Texas A&M Football: 3 Reasons the Aggies Will Beat Auburn

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Sep 17, 2022; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (45) and defensive back Jaylon Jones (17) and defensive back Jardin Gilbert (20) and defensive back Jarred Kerr (33) celebrates a defensive top of the Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Defense for this Texas A&M football team will step up

It’s no secret that the Aggie defense has regressed a bit (or a lot) in recent weeks. This bend-don’t-break style has both bent and broken against both Ole Miss and Florida, with the latter being an especially egregious performance. In fairness, the Aggie defense was operating in an extremely shorthanded fashion due to both injuries and the flu, but a performance like that is inexcusable no matter the circumstance.

However, two factors make me feel more confident in the Aggies when it comes to this week. First, I expect to see a more competent offense than we saw in the second half of the Florida game this week. Second, Auburn may be the most one-dimensional team the Aggies have yet faced. Even Ole Miss, who ran for 390 or so yards while passing for only 150, had much more of a threat of passing than the Tigers will.

QB Robby Ashford is a running threat, to be sure, but against Mississippi State, Ashford completed seven passes on twenty-two attempts for a mere 3.4 yards per attempt. This is a team that the Aggies can make one-dimensional. Now, that’s a dimension that has troubled the Aggies this season, but if you can give Auburn long fields, make them execute consistently and drive the length, chances are good that you can get them behind the chains and force them into a punting situation more often than not. A challenging task, but one that I think the Aggies will be up for.