SMU versus Texas A&M Preview

When: 9-4-2011, 7:30 PM EST
Where: College Station, TX

TV: FSN


                                             SMU                                                     Texas A&M

2010 Record:                                        7-7                                                                          9-4

Ended Season:                                  Lost Bowl                                                               Lost Bowl

Points Scored Average:                      25.7                                                                        31.2

Points Allowed Average:                   25.6                                                                        21.9

Total Offense Per Game:                   414.6                                                                      441.8

Passing YPG:                                         275.8                                                                      276.8

Rushing YPG:                                        138.8                                                                      165.0

Overall Breakdown: Texas A&M returned to college football relevance for the first time in year with the 2010 season. Going 9-4 and losing to a very talented LSU team in the Cotton Bowl was a good stepping stone for the 2011 season. The Aggies are a preseason #8 selection that is expected to contend with the upper echelon of the Big 12 for the conference title. The Aggies have 4 preseason top 25 squads on their schedule as well as the traditional final regular season game versus hated rival Texas. It has been rumored that Texas A&M will bolt the Big 12 for the SEC after this season so expect them to get everyone’s best shot in similar fashion to what Nebraska went through in 2010 preceding their move to the Big 10. SMU got the ship in the right direction under the tutelage of June Jones but 2011 will prove whether they can move forward and become a Conference USA power or only a 2^nd tier CUSA team. Of the Mustang’s 7 losses, 6 were to 2010 bowl teams and the 7^th was to wildly erratic Houston who could beat or lose to anyone on any given Saturday. The +0.1 points per game average has to go up in order for the Mustangs to move on up the ladder in CUSA. Look for running back Zach Line to get a lot of carries and try to shorten the game versus Texas A&M to give SMU a shot to win it in the 4^th quarter. Texas A&M should win this opening home game but SMU does have the weapons to make this game much too close for comfort.