Thanksgiving Day Football - NCAA Edition

So the NFL annually plays 3 games spanned throughout Thanksgiving Thursday to provide us with football to watch on the most thankful day of the year. But, let's face it. Who wants to watch the pros go at it when we have great College Football on to entertain us?

This year is interesting. Two teams who previously were ranked in the Top 5 earlier in the season and have now fallen from the Top 25 with disappointing losses, face off against each other at 7:30 ET on ESPN. Folks, it's LSU at Texas A&M, and exciting match-up for their season finales.

Both coaches will be scrambling for their jobs in this game. Kevin Sumlin is now completing his 5th year at Texas A&M with no championship ring to show for it. Every year, Texas A&M builds a big hype around their team only to fall short at the most crucial moments of the season. And so, whether many people realize it or not, Sumlins job is on the line with people like Tom Herman floating around as a possible sign on to head coach. As for Ed Orgeron, the interim head coach there at LSU, Orgeron has done a phenomenal job with what he was asked to do at LSU. However, a heartbreaking loss to Florida and the close but hotly contested Alabama game has LSU front office people looking more into someone like Jimbo Fisher from Florida State. He's now scrambling to keep the support of his players and his fans.

There are 5 aspects to game previews that I will be doing on this website when I do indeed give you a preview to read. They are:

1. Home Teams Run Offense VS Away Teams Run Defense
2. Home Teams Pass Offense VS Away Teams Pass Defense
3. Away Teams Run Offense VS Home Teams Run Defense
4. Away Teams Pass Offense VS Home Teams Pass Defense
5. Special Teams

With each section, I'm going to break down the key matchups to look out for, and what to expect from the teams coming up.

Texas A&M's Run Offense VS LSU's Run Defense

Texas A&M plans to return Trevor Knight to the field as their starting QB's, a source reported Wednesday Evening. Knights arm has been medically cleared by doctors, so the duel-threat graduate-transfer senior will return to the field ready to play. Knight is an extremely competitive football player, and a lot of credit can be given to him for the success of this team. Knight has added to his passing attack 583 yards and 10 scores on the ground, and A&M isn't afraid to switch between 2 very talented RB's in Trayveon Williams and Keith Ford, who have combined for 1439 yards and 12 TD's.

As for LSU, their defense has been pretty stout this season against the run. LSU allows an average of 115.2 yards per game, and even slowed the mighty Alabama rushing attack for 3 quarters to keep themselves in the game. Kendall Beckwith, the teams current leading tackler and leader, will be out with a knee injury. Duke Riley has made some great run stop plays behind the line of scrimmage this season, and defensive lineman Dwayne Thomas is an unknown beast. LSU has a lot to combat the A&M run offense with.

What to expect- Trevor Knight to open some run lanes late in the game and break into the LSU defense in the 2nd and 3rd Quarters.
Prediction- LSU 0 Texas A&M 14

Texas A&M's Pass Offense VS LSU's Pass Defense

As mentioned before, Trevor Knight is a very mobile QB, and can do great things with his legs. That includes extending plays by getting outside of the pocket and finding a good target to throw to down the field. Did I mention that Knight has good targets? Yes, he has many great targets to throw to, his 4 starters all will probably find themselves in the NFL someday. His deep threat, Josh Reynolds, has been his shot man, catching 46 passes for 834 yards and 9 TD's. His go to guy is Christian Kirk, who is a dynamic talent with 10 total TD's this season. Ricky Seals-Jones and Speedy Noil are both big targets that struggle just a little with consistency and, as a result, don't get targeted too much. However, despite all these good things, Knight has made a few mistakes this season that turned out to be costly. Right now he has a 13-6 TD-INT ratio, with a double INT outing against a close call game against Tennessee. The offensive line has been good and given Knight some time to make throws when he has needed it.

The LSU Secondary is loaded with talent. Tre'Davious White has been a great corner on the edge, knocking away 10 passes while picking off 2. Donte Jackson and Jamal Adams are also great cover players, but the fact of the matter is LSU is going to have to work hard to stop these A&M receivers. A major plus that LSU has is a great pass rushing unit. Alabama defeated Texas A&M through consistent pressure on Trevor Knight. LSU has the players that can do just that, Arden Key on the edge being a great example, collecting 9 sacks so far this season. Davon Gaudchaux and Lewis Neal have both been effective too, collecting a combined 8.

What to expect- Knight finding a little success in the passing game early before waiting for the run game to re-open the offense.
Prediction- LSU 3 Texas A&M 14

LSU's Run Offense VS Texas A&M's Run Defense

As tragic as it may sound, Leonard Fournette has been struggling with his ankle all season long, and did not make the trip to College Station, Texas. Therefore, he will be sitting out the season finale at home with his family watching his teammates from his living room. LSU fans would lament this fact if it wasn't for Derrius Guice. Guice has come on big as an explosive running back behind Fournette, even getting starts when the Saint Augustine native missed a few games earlier in the season. Guice leads the SEC in rushing average (8.0 yards per carry) and has gained 964 yards and 10 TD's this season. Darrel Williams will most likely be the reserve back, who has seen a little action since Fournette has missed so much football.

While A&M looked great against the run early in the season, the Aggies have struggled to maintain that aspect of the defense, crumbling more and more as the season wore on. Claude George, Nick Harvey, Daeshon Hall and Otaro Alaka have all been good in run support, getting behind the line to make tackles, however once running backs get into the second level, they are usually gone. A&M is giving up 179.7 yards per game to the ground, so big issues coming up for a team that needs to have that run plugging factor in order to play this game.

What to expect- Derrius Guice is going to run all over the Aggie defense. 3 TD's may not be a bad number to expect.
Prediction- LSU 21 Texas A&M 0

LSU's Pass Offense VS Texas A&M's Pass Defense

Danny Etling has been enough for LSU to hold down the fort for the passing game this season. Since being named the starter over incumbent starter Brandon Harris, the Purdue transfer has been on the money passing for 1582 yards and a 7-4 TD-INT ratio. He has NFL level receivers in Travin Dural and Malachi Dupre, and a stud in DJ Clark. Clark has been the Red Zone man for Etling, in the rare circumstances that LSU throws the football in that area of the field. The pass protection can be better, and really needs to be in this crucial game.

A&M has one of the best safety prospects in hard-hitting Justin Evans. Evans is second on the team with 82 tackles, leads them in pick-offs with 4, and has a presence on the field that is down right intimidating. The corners aren't great, and have a tendency to fail on man-to-man coverage, but the one thing that makes A&M's defense hard to handle is the pass rush. Myles Garrett has struggle with injuries since right before mid-season, however he has still collected 8.5 sacks and 14 TFL. Kingsley Keke, Claude George and Daeshon Hall have all collected 11 combined.

What to expect- Etling will be rattled early on, and surrender a turnover or two. However, later in the game, things will be clicking for him.
Prediction- LSU 14 Texas A&M 7

Special Teams

Texas A&M's Christian Kirk has been phenomenal this season on special teams, bringing back 3 punt returns for scores, and averaging 24.5 yards per return (1st in the nation). Nick Harvey himself has returned a punt all the way for a score too. A&M's kicker, Daniel LaCamera, has not missed an extra point this season and has knocked home 16 of his 22 field goal attempts.

As for LSU, Tre'Davious White has found paydirt once this season, but other then that has been a none factor in that department. Kicker Colby Delahoussaye has missed 2 of his 33 Extra Point attempts, and has hit 7-10 on field goals.

Prediction- LSU -1 Texas A&M 0

Forecast

The first quarter will flash like straw being thrown into the fire, but will go by low scoring, and Texas A&M on top 7-0. Then, things will begin to click halfway through the second quarter, the Tiger run game starting to churn, and the Aggie defense beginning to tire. A&M up 14-10 at the half. Then the third quarter comes out smashing with a Knight to Reynolds hook-up for a big play setting up a Trayveon Williams run for a score. End of the 3rd, A&M 28 LSU 16. LSU puts together one of the best comebacks seen all season long in the 4th, started by 2 long Derrius Guice runs and LSU tops this hotly contested game.

Prediction- LSU 37 Texas A&M 35

Away Coach O goes to lead on the Tigers into the 2017 Recruiting Cycle, and grumbling bumbling from Texas A&M Faithful waiting to see the Bowl Game result before deciding to call for Sumlins head on a platter.