The Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Texas A&M Aggies meet in the Texas Bowl in college football action from NRG Stadium.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys come into this game representing the Big 12 after finishing the year with an 8-4 record, including 5-4 in Big 12 conference play to finish in a four-way tie for 3rd. Spencer Sanders led OK State in passing with 2,065 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on 62.8% passing while Chuba Hubbard led the nation in rushing with 1,936 yards and 21 touchdowns. Dillon Stoner is the active leader in receiving for Oklahoma State with 598 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns after Tylan Wallace tore his ACL last month.
Defensively, Malcolm Rodriguez led the Cowboys with 94 total tackles, including a team-high 57 solo tackles while Amen Ogbongbemiga leads Oklahoma State with 4 sacks and Kolby Harvell-Peel had 5 interceptions. As a team, Oklahoma State is averaging 463.9 yards of total offense and 33.4 points per game while allowing 418.1 yards of total defense and 27 points per game against this season.
The Texas A&M Aggies come into this one representing the SEC, finishing the year with a 7-5 overall record, including 4-4 in conference play, with their five losses coming to LSU, Georgia, Alabama, Auburn and Clemson. Kellen Mond threw for 2,802 yards, 19 touchdowns and 9 interceptions while Isaiah Spiller led the Aggies in rushing with 869 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns. Jhamon Ausbon led Texas A&M in receiving with 65 catches for 862 yards and 4 touchdowns. Quartney Davis added 568 yards and 4 TDs while Jalen Wydermyer had 419 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns.
Defensively, Buddy Johnson leads the Aggies with 71 total tackles while Anthony Hines III came right behind in 2nd with 70 total tackles and Justin Madubuike had 5.5 sacks to lead A&M this season. As a team, Texas A&M is averaging 463.9 yards of total offense and 33.4 points per game while allowing 418.1 yards of total defense and 27 points per game against this season. Texas A&M is 11-1 ATS in their last 12 non-conference games and 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 games as a favorite while the over is 9-3 in their last 12 non-conference games. Oklahoma State is 4-0-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings between these two teams.
Oklahoma State is 12-2 ATS in their last 14 games as an underdog and 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games against a team with a winning record while the under is 5-0 in their last 5 bowl games.
The Aggies are the more battle tested team here, as you look at who their five losses came to, and that’s nothing to sneeze at. However, the Aggies’ wins came against lesser teams that Texas A&M should have and did beat, and the Aggies tended to struggle against above-average teams. Oklahoma State is definitely above average, and the Cowboys have a strong enough offense to hold their own and do some damage. The Cowboys also stepped it up on defense as the season went along.
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