It's no secret what Texas A&M will try to do on offense against Nebraska.
It's just a matter of whether the Cornhuskers will be able to stop it when the teams clash in Lincoln on Saturday.
The Aggies (5-2, 2-1 Big 12 Conference) are ranked second in the league in rushing (246 yards per game) and last in passing (162.6 yards per game). Add in the fact that Nebraska ranks last in the Big 12 in rushing defense, and it's probably safe to predict the Aggies will try to move the ball on the ground against the Huskers.
In its 35-7 loss to Texas Tech on Saturday, Texas A&M rushed on all 10 plays of its first drive, which resulted in the Aggies' only touchdown of the game. The Aggies went on to post 233 rushing yards and 133 passing yards in their loss to the Red Raiders.
Texas A&M Coach Dennis Franchione readily admitted this week that his team's passing game has room for improvement.
"We're a little behind statistically from where we would like to be," Franchione said. "We've had years that we've been about 100 yards a game higher throwing the ball, and we've had years where we've been a little bit lower than 200 yards a game. We're probably a little bit lower than I wish we were right now. I think that's fair to say."
Texas A&M junior quarterback Stephen McGee said that from a numbers standpoint, he would certainly like to see the Aggies' passing efficiency increase.
But McGee said teams must play to their strengths, and the Aggies' strength is obviously running the ball. McGee is the team's leading rusher with 77.7 yards per game, but not far behind is junior Jorvorskie Lane (63.6) and sophomore Mike Goodson (61.9).
By comparison, no Texas A&M player averages more than 20 yards per game in receiving yards.
"It just depends on the flow of the game and what's going on and what situation we're in," McGee said.
Usually for the Aggies, the situation calls for a running play - even if it comes at the expense of low passing numbers.
"I think sometimes you try to play to what your strength is, and maybe our strength has hurt our balance a little bit," Franchione said. "We've got three guys running the ball pretty well, and you want to make sure that they get their touches in a game."
McGee, Lane and Goodson should get plenty of carries against Nebraska, which has struggled this season defending the run.
In Saturday's 45-14 home loss to Oklahoma State, the Huskers allowed 317 rushing yards on 51 Cowboy attempts - an average of 6.2 yards per rush.
Earlier in the season, on Sept. 15, Southern California averaged 8.2 yards per carry on its way to 313 rushing yards and a 49-31 win.
Texas A&M senior offensive lineman Kirk Elder has watched film from both of those games.
"Oklahoma State got after them pretty well and blocked them pretty well," Elder said. "USC really just out-physicaled [sic] them. I'm not saying (Nebraska's) not a physical team, but that's just what I saw from those two games."
BENGOULDSMITH@DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM
