LSU opponent preview: Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M running back Devon Achane PHOTO COURTESY: Texas A&M athletics

TEXAS A&M AGGIES (4-7, 1-6 in SEC West)
FACES LSU:
Nov. 26, Kyle Field, 6 p.m. (College Station, Texas)
HEAD COACH: JIMBO FISHER (38-21 at Texas A&M, 121-44 overall)
NUMBER OF HEAD COACHES, 20 SEASONS: Five
2021 RECORD: 8-4 (4-4)
OVERALL RECORD, 10 SEASONS: 85-51
CONFERENCE: SEC
LAST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP: 1998 (Big 12)
SEC TITLE GAME RECORD: 0-0
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, LAST: 3, 1939

THIS SEASON: Texas A&M began the season ranked No. 6 in the preseason but after fallen way off of expectations with a combination of poor play and injuries. The Aggies have had 35 players miss multiple games this season because of injuries or suspension. They’ve also had to start 13 true freshmen and against Auburn, started five on offense and three on defense. Following a 23-21 win over Arkansas, A&M lost its next six games with four of those being by 10 points or less. Freshman quarterback CONNER WEIGMAN (61 of 114, 741 yards, 6 TDs) is the third different QB to start this season. Linebackers CHRIS RUSSELL (64 tackles, 7 TFLs, 2 1/2 sacks) and EDGERRIN COOPER (54 tackles, 7 TFLs), are teams top tacklers.

NAME GAME: Fisher, LSU’s offensive coordinator from 2000-06 and Florida State’s coach from 2010-
17, has been at Texas A&M since replacing the fired KEVIN SUMLIN prior to the 2018 season … Running
back DEVON ACHANE had a team-best 11 touchdowns last year, including scores as a rusher, receiver and kickoff return man; Achane gained 910 yards while averaging an SEC-best 7.0 yards per carry, but is questionable for the LSU game with an injury … Aussie NIK CONSTANTINOU led the SEC and ranked in the top 10 nationally after averaging 46.61 yards per punt as a sophomore last season, his second as the Aggies’ primary punter

TIDBITS: After winning bowls in each of Fisher’s three seasons in College Station (Gator, Texas, Orange) Texas A&M didn’t play in one last season; the Aggies had been invited back to the Gator Bowl, but withdrew due to COVID-19 issues … Texas A&M was picked to finish second in the SEC West … The combined 146 points scored in Texas A&M’s seven-overtime win over LSU in 2018 broke the FBS single-game scoring record

FUN FACT

Fisher was LSU athletic director SCOTT WOODWARD’S first choice to replace ED ORGERON in Baton Rouge, but Fisher opted to stay at Texas A&M and Woodward ultimately turned to Notre Dame’s BRIAN KELLY

INFLUENCER

Devon Achane

Running back | 5-9 | 185 | Sophomore

In addition to running back duties, the Missouri City, Texas, native is an accomplished kickoff returner who brought one back 96 yards for a touchdown against Alabama last season. Achane ran a 10.48 100 at this year’s NCAA Championships, and he was a first team All-American 4x100m relay team member last year.

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