AggieYell.com begins its look at the matchup between No. 5 Texas A&M (1-0) and Colorado (1-0) with a breakdown of the Aggie offense against the Buffaloes defense.
The scene
Time: 2:30 p.m. central time, Saturday, Sept. 11
Location: Invesco Field at Mile High, Denver
Weather forecast: Partly cloudy skies, high of 92 degrees
TV: Fox (national broadcast)
Injury update
Colorado: DT Jeremiah Doss (knee) is out for the year.
Texas A&M: WR Hezekiah Jones (arm) is out.
TE Baylor Cupp (leg) is questionable.
Texas A&M depth chart (spread base)
QB: #13, Haynes King; RS-Fr.; 6-3, 200
#10, Zach Calzada; RS-So.; 6-4, 200
RB: #28, Isaiah Spiller; Jr.; 6-1, 225
#6, Devon Achane; So.; 5-9, 185
TE: #85, Jalen Wydermyer; Jr; 6-5, 255;
#88, Baylor Cupp; RS-So.; 6-7, 240; OR
#42, Max Wright; RS-Jr.; 6-4, 260
WR #2 Chase Lane; RS-So.; 6, 190
#5 Jalen Preston; RS-Jr.; 6-2, 210 OR
#8 Yulkeith Brown; Fr.; 5-10, 175
WR: #0, Ainias Smith; Jr.; 5-10, 190
#7, Moose Muhammad; RS-Fr.; 6-1, 195;
WR: #81, Caleb Chapman; RS-Jr.; 6-5, 200
#1, Demond Demas; RS-Fr.; 6-3, 180
#9, Hezekiah Jones; RS-Sr.; 6, 180
LT #58 Jahmir Johnson; Gr-TR; 6-5, 300
OR #76, Rueben Fatheree; Fr.; 6-8, 320
LG: #74, Aki Ogunbiyi, RS-Fr.; 6-4, 315
#70, Josh Bankhead, RS-Fr.; 6-5, 325
C: #61 Bryce Foster; Fr.; 6-5, 325
#75, Luke Matthews, Jr.; 6-4, 320
#77 Matthew Wykoff, Fr.; 6-6, 330
RG: #64, Layden Robinson; RS-So.; 6-4, 325
#52, Smart Chibuzo; RS-Fr.; 6-4, 320
#66, Jordan Spasojevic-Moko; So..; 6-5, 340
RT: #55, Kenyon Green; Jr.; 6-4, 325
#53, Blake Trainor; So..; 6-7, 330 OR
#60, Trey Zuhn; Fr.; 6-6, 315
Colorado depth chart (4-3 base)
DE: #54, Terrance Lang; Jr.; 6-7, 285
#13, Justin Jackson; Jr.; 6-2, 270
#17, Blayne Toll; Fr.; 6-6, 245
DT: #91, Na’im Rodman, So.; 6-2, 305
#90, Jayden Simon; Fr.; 6-3, 305
NT: #99, Jalen Sami, So.; 6-6, 325
#94, Janaz Jordan; Jr.; 6-4, 325
DE: #26, Carson Wells; Jr.; 6-4, 245
#1, Guy Thomas; Jr.; 6-4, 235
#33, Joshka Gustav; Fr.; 6-3, 235 OR
#4, Jamar Montgomery; Jr.; 6-2, 245
SAM: #7, Marvin Ham II; Fr.; 6-1, 225
#15, Jack Lamb; Gr.; 6-4, 220
MIKE: #53, Nate Landman; Sr.; 6-3, 235
#34, Zephaniah Maca; Fr.; 6-1, 235
#31, Jonathan Van Diest; Jr.; 6-1, 230
WILL: #12, Quinn Perry; Jr.; 6-2, 245
#20, Robert Barnes; Gr.; 6-2, 230
LCB: #6, Mekhi Blackmon; Jr.; 6, 175
#27, Nigel Bethel; So.; 6, 170
#21, Kaylin Moore; Fr.; 5-10, 180
FS: #5, Mark Perry; So.; 6, 200
#30, Curtis Appleton; Jr.; 6-1, 190
#41, Anthony Lyle; Jr.; 6, 190
SS: #23, Isaiah Lewis; Jr.; 6, 205
#42, Trevor Woods; Fr.; 6-1, 195
#32, Ray Robinson; So.; 6-2, 210
RCB: #3, Christian Gonzalez; Fr.; 6-2, 200
#25, Nikko Reed; Fr.; 5-10, 165
#28, Tyrin Taylor; Fr.; 6-2, 175
Texas A&M statistical leaders
Passing: King, 21-33 (63.6%), 292 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: Achane, 12 carries, 127 yards (10.3 YPC), 2 TD
Spiller, 17 carries, 113 yards (6.6 YPC)
Receiving: Smith, 8 catches, 100 yards (12.5 YPC), 2 TD
Chapman, 4 catches, 91 yards (22.8 YPC)
Colorado statistical leaders
Tackles: Blackmon, Landman, Miller, 4
Tackles for loss: Sami, 2
Three players with 1
Sacks: Sami, Thomas, Rodman, 1
Interceptions: Blackmon, 1
Forced fumbles: Lyle, 1
Texas A&M by the numbers
Total offense: 595 YPG (4th nationally, 2nd SEC)
Scoring offense: 41 PPG (29th, 6)
Rushing offense: 303 YPG (14th, 4th)
Passing offense: 292 YPG (35th, 7th)
Third down conversion percentage: 69.2% (1st nationally)
Red zone offense: 66.7% (114th, 11th SEC)
Sacks allowed: 2 (52nd, 6th)
Tackles for loss allowed: 5 (42nd, 10th)
Time of possession: 35:10 (13th, 2nd)
Turnovers: 5 (117th, 13th)
Turnover +/-: -2 (105th, 10th)
Colorado by the numbers
Total defense: 256 YPG (23rd nationally, 3rd Pac-12)
Scoring defense: 7 PPG (11th, 1st)
Rushing defense: 20 YPG (6th, 1st)
Passing defense: 236 YPG (78th, 6th)
Team sacks: 3 (31st, 2nd)
Team tackles for loss: 6 (55th, 6th)
Third down conversion defense: 21.4% (14th, 2nd)
Red zone defense: 0% (1st)
Turnovers forced: 1
Turnover +/-: +1 (68th, 8th)
What the Aggies want to do
Pretty much what they did last weekend, with the exception of the turnovers. A&M moved the ball at will and bullied the Kent State front line. Colorado shut down the Northern Colorado rushing game last weekend, but gave up 181 yards a game on the ground (5.5 YPC) last year. So the idea should be grind it out with Spiller and Achane first, then start mixing in the passing game behind that.
That doesn't necessarily mean you get conservative, just go with what you do best. A&M wants to control the clock and force an inexperienced quarterback to make plays, and the best way to do that is on the ground. This could be a game where King's mobility is helpful, because the Buffs had some trouble containing Dylan McCaffrey of Northern Colorado last weekend. He didn't run a lot, but kept plays alive by scrambling and finding players downfield.
If A&M gets the running game going and the linebackers (and safeties) have to move up, then that could mean big things for Wydermyer and Chapman in particular. Both have size advantage that can be a problem in the middle of the field. Add in Smith's ability to make plays against anyone and the Aggies should be in good shape to move the football -- if they can keep turnovers at a minimum.
How Colorado may counter
Just as A&M wants to put the game on the shoulders of Colorado's young quarterback, the Buffs want to do the same thing. So they'll likely stack the box as much as they can and run blitz frequently, trying to minimize the damage done by Spiller and Achane. Even though they struggled with an FCS quarterback last weekend, Colorado wants King throwing the football a lot. They need Sami to control the battle in the middle with Bryce Foster and allow the linebackers to work cleanly. If A&M starts running the ball on Colorado and doesn't turn the ball over, then it's a nightmare scenario. So finding ways to slow down 28 and 6 will be first and foremost on the list.