 in total offense, amassing over a whopping 550 yards per game. Their offense fires on all cylinders and is one of the most unique, dynamic, and dominating units in the nation.
Weaknesses:
As with many teams that have an explosive offense, the A&M defense surrenders a lot of points. Part of this is due to the amount of cracks that the opposing offense gets on their defense, but part is also due to genuine defensive struggles. The main area of struggle for this unit is defending the pass. As the old saying goes; their secondary has more holes than Swiss cheese. Opposing quarterbacks and wide receivers will not lose sleep when facing this team, as quarterbacks have carved up this secondary to the tune of nearly 250 yards per game. Rushing attacks have netted lots of yards as well, as the Aggies have surrendered over 140 yards per game. However Texas A&M does a great job of bending but not breaking, as opponents have scored just over 22 points per game against them, 30th in the nation, and certainly respectable considering the amount of yards they gave up on a weekly basis. The other main struggle for this team is their turnover margin. Not only does their offense turn the ball over too much, but the defense does not force nearly enough. Their negative turnover margin for the season makes their 10-2 final mark an anomaly.
Statistical Leaders:
Rushing: Johnny Manziel, QB, 1,181 yards
Passing: Johnny Manziel, QB, 3,419 yards
Receiving: Mike Evans, WR, 1,022 yards
Tackles: Damontre Moore, DE, 78
Sacks: Damontre Moore, DE, 12.5
Interceptions: Deshazor Everett, CB, 2; Steven Terrell, S, 2
2012 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 235.08 (13th in nation, 1st in conference)
Passing Offense: 317.25 (14, 1)
Total Offense: 552.33 (3, 1)
Scoring Offense: 44.75 (4, 1)
Rushing Defense: 140.92 (39, 7)
Pass Defense: 248.42 (79, 11)
Total Defense: 389.33 (53, 8)
Scoring Defense: 22.50 (30, 8)
Turnover Margin: -0.42 (86, 10)
Sacks: 2.50 (26, 4)
Sacks Allowed: 1.92 (62, 6)
Recent Bowl Appearances:
2011 Car Care of Texas Bowl Northwestern (33-22)
2010 Cotton Bowl LSU (24-41)
2009 Independence Bowl Georgia (20-44)
2007 Alamo Bowl Penn State (17-24)
2006 Holiday Bowl California (10-45)
*all team stats through 11/24
