The prospect of nationally-ranked Kentucky invading College Station wouldn’t raise eyebrows. If it was in January. But facing No. 13 Kentucky at Kyle Field instead of Reed Arena is at least a little surprising.
“It’s very surprising,” Texas A&M running back Trayveon Williams corrected. “In the past Kentucky hasn’t been known for their football program. They’ve come a long way. Now, they’re a big-time program.”
It’s true. The basketball blue blood has become a football power, which is an obvious cause for concern when the Aggies (3-2, 1-1) and Wildcats (5-0, 3-0) clash Saturday at 6 p.m. Since joining the Southeastern Conference in 2012, Texas A&M is 1-7 against Top 15 teams at Kyle Field.
Reversing that trend will depend heavily on Texas A&M’s ability to contain Kentucky running back Benny Snell, who leads the SEC with 639 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Kentucky leads the SEC in rushing but has yet to face a run defense as stout as A&M’s.
The Aggies lead the SEC in run defense. No opponent has rushed for more than 115 yards against A&M. Last week the Aggies held Arkansas to 55 rushing yards.
“I think we’re playing the run really well,” A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. “That’s one of the things in that (Arkansas) game we did an excellent job of … rush defense. We’re going to have to (play well against the run). We’re going to get challenged.”
Snell definitely poses a major challenge. He rushed for 175 yards in the Wildcats’ 27-16 victory over Florida. He had 165 yards and four touchdowns in a 28-7 victory over Mississippi State. Last week he rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown in a 24-10 win over South Carolina.
“He’s been tearing it up this year,” A&M senior defensive tackle Daylon Mack said. “I know he’s a really good running back and he’s having a great season so far. We’re looking forward to the challenge.”
The challenge Snell presents isn’t limited to the Aggie defense. Williams is the SEC’s second-leading rusher with 582 rushing yards. He’s on pace for a big statistical year even though the Aggies’ have faced Clemson and Alabama — two of the best teams in the nation.
While Snell’s rushing exploits have been trumpeted nationally, Williams’ fast start has been almost ignored. Williams admitted that he has a little extra boost of motivation.
“I’m not going to sit here and lie and say I don’t think about that,” Williams said. “He’s a vocal kind of guy. He likes to say he’s the best running back in the SEC. I’m not too vocal like that. I like to let my game talk. I’m just excited for the competition. But I’m not going to make it an individual battle. It’s about Kentucky versus Texas A&M.”
Williams is obviously a focal point of the A&M offense. However, the passing game could pivotal.
Opponents have struggled to throw against Kentucky, but the Wildcats’ haven’t faced a quarterback that’s a serious passing threat. Florida’s Feleipe Franks and Mississippi State’s Nick Fitzgerald are average passers at best. South Carolina’s Jake Bentley has been inconsistent throughout his career.
Though Texas A&M sophomore Kellen Mond struggled in last week’s win over Arkansas, he’s thrown well overall and is a greater dual threat than any quarterback Kentucky has faced.
“We’ve got to clean up some small details,” Mond said. “But I’m looking forward to a new opportunity this week.”
It’s an opportunity for A&M to notch a win rare win over a Top 15 team at Kyle Field. Maybe that would raise eyebrows.
