Five telling numbers ahead of Texas A&M football's showdown with Arkansas

Five telling numbers ahead of Texas A&M football's faceoff with Arkansas in Arlington

Despite the lopsided record over the last few years, Texas A&M football's yearly showdown with Arkansas is always good for giving Aggie fans heartburn. If the Aggies are decidedly better than the Hogs, the game is close. If the Hogs outmatch the Aggies, the game is close. If the teams are close, surprisingly, the game sometimes turns into a blowout.

With all signs pointing to Reed getting the starting nod as Conner Weigman continues to recover from injury, this looks like it may be a defensive slog. Let's take a look at some numbers that may decide Saturday's game.

2.42 - Arkansas's points per drive against FBS competition

Arkansas opened the year against the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, who are kind of like the Kent State of the lower division. Because of that, the Hogs' numbers are still somewhat skewed. Against teams not named UAPB, though, Arky hasn't been super efficient overall—and this is counting a game against the UAB Blazers!

53% - Texas A&M's rushing success rate

The Aggies have notched over 50% rushing success for the season, which is made even more impressive when you consider the fact that they opened against an elite rush defense in Notre Dame. A&M staying efficient against the Hogs will be imperative if they want to win on Saturday.

38.5% - Texas A&M's defensive Eckel rate

This is the percentage of drives that the Aggie defense has allowed to get inside their 40 yard line. It's not been common for teams to generate scoring opportunities against the A&M defense, and the Ags will need to keep up that trend against the Hogs in what promises to be a low-scoring game.

3.6 - Texas A&M's points per red zone trip allowed

When teams have gotten down inside the Aggie 20, though, A&M has done a decent job at stopping them from creating points. Last week, the Bowling Green Falcons only averaged 1.5 points per red zone opportunity thanks to the Aggie defense tightening up in the red zone.

10 - Arkansas TFLs in last three games

The Hogs, after recording 10 TFLs against UAPB, have only that number in the past three games. Staying on schedule in what will likely be a heavily ground-based attack for the Ags will be an important facet for Saturday. The Aggies themselves have 12 TFLs in their past two games alone.