Louisiana Tech versus Texas A&M: This matchup faces off newly
minted SEC member Texas A&M versus 2011 WAC champions Louisiana Tech. This
game is being played in Shreveport, Louisiana giving the Bulldogs a home opener
that can set the stage for the rest of the season. Texas A&M is down some
with the loss of top ten pick Ryan Tannehill from an impressive passing
offense.
Offense: The Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech were a fairly balanced team in
2011 with 248 yards in the air and 146 on the ground. Their 394 yards of total
offense per game was slightly lower than what was expected but the Bulldog
offense did average 30 points per game. Texas A&M had one of the most
explosive offenses in the nation in 2011 led by now departed Tannehill. The
Aggies threw for 291 yards per game while rushing for 199 yards per game as
part of the 7th ranked offense in the country (490 yards per game) that scored
39 points per game. EDGE: Texas A&M
Defense: The Bulldogs of La. Tech were a very solid defense in 2011 with
run defense being their specialty. While giving up 127 yards on the ground per
game, the Bulldogs made opponents work for the yards with a 3.4 yards per carry
average allowed on the year. Louisiana Tech gave up 249 yards per game in the
air while allowing 21 touchdowns in the air on the season. The points allowed
per game was 23.2 points per game, good for the 41st in the nation last fall.
Texas A&M struggled on defense in 2011 giving up 28.2 points per game on
the season and forcing the offense to score in shootouts of 42-38,45-40, 55-28,
and 53-20. The only two opponents held below 14 points last fall were Kansas
and Idaho who were two of the worst teams in the FBS. The amazing part of the
Aggies defense was the fact that they only allowed 101 yards rushing per game
but 25 touchdowns on the ground. The passing defense allowed 276 yards per game
and a total of 19 touchdowns. Those 39 touchdowns allowed on the season were
not what the Aggies defense was based on. EDGE: Louisiana Tech
Coaching: Kevin Sumlin is the new head coach of Texas A&M after
coaching Houston the previous 4 seasons. Sumlin started his career as a
graduated assistant for Washington State and moved to Wyoming, Minnesota,
Purdue, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma before taking his first head coaching job
at Houston. Sumlin went 35-17 at Houston, going 2-1 in bowl games and finishing
14th in the coaches poll. After that final season, Sumlin took the Texas
A&M job and is entering his first season as the head coach. Sonny Dykes is
the head coach at Louisiana Tech and is entering his 3rd season as head coach.
Dykes has been coaching since 1994 where he started at high schools before
moving to Kentucky, Northeast Louisiana, Kentucky again, Texas Tech, and
Arizona before getting his first head coaching job at Louisiana Tech. In his
two years at the helm, the Bulldogs have gone 13-12 with a WAC championship in
2011. EDGE: Texas A&M
Texas A&M is 10-0 overall versus Louisiana Tech. The Aggies have
won by an average of 42-14 in those 10 games and 42-11 in the games played
since 2000.
If there is a year that Louisiana Tech can pull the upset, this is the
year. Texas A&M are trending downward with the offensive losses and
problems on defense. Louisiana Tech is trending upward with an experienced team
that lost 4 games by a touchdown or less. With home field advantage also on the
Bulldog's side as well as all of the mitigating factors, I really want to pull
the trigger on the upset and say the Bulldogs will win. Alas, I can't do it and
expect to see the Aggies pull out a closer than expected win over a very
talented and tough to play Louisiana Tech squad.
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