Aggies aim for comeback against McNeese State

McNeese State at Texas A&M

When: Saturday, 11:45 a.m., Kyle Field in College Station

Records: McNeese State (1-1); Texas A&M (0-1)

Last meeting: Texas A&M defeated McNeese State 38-24 on September 1, 2001 in College Station.

TV: SEC Network

What is it about?

Texas A&M's loss to Notre Dame last week was frustrating for fans, as a series of unforced errors led to the Aggies' first loss of the season. Whatever weaknesses A&M may have, they'll get a chance to iron them out against an FCS opponent in McNeese State.

Whether it's nerves, illness or a lack of focus during a sluggish performance, redshirt sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman and the offense have an ideal opportunity to show what the unit is capable of. After throwing for just 100 yards against the Fighting Irish, Weigman can take full advantage of the weapons around him.

On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys rushing attack offers the Aggies defense a chance to catch up after allowing nearly 200 yards and two long touchdown runs to Notre Dame. This isn't a sure thing for A&M, but rather an opportunity to regain some confidence against a group of productive playmakers.

The Cowboys have already matched their win total from last season with last week's 21-7 victory over Southern. They were three points short of a furious comeback attempt against Tarleton State in Week 0. McNeese doesn't have a winning mentality, but he does have a winner behind center in senior QB Clifton McDowell. The Springer native led Montana to the FCS championship game last season with an 11-1 record.

When Texas A&M has the ball

Weigman is the leader of the Aggies offense, which can be seen as a blessing or a curse. For A&M fans, it was the latter last week when he managed a measly 100 yards and two interceptions while completing 40% of his passes. Against one of the best defenses in the country, it's a little easier to give Weigman some leeway, but he won't have the same crutch against McNeese State.

To shake off the outside noise, the Aggies will need to come out full steam ahead on Saturday. The Cowboys have played good defense through two games, allowing just 16.5 points and 268.5 yards per game. But they've never played a team of A&M's caliber.

On Saturday, fans got the full Weigman experience with a talented cast around the quarterback. Senior WR Jahdae Walker and juniors Cyrus Allen and Noah Thomas combined for just nine catches for 69 yards as they struggled to break away from Notre Dame's tight coverage. They should improve on that on Saturday.

Junior running back Le'Veon Moss was the leader of A&M's running game with a 70-yard performance in Week 1. He will likely continue to be the leader of the running attack, although junior Amari Daniels and sophomore EJ Smith can also expect to see some touches.

When McNeese State has the ball

McDowell is the Cowboys' best passer and rusher and has many roles. His balanced performance has seen him average 136.5 yards through the air and two touchdowns while rushing for 66 yards and two touchdowns per game. A&M coach Mike Elko said the Aggies need to prepare for McDowell's ability as a dual-threat behind center.

That is, if he plays. McDowell is reportedly dealing with a “very minor” injury that kept him out of McNeese's practice Tuesday. Coach Gary Goff said McDowell's participation will have to be decided in game time while he works on his comeback. If he's not ready, redshirt freshman Kamden Sixkiller will start at quarterback. He completed 9 of 19 passes against Southern and gained 14 yards on four carries.

A backup quarterback could mean a heavy workload for senior RB D'angelo Durham. He is averaging 56.5 yards per game and 6.3 yards per carry and has not had a single tackle for loss in two games. Durham has scored a touchdown in each game.

Elko attributed A&M's struggles against the Irish running game to poor leverage of the football on the third level of defense. The Cowboys could keep the Aggies on their toes if McDowell is available, though A&M's monster of a defensive line should be prepared for what's to come.

forecast

Although A&M's loss to Notre Dame was painful for the 12th-ranked team, it was just the beginning of a long season. There's no shame in losing to a top-10 team, and the Aggies can still build off a strong season despite the slip in their record.

Saturday's matchup should say a lot about what this A&M team is capable of. Will the Aggies feel the effects of a close loss and start weak from the early kickoff? Or will they play strong from start to finish and give the Kyle Field crowd the offense that was missing last week?

Either way, it's hard to imagine A&M losing a game against an FCS opponent, especially with a second-string quarterback potentially in the starting lineup. Elko has preached responsibility this season, and expect a complete performance from the Aggies.

Score: Texas A&M 56, McNeese State 3

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