ULM at AM Preview
After a dominant first half last Saturday, it looked like Texas A&M would cruise to its second win of the year. The Aggies, though, needed three overtimes to remain undefeated.
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They'll look to ride the momentum from their longest game in school history as they go for their 10th straight non-conference win at home on Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe.
Texas A&M (2-0) took a 19-0 lead over Fresno State into halftime last week, but gave up 29 second-half points - including a game-tying touchdown with five seconds left in regulation. Running back Jorvorskie Lane rushed for touchdowns in the second and third extra periods and the Aggies stopped a two-point conversion attempt to finally secure a 47-45 victory in the team's first triple-overtime game in school history.
"Every series, every play went with a lot of physical and mental challenges and, you know, it'll be interesting for both teams to come back from that game physically and mentally and put that behind us," coach Dennis Franchione said. "And it's early in the season. We all have to. But that was a drainer right there."
The 6-foot, 263-pound Lane finished with 121 rushing yards and four touchdowns, becoming the first Aggie to record four rushing TDs in a single game twice in his career. He's tied for the most rushing touchdowns in the Football Bowl Subdivision with five.
Despite their unblemished record, the Aggies have looked sloppy in both of their wins. They're averaging only 104.0 passing yards per game - fifth-fewest in the FBS - and have been outgained in both of their wins.
"Well, we're 2-0. I'll take any ugly 2-0 there is in the nation," Franchione said. "We're never completely happy. We're always trying to get it better."
Texas A&M will be the second consecutive ranked opponent for Louisiana-Monroe (0-2), which is 0-5 against ranked teams since it joined the FBS - then known as Division I-A - before the 1994 season. They have lost those games by an average of 29.0 points.
Last Saturday, the Warhawks suffered a 49-26 loss to then-No. 25 Clemson despite having two rushers compile at least 100 yards apiece for the first time since Nov. 12, 1994. Calvin Dawson ran for 121 yards and a touchdown for his seventh straight game over the century mark - the second-longest streak in the nation. Frank Goodin added 102 rushing yards and a touchdown.
"They've got a really good offense. They do an outstanding job," Franchione said of the Warhawks, who beat him twice in 1990 and 1991 when he coached at Texas State - then known as Southwest Texas State. "We have to be prepared to fight our tails off again this week. They can control a game with what they do on offense."
Louisiana-Monroe, however, is winless in nine games against current members of the Big 12, including 0-1 against Texas A&M. The Aggies won the schools' first meeting 31-17 at Kyle Field on Sept. 21, 1985.
The Warhawks, who haven't had a winning record since their last year as a I-AA school, are hoping to avoid their sixth 0-3 start in the last seven seasons. They won their season opener against Alcorn State last year before a seven-game skid.