The run defense is elite
The numbers almost don’t do them full justice, but the Aggies run defense stymied one of the best rushing attacks in college football on Saturday night.
Benny Snell had drawn comparisons to other great SEC running backs like Leonard Fournette and Todd Gurley with his ability to get yards after contact, but Texas A&M’s stout defensive line held him to 60 yards on 13 carries. They finished with just 70 yards on 30 carries, a lot of which has to do with college football tracking the six sacks the Aggies earned as negative rushing yards.
Texas A&M is now ranked No. 4 in the country at stopping the run; after six games that’s no fluke and is a welcome sight to Aggie fans.
We’re only halfway through the season, but here’s Texas A&M’s rush defense ranking over the past six years...
— TexAgs (@TexAgs) October 7, 2018
2013: #111
2014: #111
2015: #108
2016: #80
2017: #71
2018: #4 🎉
Mike Elko has this front seven playing extremely well. It will come in handy when they face the likes of Mississippi State, Auburn and LSU.
Daylon Mack is in his senior season and is playing like someone who had yet to live up to his 5-star hype coming out of high school. Justin Madubuike is having an incredible season as well and the two have looked like two of the best defensive tackles in the SEC so far this year.
They will need to keep it up as the Aggies begin their tough three-game road trip.