By The Numbers: Texas A&M 34, New Mexico 0

Here’s a statistical look, by the numbers, at the 5th-ranked Aggies’ 34-0 shutout of New Mexico Saturday at Kyle Field...

0 - Pass plays allowed over 20 yards this season. A&M is the only team in FBS that has yet to allow a single pass play of 20+ yards. Every other team in college football has allowed at least 2 passes over 20 yards so far. The Aggies are one of only 11 teams that hasn’t allowed a touchdown pass so far in 2021.

.879 - Jimbo Fisher’s winning percentage at Texas A&M against teams not ranked #1 or #2 nationally. He’s 29-4 in those games and 27-2 (.931) against teams ranked outside the top 8 at the time the Aggies played them.

1 - Plays over 15 yards allowed by the A&M defense. It was a 16-yard run up the middle by Aaron Dumas in the 1st quarter. A&M allowed just 2 runs over 10 yards in the game and no “explosive” passes over 15 yards.

#1 - A&M’s national ranking in pass defense. The Ags have given up an average of 77.3 passing yards per game so far in 2021. There is a wide gap of 33.7 yards per game between A&M and Baylor, which sits at #2 nationally in pass D (111 YPG). Conversely, Mike Elko’s defense, which ranked #2 nationally behind Georgia in run defense last year, sits at #86 thus far in ’21 with an average of 162 rushing yards allowed per game thus far.

#1 - A&M’s national ranking in scoring defense. The Aggies have allowed just 17 points total and an average of 5.7 points per game through 3 games this season, slightly leading Clemson (7.0 PPG) and Georgia (7.7 PPG). This is the second fewest points allowed by A&M to open a season in the last 24 years.

#1 - A&M’s national ranking in fewest explosive plays allowed. The Aggies have given up just 3 plays over 20 yards (all runs). Only one other team in college football (Kentucky with 4) has given up fewer than 5 20-plus-yard plays.

2 - Catches for talented wideout Demond Demas. The first reception of Demas’ career went for a 70-yard TD ... A&M’s first pass play over 70 yards in the Jimbo Fisher era. Demas followed that up with a 30-yard catch later in the game. He finished with 2 catches for 100 yards and a TD.

2.1 - Yards per play allowed against New Mexico. The Lobos gained just 122 total yards on 59 plays ... the fewest yards A&M has given up in a game since holding TCU to 118 yards in the GalleryFurniture.com Bowl in 2001. For the season, the Aggies rank 3rd nationally in yards per play allowed (3.64 YPP). That slightly trails Iowa State (3.40 YPP) and Syracuse (3.61 YPP).

3 - Sacks allowed on offense against the Lobos, running the season total for sacks allowed to 6. A&M’s offensive line gave up just 7 sacks total in 2020.

6 - Quarters in a row that UNM and former Kentucky quarterback Terry Wilson spent on his own end of the 50-yardline. In an overtime loss to the Aggies in 2018 with UK, Wilson did not run a single play in regulation in A&M territory (the Lynn Bowden 54-yard jet sweep for a TD was on a play that started at the UK 46). On Saturday, Wilson did not reach A&M’s end of the 50 until a Zach Calzada interception gave UNM the ball at their own 49 and Wilson completed an 11-yard pass on third down shortly following the advantageous field position. The Lobos crossed midfield on just two series in the game.

9 - Offensive plays over 15 yards for the Aggies in the game. A&M had explosive runs of 16 (Isaiah Spiller), 18 (Devon Achane) and 46 (Spiller) yards. Zach Calzada’s 6 passes over 15 yards went for 16 (Chase Lane), 18 (Lane), 21 (Jalen Wydermyer), 26 (Achane - TD), 30 (Demond Demas) and 70 (Demas - TD).

11 - Wins in a row for the Aggies, which is tied with Oklahoma for the second longest active winning streak in FBS. A&M’s last loss was at ‘Bama in week 2 last year. That’s the longest winning streak in Aggieland since the 1992 team won 12 in a row before falling to Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl.

#23 - A&M’s ranking on offense in third down efficiency. The Aggies were 6-of-14 (42.9%) on third down against UNM and have converted on 48.9% of their third down attempts through 3 games.

25.4 - “Havoc Rate” for the A&M defense in the game. Havoc Rate is an advanced metric from renowned stat man Bill Connelly (now with ESPN) that is determined by calculating the total number of tackles-for-loss, passes defended (including INTs) and forced fumbles divided by the total number of plays. The Aggies had 1 interception, 0 forced fumbles, 3 pass breakups and 11 TFL (4 sacks / 7 run TFL) vs. New Mexico. That’s 15 “Havoc points” divided by 59 defensive snaps for a game rating of 25.4, meaning that the Aggies created havoc on exactly 25.4% of the Lobos’ offensive snaps. For the season, A&M’s Havoc Rate is 21.8 (43 havoc points in 197 defensive snaps) ... higher than any season to date under Mike Elko. Last season, the Ags had a Havoc Rate of 19.1 and it was 18.6 in ’19. A&M ranked 5th in the nation in 2018 with a Havoc Rate of 20.4.

35.3% - A&M’s third down conversion percentage on defense. The Ags held the Lobos to just 6-of-17 on third down, one week after allowing Colorado to go 4-of-14 on third down.

42 - Total yards allowed by the Aggies in the 2nd half, including 5 forced punts and an interception. Even more impressive is that 26 of the 42 second half yards given up came on the last drive of the game, when Mike Elko used nothing but freshmen and walk-ons in the closing minutes.

45.5 - Yards per punt average for A&M’s Nik Constantinou. The Australian native was much better than the yards per punt statistic would indicate, as each of his 4 punts were downed inside the 20-yardline. Two punts went 50-plus yards, with a long of 61. Constantinou ranks #13 nationally with an average of 47.83 yards per attempt.

#99 - A&M’s ranking red zone touchdown efficiency. The Aggies converted on just half (2-of-4) of their red zone trips against New Mexico, and for the season, A&M is just 50% (6-of-12) in scoring TDs after possessing the ball inside its opponent’s 20-yardline.

2016 - The year of A&M’s last shutout on defense up until this week. That came in a 67-0 win over Prairie View A&M 5 years ago. Prior to that, the Aggies blanked Vanderbilt on the road, 25-0, in November of ’15.
 

A&M in national stat rankings

Team
• Time of Possession = #23 (32:32)
• Turnover Margin = #111 (-3)
• Penalties = #64 with 6.3 penalties per game; #75 with 56.7 penalty yards per game

Offense
• Total O = #33 (445.7 YPG)
• Scoring O = #77 (28.3 PPG)
• Rushing O = #44 (185 YPG)
• Passing O = #45 (260.7 YPG)
• Yards Per Play = #45 (6.31 YPP)
• First Downs = #56 (21.7 PG)
• 3rd Down Conversions = #23 (48.94%)
• Red Zone TD% = #99 (50% - 6-of-12)
• Explosiveness = #72 (12 plays over 20 yards)
    - #58 with 6 plays over 30 yards
    - #34 with 4 plays over 40 yards
    - #17 with 3 plays over 50 yards
    - #17 with 2 play over 60 yards
    - #12 with 1 play over 70 yards
• Explosive Run Plays = #74 (3 plays over 20 yards)
    - #18 with 3 plays over 30 yards
    - #11 with 2 plays over 40 yards
    - #22 with 1 play over 50 yards
    - #10 with 1 play over 60 yards
• Explosive Pass Plays = #58 (10 plays over 20 yards)
    - #88 with 3 plays over 30 yards
    - #58 with 2 plays over 40 yards
    - #19 with 2 plays over 50 yards
    - #18 with 1 play over 60 yards
    - #7 with 1 play over 70 yards
• Sacks Allowed Per Game = #67 (2.0 PG ... 6 total)
• Tackles For Loss Allowed Per Game = #61 (5.33 PG ... 16 total)

Defense
• Total D = #9 (239.3 YPG)
• Scoring D = #1 (5.7 PPG)
• Rushing D = #86 (162 YPG)
• Passing D = #1 (77.3 YPG)
• Yards Per Play Allowed = #3 (3.64 YPP)
• First Downs Allowed = #9 (14.0 PG)
• Opponent 3rd Down Conversions = #52 (34.69%)
• Opponent Red Zone TD% = #11 (33.3% - 2-of-6)
• Explosiveness Against = #1 (3 plays allowed over 20 yards)
    - #4 with 2 plays allowed over 30 yards
    - #1 with 0 plays allowed over 40 yards
• Explosive Run Plays Against = #51 (3 plays allowed over 20 yards)
    - #78 with 2 plays allowed over 30 yards
    - #1 with 0 plays allowed over 40 yards
• Explosive Pass Plays Against = #1 (0 plays allowed over 20 yards)
• Sacks = #19 (3.3 PG ... 10 total)
• Tackles For Loss = #14 (8.3 PG ... 25 total)
• Interceptions = #21 (4)
• Fumble Recoveries = #109 (0)

Special Teams
• Field Goal % = #73 (71.4% - 5-of-7)
• Punting = #15 (47.83 Avg.)
• Kick Returns = #17 (29.5 Avg.)
• Explosive Kick Returns = #23 (1 return over 30 yards)
• Opponent Kick Returns Average = #103 (25.0 yards per return)
• Explosive Kick Returns Allowed = #73 (1 return allowed over 30 yards)
• Punt Returns = #58 (9.27 yards per return)
• Explosive Punt Returns = #10 (2 returns over 20 yards)
    - #3 with 2 returns over 30 yards
• Opponent Punt Returns Average = #82 (9.0 yards per return)
• Explosive Punt Returns Allowed = #1 (0 returns allowed over 20 yards)

Individual
• QB Zach Calzada = #85 in passing yards per game (160.7 YPG); #60 in passing TDs (4): #64 in QBR (58.3)
    - #31 in passes over 50 yards (1); #15 in passes over 60 yards (1); #5 in passes over 70 yards (1)

• RB Isaiah Spiller = #48 in rushing yards per game (83.3 YPG); #70 in yards per carry (6.25); #49 in yards from scrimmage (110 PG)
    - #31 in runs over 10 yards (8)

• RB Devon Achane = #86 in rushing yards per game (67.7 YPG); #51 in yards per carry (6.77 Avg.); #81 in rushing TDs (2); #89 in yards from scrimmage (90.7 PG)
    - #54 in runs over 20 yards (2); #11 in runs over 30 yards (2); #16 in runs over 40 yards (1); #9 in runs over 50 yards (1); #4 in runs over 60 yards (1)
    - #18 in kick returns over 30 yards (1)

• RB/WR Ainias Smith = #17 in receiving TDs (2); #27 in punt return average (9.93 Avg.); #4 in punt returns over 20 yards (2); #2 in punt returns over 30 yards (2)

• WR Demond Demas = #41 in catches over 30 yards (2); #55 in catches over 40 yards (1); #11 in catches over 50 yards (1)
    - #5 in catches over 60 yards (1); #3 in catches over 70 yards (1)

• WR Caleb Chapman = #55 in catches over 40 yards (1); #10 in catches over 50 yards (1); #11 in catches over 50 yards (1)

• DL DeMarvin Leal = #37 in sacks per game (0.83 PG ... 2.5 total); #7 in tackles-for-loss per game (1.17 PG ... 3.5 total)

• DL Jayden Peevy = #27 in passes defended (4 ... #1 nationally among DL)

• S Leon O’Neal = #8 in interceptions (2); #27 in passes defended (4)

• PK Seth Small = #36 in field goal % (83.3% - 5-of-6)

• P Nik Constantinou = #13 in punting average (47.83 Avg.)