Aggies face off with challenging Auburn defense

QB: #10, Zach Calzada; RS-So.; 6-4, 200

#14, Blake Bost; Fr.; 6-2, 195

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: #5 Jalen Preston; RS-Jr.; 6-2, 210

#2 Chase Lane; RS-So.; 6, 190 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: #1, Demond Demas; RS-Fr.; 6-3, 180

#81, Caleb Chapman; RS-Jr.; 6-5, 200

LT #58 Jahmir Johnson; Gr-TR; 6-5, 300

#60, Trey Zuhn; Fr.; 6-6, 315

LG: #55, Kenyon Green; Jr.; 6-4, 325

#74, Aki Ogunbiyi; RS-Fr.; 6-4, 315

#70, Josh Bankhead, RS-Fr.; 6-5, 325

C: #61 Bryce Foster; Fr.; 6-5, 325

#77 Matthew Wykoff, Fr.; 6-6, 330

RG: #64, Layden Robinson; RS-So.; 6-4, 325

#52, Smart Chibuzo; RS-Fr.; 6-4, 320 OR

#66, Jordan Spasojevic-Moko; So.; 6-5, 340

RT: #76, Rueben Fatheree; Fr.; 6-8, 320

#53, Blake Trainor; So..; 6-7, 330

DE: #25, Colby Wooden; So.; 6-5, 278

#99, T.D. Moultry; Sr.; 6-2, 253

#3, Zykeivous Walker So.; 6-4, 289

NT: #90, Tony Fair; Sr.; 6-1, 330

#89, J.J. Pegues; So.; 6-3, 308

DT: #50, Marcus Harris; So.; 6-2, 279

#92, Marquis Burks; Sr.; 6-3, 314

DE: #29, Derick Hall; Jr.; 6-3, 251

#55, Eku Leota; Jr.; 6-4, 240

MLB: #0, Owen Pappoe; Jr.; 6-1, 226

#31, Chandler Wooten; Sr.; 6-3, 232

WLB: #9, Zackoby McClain; Sr.; 6, 219

#31, Chandler Wooten; Sr.; 6-3, 232

#32, Wesley Steiner; So.; 6, 229

STAR: #31, Chandler Wooten; Sr.; 6-3, 232

#35, Cam Riley; So.; 6, 229

CB: #23, Roger McCreary; Sr.; 6, 190

#14, Ro Torrence; So.; 6-4, 197

S: #19, Bydarrius Knighten; Sr.; 6-1, 201 OR

#10, Zion Puckett; So.; 6, 209

S: #21, Smoke Monday; Sr.; 6-3, 199

#1, Donovan Kaufman; RS-Fr.; 5-10, 200

CB: #18, Nehemiah Pritchett; Jr.; 6-1, 179

#36, Jaylin Simpson; So.; 6-1, 175

Texas A&M: QB Haynes King (broken leg), WR Hezekiah Jones (shoulder surgery) and C Luke Matthews (shoulder surgery) are out for the year.

Auburn: DT Jeremiah Wright is out for the year. DT Zykeivous Walker (arm) is questionable.

Passing: Calzada, 115-208 (55.2%), 1,364 yards, 12 TD, 7 INT

King, 22-35 (62.9%), 300 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT'

Rushing: Spiller, 123, 761 yards (6.2 YPG), 5 TD

Achane, 86 carries, 608 yards (7.1 YPC), 5 TD

Receiving: Wydermyer, 25 catches, 353 yards (14.1 YPC), 4 TD

Smith, 31 catches, 347 yards (11.2 YPC), 6 TD

Achane, 18 catches, 190 yards (10.6 YPC) 1 TD

Tackles: McClain, 67

Wooten, 57

Puckett, 43

Tackles for loss: Wooden and Leota, 7

Three players with 6

Sacks: Wooden, Leota, Hall, 4

Interceptions: McCreary, 2

Three players with 1

Forced fumbles: Burks, 2

Four players with 1

Fumble recoveries: Wooden and Harris, 1

Batter Auburn on the ground and be efficient in the passing game. It's the basic plan for any SEC team, but all the more so for the Aggies this year.

Auburn backers like to say that Auburn's good against the run because they are giving up an average of 3.5 yards a carry on the season. But they've given up better than 4 yards a carry in four of their last five, with a basic shutdown of inept LSU being the exception. Of those opponents, only Georgia has a running attack comparable to A&M's.

The A&M offensive line has been playing its best football by far the past three games it and absolutely must do the same this weekend. Auburn is very aggressive at the line of scrimmage, frequently having five or six men on the line of scrimmage and their linebackers up, not far behind the linemen. They'll also blitz their safeties regardless of whether it's a run or passing down. If A&M can hold up at the point of attack, they can rip of some big runs.

Because of the pressure Auburn likes to apply, this could be a big game for Wydermyer and Smith catching quick passes or slants over the middle, or Spiller and Achane getting the ball out in the flat. Matt Corral had a lot of success with quick passes over the middle last week, and Calzada needs has the weapons to do the same.

Auburn hasn't forced many turnovers, but Calzada has still had issues with a huge mistake or two each game. The opportunities for those this weekend will be very limited. A&M needs to get out there and run first and run often, but when Calzada throws, he needs to avoid the big mistake. If he's confident, stays in the pocket and makes quick reads, the opportunities will be there for him.

Shock of shocks, they want this game in Calzada's hands. They're going to be very aggressive the line of scrimmage as they have been all year, looking to make plays quickly in the running game. McClain and Wooten tend to play up near the line of scrimmage and blitz a lot off the edge to slow down the outside running game. Monday also likes to blitz from his safety spot.

If the Tigers can get A&M into a passing situation, they have a variety of different blitzes, stunts and twists they use in order to get pressure on the quarterback. They're going to want to overwhelm the line with numbers and force quick passes and/or mistakes.

Look for Auburn to have 8 or 9 men up in the box on early downs, with at least one and maybe two linebacker/nickel types moved in very close in order to control the edge. If they can do that, then they can cause major problems for the Aggie offense.