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VOLUME 8, NO. 11, Page 4 Copyright 2002, ASI, Inc., All rights reserved. MISSOURI GAME PREVIEW
This weekend, Missouri comes to town with the same aspirations. Gary Pinkel's Tigers have a future Heisman contender of their own under center, and he looks like a bigger version of Wallace...with an even greater upside. Yes, Brad Smith and his Tigers are coming to College Station with bowl hopes and thoughts of taking down one of the "name" programs in the conference. Under Pinkel, Mizzou has come close, including fourth-quarter decisions against Oklahoma, Nebraska, and a nationally-ranked ISU squad this fall. The Tigers actually led OU and had the ball with less than ten minutes to go before Bob Stoops worked his magic. A fake field goal provided the Sooners with the winning margin.
The Aggies, of course, are also playing for their bowl-eligible lives. The difference is that Missouri comes in hoping to improve their position on the Big 12 bowl ladder. Let's face it, any post-season appearance would be huge for the MU program. In stark contrast, the Aggies, who have been prone to mental letdowns in recent seasons, are on upset alert. After all, this weekend's game falls between A&M arch-rivals OU and Texas on the schedule. If the Ags overlook Missouri, R.C. Slocum could be staring at the first losing season of his distinguished career.
The Tigers are definitely a team on the upswing and have more difference-makers than most .500 teams. In fact, this team is very comparable, talent-wise to the Oklahoma State team that beat the Aggies two weeks ago. Smith is a future all-Big 12 quarterback (if he isn't already), while Justin Gage, Zach Abron, Keith Wright, and Antwaun Bynum have all had monster games against top-notch teams.
Still, a focused A&M team should beat Missouri. Things might be different if the game were being played in Columbus, but the Aggie offfense should be able to move the ball and score against a Tiger defense that has been giving up tons of yards, and points, this season. If the A&M o-line can protect Dustin Long, the A&M wideouts should have a big, big afternoon. If the Aggie defense can get back to Wrecking Crew football, then A&M fans won't have to sweat this one out.
The A&M-Missouri matchup won't make headlines around the nation, or even the Big 12 region for that matter, but it is a very important game for both programs. As I said, a Missouri win would push the Tigers closer to a bowl berth and help send the Tigers into the off-season on a high note and could serve as a major building block for 2003 and beyond. An Aggie victory would take some of the heat off of the players and coaching staff and give them some kind of momentum heading into the Texas bye week. It has been a very tough, almost depressing, season for the A&M coaches, players, and fans, so going out with a win over Mizzou and a stunning upset over the Longhorns would definitely kick-start the healing process and give the Ags some much-needed momentum as they look to close out a fine recruiting class.
MISSOURI PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB Brad Smith: Outside of Seneca Wallace, Smith is the Big-12's most dangerous two-way threat. Aggie fans who want a sneak preview of what Reggie McNeal could look like a year from now should keep a close eye on Mizzou's #16. The redshirt freshman has had a breakout season. In nine games, Smith run for 856 yards and thrown for 1,827. He has accounted for 17 touchdowns and is averaging over 6.2 yards per carry. At 6-3 and over 200 pounds, Smith gives Missouri a running back under center. The youngster has the ability to completely take over a game, and he's done so against some pretty salty competition. In the season opener, Smith accounted for nearly 400 yards of total offense in a win over Illinois. Against unbeaten Bowling Green, Smith did his part, passing for 334 yards. Against top-ranked Oklahoma, Smith made the nation's best defense look silly. Against Tommie Harris, Teddy Lehman, and company, Smith ran for 213 yards on 26 carries and added 178 through the air. The good news for the Ags is that they won't have to face Smith as a junior or senior.
WR Justin Gage: The 6-4, 210-pound wideout might be the best of a gifted crop of Big 12 wideouts and has first-round NFL potential. In his career, Gage has caught 182 passes for 2,417 yards and 15 TD's. Through nine games in '02, Justin is on pace to top last season's totals of 74 catches and 920 yards. Gage is as physical a wideout as there is in the country, and he uses his basketball skills (he played on Mizzou's Final Four squad) to go up and get the ball over helpless defensive backs. Gage's skills on the hardwood also give him a tremendous ability to "body out" smaller corners. During his Tiger career, Gage has had a few incredible games. Last season, Gage caught 9 or more passes in four games. This fall, Justin shredded OU for 9 catches and 122 yards and caught an unbelievable 16 passes for 236 yards in a loss to Bowling Green.
DT Keith Wright: Wright is one of the Big-12's most disruptive interior linemen. An all-conference selection last season, Wright has been living in opposing backfields this fall. Through nine games, the 6-2, 275-pounder has tallied 70 tackles, 18 tackles for losses totalling 67 yards, 6 sacks, and 9 quarterback hurries. Wright explodes off the ball and packs a ton of power in his stocky, rock-solid frame. As a junior, Wright was in on 68 stops, had 10 TFL's, 2 sacks, blocked a field goal, and picked off a pass.
DE Antwaun Bynum: Bynum leads the Big 12 with 8 sacks. He has also racked up 46 tackles, 13 TFL's, and 12 quarterback hurries. At 6-2, 245, Bynum is on the small side, but his quickness gives opposing tackles fits. In '01, Bynum recorded 16 TFL's and 7 sacks. The Mizzou defense isn't extremely tough, but Bynum has the ability to take over a game, as he did last season against Oklahoma State. Antwaun ravaged the Cowboys to the tune of 13 tackles and a Mizzou single-game record 4 sacks.
KEY MATCH-UPS
A&M CB Sammy Davis vs. Mizzou WR Justin Gage: Two all-conference performers and future NFL Draft picks go head-to-head. Davis kept Rashaun Woods from making any big plays, but Gage is much bigger and a lot more physical than OSU's gamebreaker. Davis will have help on some occassions, but there will be plenty of one-on-one matchups throughout the game. My guess is that Davis and Gage will each win their fair share of battles with Davis holding Gage in check, much like he did Woods. In all reality, the key matchup could be Sean Weston or Byron Jones versus Mizzou's Darius Outlaw, who has 424 yards on 37 receptions. Weston has struggled of late and the Tigers may try to exploit the matchup.
A&M Pass protection vs. Mizzou's Keith Wright and Antwaun Bynum: The Missouri defense is in the Big-12's bottom half, surrendering nearly 27 points and 432 yards per game (283 through the air). Last week, Mizzou gave up over 600 yards to Seneca Wallace and Iowa State. The bottom line is that the Aggies can and will throw the ball against the Tigers. Dustin Long could have a huge day, but only if the A&M linemen can stop Wright and Bynum, who have combined for 14 sacks, 31 TFL's, and 21 quarterback hurries.
A&M LB's vs. Mizzou QB Brad Smith: Smith is on track to become just the second player in NCAA history to pass for 2,000 yards and run for 1,000 in a single season. The Ags' four starting linebackers will have their hands full trying to contain Smith not only on options and designed runs, but also when he tries to improvise. We all saw what Jamaal Lord did to the Aggie defense, and Smith is just as slippery. The key for Brian Gamble, Jarrod Penright, and company is to wrap up. I know it sounds simple enough, but the Ags have missed a ton of tackles in recent weeks. The Aggie pass rush should get to Smith, but if the shifty quarterback can make the Ags whiff, he will be off to the races.
A&M NG Marcus Jasmin vs. Mizzou RB Zach Abron: The 5-11, 225-pounder run downhill and likes to punish opposing defenders. Marcus Jasmin is never asked to make many tackles, but his role will be a major key to the Ags' defensive success. Jasmin's job is to clog the middle and force Abron to cut laterally...right into the waiting arms of Jarrod Penright, Ty Warren, and Linnis Smith. If Abron can take the handoff and run north and south, he will gain big yards inside against the undersized Aggie ILB's. This season, Zach has gained 540 yards and has scored 12 TD's.
MISSOURI TWO-DEEP/STAT LEADERS
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