Cal Offense vs. Texas A&M Defense
Like Texas A&M, Cal will enter the game with a deep and talented rushing attack. The Golden Bears have one of the best tailback tandems in the country led by RB Marshawn Lynch, who boasts the size to run between the tackles and breakaway speed to create on the perimeter. Lynch has rushed for 1,245 yards and is averaging an impressive 6.1 yards per carry. RB Justin Forsett has not been as productive this season as he was in 2005 but he is still a dangerous No. 2 back.
Texas A&M vs. Cal
When: Dec. 28, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Where: San Diego
The biggest key for Texas A&M's defense is to take something away from Cal in order to render the attack one-dimensional. A key player in that effort will be ILB Justin Warren. The Aggies leading tackler is a classic run-stuffing middle linebacker. He is an instinctive player versus the run and reads plays quickly. He pursues to the ball well and is a solid wrap-up tackler. He will have his work cut out for him, though, as the Aggies could be without big space eating DT Red Bryant. The absence of the 6-foot-5, 330-pounder could make it hard for Warren to cleanly step up and make plays versus the run. SS Melvin Bullitt, the team's second leading tackler, will also need to play a role in run support. Run support from the secondary will be especially important on the perimeter because Warren does not have great sideline-to-sideline range. As such, Lynch's explosiveness could hurt A&M tremendously on the edge. Nate Longshore is streaky but when given time to throw he has the arm strength and touch to burn an opposing secondary. The big pocket passer has thrown for 2,786 yards and 23 touchdowns. It also helps to have a special talent to throw to such as WR DeSean Jackson, who has notched 54 catches for 979 yards and nine receiving touchdowns on the season.
The A&M defensive secondary may need to provide help to corners Danny Gorrer and Jordan Peterson. Cal receivers Robert Jordan and Lavelle Hawkins allow Longshore to spread the ball around. All three receivers are averaging more than 10 yards per catch and the trio will make it hard for A&M to frequently roll coverage to Jackson. Another aspect in the Cal passing game to monitor is the involvement of Lynch, who has 31 receptions and is a tough match-up for a linebacker.
Finally, a key for A&M will be getting pressure on Longshore, who is dangerous when in a rhythm but also will make some poor decisions when rushed. Despite A&M's move to a 4-2-5 pressure front this year they have struggled to get after the quarterback as a team. They have only generated 20 sacks and that 1.67 average per game ranks 86th nationally. The Aggies will need defensive end Chris Harrington to apply pressure. He has a team leading 7? sacks and the matchup versus left tackle Andrew Cameron will be a key one.
Texas A&M Offense vs. Cal Defense
Texas A&M enters the game ranked 19th in the country in total offense, thanks largely in part to a deep and productive rushing attack that averages more than 210 yards per game. In fact, three different Aggie ball carriers have more than 700 yards rushing on the season. The key cog in that ground attack is big and punishing sophomore Jorvorskie Lane, who has rushed for 19 touchdowns this year and can flat-out wear defenses down at close to 280 pounds. The other productive running back is speedy true freshman Mike Goodson, who is able to provide a change of pace in running style. Goodson is averaging an impressive 6.9 yards per carry and has also chipped in as a receiver out of the backfield with 15 catches on the year. Finally, the third member of this vaunted ground assault is QB Stephen McGee, who has rushed for 797 yards and can burn defenses as a scrambler and out of the read-option scheme.
Their offensive line is experienced, big, strong, and mean. Strong side guard Grant Dickey and strong side tackle Corey Clark form a massive pairing to open lanes for the run game.
Facing a Cal defense that ranks 45th against the run, the Aggies will attack with their ground game. The key battle will be in the trenches as the Golden Bears line-up with a big and fairly athletic front. A&M center Cody Wallace and guards Kirk Elder and Grant Dickey will need to contain the big Cal defensive tackles Matthew Malele and Brandon Mebane. Mebane in particular, who has 50 tackles and 10 tackles for loss, is a high motor guy that makes a lot of plays in pursuit. The running of Lane inside can wear down that Cal front over the course of the game. The Golden Bears leading tackler Desmond Bishop will be a key player in trying to stop the Aggie ground game. He fills hard versus the inside run and has a nose for the ball. The Aggies will be able to attack the Cal defense with Goodson on the perimeter and the freshman will be able provide a big-play threat. Helping the Aggies to attack Cal between the tackles will be McGee's ability to run option and force Cal to be ready to quickly defend the perimeter. If Cal closes down too quickly on the read option, McGee will be able to pull the ball and hurt them on the edge. It will be important for Cal to get good play from its defensive tackles and Bishop up the middle.
Texas A&M's passing attack is not nearly as threatening as its run game, but McGee has shown enough efficiency down the stretch to keep Cal's defense honest in this game. Despite it being McGee's first year as a starter he shows that he can find the open man and be accurate with his throws. He is completing 61.7 percent of his passes and has thrown 11 touchdowns compared to two interceptions.
With the exception of little used Kerry Franks, the Aggie offense has no true vertical threat. McGee does do a good job of spreading the ball around, as eight Aggie players have at least ten receptions. One of the leading receivers is Chad Schroeder, who has 37 receptions on the year. Another weapon in the Aggie passing attack is big 6-foot-7 TE Martellus Bennett, who has 37 receptions and is a red-zone matchup problem.
One thing working in Cal's favor to stop the A&M run game is that the Aggies don't have a serious threat in the passing game. McGee has not thrown a touchdown pass in three straight games and with Cal having one of the nation's premier corners in Daymeion Hughes; it will be hard for the Aggies to stretch the field vertically. What A&M can do is spread the ball around to try and prevent Cal from continually stacking the box.
Special Teams
Matt Szymanski started the season as the Aggies place kicker, but he was replaced by senior Layne Neumann, who has brought more consistency to the kicking game. Neumann has hit on 12 of 15 attempts with a long of 39 yards. While the Aggies are getting better production on field goal attempts their kicking woes are far from over. Neumann has had three kicks blocked to bring the total to four for the year. The Texas A&M front needs to do a better job protecting and Neumann needs to get the ball up. Sophomore Justin Brantly handles the punting and is averaging 45.3 yards per punt. He is capable of changing field position and is a nice weapon for Texas A&M.
Senior Chad Schroeder handles punt returns and is averaging 7.4 yards per return. Back for kickoffs are Kerry Franks and Pierre Brown. Franks has handled 13 kicks and is averaging 29.3 yards per return. He has also returned a kick 99 yards for a touchdown this year. The Aggies are ranked second in the nation in kickoff returns and will be facing a Cal team that ranks 106th in kickoff return yardage defense.
Cal junior Tom Schneider handles the place kicking duties and while he can be inconsistent, he was solid in 2006 hitting 100 percent on extra points and going 14-of-18 on field goals with a long of 55. Three of his four misses came from past 50 yards. Schneider and punter Andrew Larson will handle kickoffs. Larson has kicked off four more times then Schneider. He is a little more consistent as Schneider has had three kicks go out-of-bounds. Larson a junior college transfer has handles all the punting and is averaging 42.5 yards per punt.
Sophomore receiver DeSean Jackson has proved to be the most dangerous punt return man in the country. He is averaging 18.2 yards per return and has returned four for touchdowns. He ranks first in the nation in punt returns. Running backs Marshawn Lynch and senior Marcus O'Keith handle kick returns. O'Keith who has fielded the majority of kicks and is averaging 24.4 yards per return, but he may not be able to go. If that is the case Forsett could join Lynch back deep. The punt coverage unit has been respectable.
Matchups
? Cal RB Marshawn Lynch vs. Texas A&M MLB Justin Warren
? Texas A&M TE Martellus Bennett vs. Cal ROV Brandon Hampton
? Texas A&M QB Stephen McGee vs. Cal MLB Desmond Bishop
Scouts' Edge
Texas A&M is entering the Holiday Bowl on a high after its win over rival Texas. The Aggies ground game is good enough to chew up the clock and keep Cal's playmakers on the sideline. A&M does not play very many one-sided games and will present a tough obstacle for a talented Cal team. If the Golden Bears don't get big plays from their playmakers this game could be the exclamation point on the Aggies fine season. In our opinion, though, the Golden Bears are too balanced and too explosive for the Aggies to keep up in the end.
Prediction: Golden Bears 31, Aggies 24
Like Texas A&M, Cal will enter the game with a deep and talented rushing attack. The Golden Bears have one of the best tailback tandems in the country led by RB Marshawn Lynch, who boasts the size to run between the tackles and breakaway speed to create on the perimeter. Lynch has rushed for 1,245 yards and is averaging an impressive 6.1 yards per carry. RB Justin Forsett has not been as productive this season as he was in 2005 but he is still a dangerous No. 2 back.
Texas A&M vs. Cal
When: Dec. 28, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Where: San Diego
The biggest key for Texas A&M's defense is to take something away from Cal in order to render the attack one-dimensional. A key player in that effort will be ILB Justin Warren. The Aggies leading tackler is a classic run-stuffing middle linebacker. He is an instinctive player versus the run and reads plays quickly. He pursues to the ball well and is a solid wrap-up tackler. He will have his work cut out for him, though, as the Aggies could be without big space eating DT Red Bryant. The absence of the 6-foot-5, 330-pounder could make it hard for Warren to cleanly step up and make plays versus the run. SS Melvin Bullitt, the team's second leading tackler, will also need to play a role in run support. Run support from the secondary will be especially important on the perimeter because Warren does not have great sideline-to-sideline range. As such, Lynch's explosiveness could hurt A&M tremendously on the edge. Nate Longshore is streaky but when given time to throw he has the arm strength and touch to burn an opposing secondary. The big pocket passer has thrown for 2,786 yards and 23 touchdowns. It also helps to have a special talent to throw to such as WR DeSean Jackson, who has notched 54 catches for 979 yards and nine receiving touchdowns on the season.
The A&M defensive secondary may need to provide help to corners Danny Gorrer and Jordan Peterson. Cal receivers Robert Jordan and Lavelle Hawkins allow Longshore to spread the ball around. All three receivers are averaging more than 10 yards per catch and the trio will make it hard for A&M to frequently roll coverage to Jackson. Another aspect in the Cal passing game to monitor is the involvement of Lynch, who has 31 receptions and is a tough match-up for a linebacker.
Finally, a key for A&M will be getting pressure on Longshore, who is dangerous when in a rhythm but also will make some poor decisions when rushed. Despite A&M's move to a 4-2-5 pressure front this year they have struggled to get after the quarterback as a team. They have only generated 20 sacks and that 1.67 average per game ranks 86th nationally. The Aggies will need defensive end Chris Harrington to apply pressure. He has a team leading 7? sacks and the matchup versus left tackle Andrew Cameron will be a key one.
Texas A&M Offense vs. Cal Defense
Texas A&M enters the game ranked 19th in the country in total offense, thanks largely in part to a deep and productive rushing attack that averages more than 210 yards per game. In fact, three different Aggie ball carriers have more than 700 yards rushing on the season. The key cog in that ground attack is big and punishing sophomore Jorvorskie Lane, who has rushed for 19 touchdowns this year and can flat-out wear defenses down at close to 280 pounds. The other productive running back is speedy true freshman Mike Goodson, who is able to provide a change of pace in running style. Goodson is averaging an impressive 6.9 yards per carry and has also chipped in as a receiver out of the backfield with 15 catches on the year. Finally, the third member of this vaunted ground assault is QB Stephen McGee, who has rushed for 797 yards and can burn defenses as a scrambler and out of the read-option scheme.
Their offensive line is experienced, big, strong, and mean. Strong side guard Grant Dickey and strong side tackle Corey Clark form a massive pairing to open lanes for the run game.
Facing a Cal defense that ranks 45th against the run, the Aggies will attack with their ground game. The key battle will be in the trenches as the Golden Bears line-up with a big and fairly athletic front. A&M center Cody Wallace and guards Kirk Elder and Grant Dickey will need to contain the big Cal defensive tackles Matthew Malele and Brandon Mebane. Mebane in particular, who has 50 tackles and 10 tackles for loss, is a high motor guy that makes a lot of plays in pursuit. The running of Lane inside can wear down that Cal front over the course of the game. The Golden Bears leading tackler Desmond Bishop will be a key player in trying to stop the Aggie ground game. He fills hard versus the inside run and has a nose for the ball. The Aggies will be able to attack the Cal defense with Goodson on the perimeter and the freshman will be able provide a big-play threat. Helping the Aggies to attack Cal between the tackles will be McGee's ability to run option and force Cal to be ready to quickly defend the perimeter. If Cal closes down too quickly on the read option, McGee will be able to pull the ball and hurt them on the edge. It will be important for Cal to get good play from its defensive tackles and Bishop up the middle.
Texas A&M's passing attack is not nearly as threatening as its run game, but McGee has shown enough efficiency down the stretch to keep Cal's defense honest in this game. Despite it being McGee's first year as a starter he shows that he can find the open man and be accurate with his throws. He is completing 61.7 percent of his passes and has thrown 11 touchdowns compared to two interceptions.
With the exception of little used Kerry Franks, the Aggie offense has no true vertical threat. McGee does do a good job of spreading the ball around, as eight Aggie players have at least ten receptions. One of the leading receivers is Chad Schroeder, who has 37 receptions on the year. Another weapon in the Aggie passing attack is big 6-foot-7 TE Martellus Bennett, who has 37 receptions and is a red-zone matchup problem.
One thing working in Cal's favor to stop the A&M run game is that the Aggies don't have a serious threat in the passing game. McGee has not thrown a touchdown pass in three straight games and with Cal having one of the nation's premier corners in Daymeion Hughes; it will be hard for the Aggies to stretch the field vertically. What A&M can do is spread the ball around to try and prevent Cal from continually stacking the box.
Special Teams
Matt Szymanski started the season as the Aggies place kicker, but he was replaced by senior Layne Neumann, who has brought more consistency to the kicking game. Neumann has hit on 12 of 15 attempts with a long of 39 yards. While the Aggies are getting better production on field goal attempts their kicking woes are far from over. Neumann has had three kicks blocked to bring the total to four for the year. The Texas A&M front needs to do a better job protecting and Neumann needs to get the ball up. Sophomore Justin Brantly handles the punting and is averaging 45.3 yards per punt. He is capable of changing field position and is a nice weapon for Texas A&M.
Senior Chad Schroeder handles punt returns and is averaging 7.4 yards per return. Back for kickoffs are Kerry Franks and Pierre Brown. Franks has handled 13 kicks and is averaging 29.3 yards per return. He has also returned a kick 99 yards for a touchdown this year. The Aggies are ranked second in the nation in kickoff returns and will be facing a Cal team that ranks 106th in kickoff return yardage defense.
Cal junior Tom Schneider handles the place kicking duties and while he can be inconsistent, he was solid in 2006 hitting 100 percent on extra points and going 14-of-18 on field goals with a long of 55. Three of his four misses came from past 50 yards. Schneider and punter Andrew Larson will handle kickoffs. Larson has kicked off four more times then Schneider. He is a little more consistent as Schneider has had three kicks go out-of-bounds. Larson a junior college transfer has handles all the punting and is averaging 42.5 yards per punt.
Sophomore receiver DeSean Jackson has proved to be the most dangerous punt return man in the country. He is averaging 18.2 yards per return and has returned four for touchdowns. He ranks first in the nation in punt returns. Running backs Marshawn Lynch and senior Marcus O'Keith handle kick returns. O'Keith who has fielded the majority of kicks and is averaging 24.4 yards per return, but he may not be able to go. If that is the case Forsett could join Lynch back deep. The punt coverage unit has been respectable.
Matchups
? Cal RB Marshawn Lynch vs. Texas A&M MLB Justin Warren
? Texas A&M TE Martellus Bennett vs. Cal ROV Brandon Hampton
? Texas A&M QB Stephen McGee vs. Cal MLB Desmond Bishop
Scouts' Edge
Texas A&M is entering the Holiday Bowl on a high after its win over rival Texas. The Aggies ground game is good enough to chew up the clock and keep Cal's playmakers on the sideline. A&M does not play very many one-sided games and will present a tough obstacle for a talented Cal team. If the Golden Bears don't get big plays from their playmakers this game could be the exclamation point on the Aggies fine season. In our opinion, though, the Golden Bears are too balanced and too explosive for the Aggies to keep up in the end.
Prediction: Golden Bears 31, Aggies 24
