By The Numbers: Texas A&M 20, Auburn 3

Here’s a statistical look, by the numbers, at the Aggies’ 20-3 win over the Tigers Saturday at Kyle Field...

0 - Sacks allowed in the game by A&M on offense. The Aggies gave up 12 sacks through the first 5 games this season but Zach Calzada has been sacked just 1 time TOTAL in the last 4 games.

0 - Plays allowed over 20 yards on defense in the game. The longest play from scrimmage for Auburn was a 15-yard pass from Bo Nix to tight end Luke Deal early in the 3rd quarter. A&M ranks #5 nationally in plays allowed over 20 yards (27), #4 in plays allowed over 30 yards (8) and #4 in plays allowed over 40 yards (3).

#1 - A&M’s national ranking in kick return average. The Aggies, despite one return vs. Auburn of just 10 yards, average 38.0 yards per kick return this season. That leads the country by 5.36 yards per return. A&M also leads the nation in punt returns of 30+ yards (3). Individually, Devon Achane ranks #2 nationally in kick return average (38.0) and is #9 in returns over 30 yards (4). Meanwhile, Ainias Smith ranks #7 in punt return average (12.5). He’s also #5 in returns over 20 yards (3) and #1 in returns over 30 yards (3).

#2 - A&M’s national ranking in Scoring Defense. The Aggies are allowing an average of just 14.7 points per game this season ... down from 16.1 PPG allowed prior to giving up just 3 points against Auburn on Saturday. That’s quite a big jump up from 21.7 PPG allowed in 2020 (#28), 22.5 PPG allowed in ’19 (#36) and 25.3 PPG allowed in ’18 (#47) ... all under the defensive direction of Mike Elko. Georgia (6.6 PPG allowed) is the only team in college football that is allowing fewer points per game than A&M.

#2 - A&M’s national ranking in pass plays allowed over 30 yards. The Aggies have not allowed a pass of 30-plus yards in either of their last 2 games. On the season, A&M has given up just 5 passes of 30 or more yards. Washington (3) is the only team in college football that has allowed fewer plays plays of 30-plus yards.

3 - Consecutive games that the Isaiah Spiller / Devon Achane duo has combined to rush for 200-plus yards. In the win over Auburn, Spiller rushed for 112 yards on 21 carries and Achane added 98 yards on 10 carries.

#3 - A&M’s national ranking in runs over 40 yards. The Aggies had one run over 40 yards vs. Auburn ... a 68-yarder from Devon Achane that ended in a fumble. That gives A&M 7 runs of 40-plus yards in 2021. Missouri (9) and Syracuse (8) are the only teams in college football with more. Conversely, the Aggies are ranked #111 nationally with just 3 passes over 40 yards this season ... tied with Auburn for last among SEC teams. Individually, Achane is #2 nationally in runs over 60 yards (2).

4 - Plays over 20 yards against Auburn. That included explosive runs of 23 yards (Isaiah Spiller) and 68 yards (Devon Achane) and Zach Calzada passes of 25 yards (Jalen Wydermyer) and 49 yards (Caleb Chapman).

5 - Teams over the last 14 years that have beaten both Alabama and Auburn in the same season. That list includes the Aggies in 2012 and 2021, Ole Miss in 2015 and LSU in 2011 and 2019.

6 - Consecutive game streak snapped for DE Micheal Clemons with at least 1 tackle-for-loss. The sixth-year senior did not manage a TFL against the Tigers but did recover a fumble for a touchdown to help put the game away in the 4th quarter.

7 - Sacks for defensive end Tyree Johnson during this four-game winning streak. The fifth-year senior edge rusher had 2 sacks against ‘Bama and 1 sack at Mizzou, 2 more sacks against SC and then added 2 more against Auburn. Johnson now has 8 sacks this season (#9 nationally).

#7 - A&M’s national ranking in yards per play allowed. The Aggies are averaging 4.59 yards per play allowed. Georgia (3.78 YPP allowed) is the only SEC team ranked higher than A&M in this category.

#7 - A&M’s national ranking in opponent red zone TD %. The Aggies did not allow a touchdown on the day, which included a pair of Auburn red zone trips. The Aggies have only allowed 10 TDs in 24 defensive red zone opportunities (41.7%).

9 - Takeaways on defense during this four-game winning streak. The Aggies forced 2 turnovers vs. Alabama, 2 turnovers at Missouri and 3 turnovers in the South Carolina game, then added 2 more in Saturday’s win over the Tigers ... a 4th quarter fumble recovery for a touchdown by Micheal Clemons and a Jaylon Jones interception in the closing minutes.

#13 - A&M’s national ranking in sacks. The Aggies sacked Auburn’s Bo Nix 4 times in the win. The Tigers had been sacked just 9 times heading into Saturday’s affair. The A&M D has 28 sacks through 9 games this season (3.1 PG).

10 - Interceptions this season for A&M’s defense, which ranks #23 nationally. The Aggies got 1 INT on Saturday ... a late-game pick from Jaylon Jones. A&M had 10 interceptions all last season, 10 INTs in 2019 and 7 INTs in ’18.

20.0 - “Havoc Rate” for the A&M defense in the game. Havoc Rate is an advanced metric from longtime stat man Bill Connelly 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, 2 forced fumbles, 5 pass breakups and 6 TFL (4 sacks / 2 run TFL) vs. Auburn. That’s 14 “Havoc points” divided by 70 defensive snaps for a game rating of 20.0, meaning that the Aggies created havoc on exactly 20.0% of the Tigers’ offensive snaps. For the season, A&M’s Havoc Rate is 17.3 (108 havoc points in 623 defensive snaps). 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.

25% - Third down conversion percentage for the Auburn offense. The Aggie defense held the Tigers to just 4-of-16 on third down and ranks #21 nationally in opponent’s third down conversion percentage (33.1 %).

68 - Field goals for Seth Small in his career. He passed Randy Bullock on Saturday atop the A&M career record for made field goals.

73 - Rushing yards allowed by the A&M defense against Auburn’s explosive stable of ball carriers. War Eagle entered the game ranked #36 nationally in rushing (197.4 YPG).

#118 - A&M’s national ranking in red zone TD %. The Aggies were 0-of-3 in this category on Saturday and are 15-of-31 (48.39%) in red zone TD % on the season. Vanderbilt (47.83%) is the only SEC team ranked lower in this category.

1957 - The last time A&M allowed 3 points or fewer in a game against an AP top 15 team. That was a 3-0 loss to #13 Tennessee in the Gator Bowl in Paul “Bear” Bryant’s last game as A&M’s head coach ... 64 years ago. Outside of Saturday’s win over Auburn and the loss to Tennessee in ’57, the only other time in the AP Poll era (1936-2021) that the Aggies held a top 15-ranked opponent to three points or fewer came during the 1939 national championship season ... a 6-2 win over #13 SMU.

2010 - The last time A&M held a top 25 team without a touchdown (9-6 win over No. 9 Nebraska at Kyle Field). That was also the last time the Aggies won a game without scoring an offensive TD.

109,835 - Announced attendance at Kyle Field. That’s #2 all-time in Aggieland.

A&M in national stat rankings

Offense
• Total O = #68 (397.6 YPG)
• Scoring O = #65 (28.6 PPG)
• Rushing O = #38 (191.3 YPG)
• Passing O = #94 (206.2 YPG)
• Yards Per Play = #53 (6.05 YPP)
• First Downs = #60 (21.2 PG)
• 3rd Down Conversions = #79 (38.98%)
• Red Zone TD% = #118 (48.39% - 15-of-31)
• Explosiveness = #78 (40 plays over 20 yards)
    - #83 with 17 plays over 30 yards
    - #49 with 10 plays over 40 yards
    - #45 with 5 plays over 50 yards
    - #26 with 4 plays over 60 yards
    - #53 with 1 play over 70 yards
• Explosive Run Plays = #32 (16 plays over 20 yards)
    - #8 with 9 plays over 30 yards
    - #3 with 7 plays over 40 yards
    - #22 with 3 plays over 50 yards
    - #4 with 3 plays over 60 yards
• Explosive Pass Plays = #93 (24 plays over 20 yards)
    - #107 with 8 plays over 30 yards
    - #111 with 3 plays over 40 yards
    - #73 with 2 plays over 50 yards
    - #62 with 1 play over 60 yards
    - #32 with 1 play over 70 yards
• Sacks Allowed Per Game = #27 (1.44 PG ... 13 total)
• Tackles For Loss Allowed Per Game = #63 (5.56 PG ... 50 total)

Defense
• Total D = #17 (317.8 YPG)
• Scoring D = #2 (14.7 PPG)
• Rushing D = #28 (123.11 YPG)
• Passing D = #25 (194.7 YPG)
• Yards Per Play Allowed = #7 (4.59 YPP)
• First Downs Allowed = #34 (18.4 PG)
• Opponent 3rd Down Conversions = #21 (33.1%)
• Opponent Red Zone TD% = #7 (41.7% - 10-of-24)
• Explosiveness Against = #5 (27 plays allowed over 20 yards)
    - #4 with 8 plays allowed over 30 yards
    - #4 with 3 plays allowed over 40 yards
    - #4 with 1 play allowed over 50 yards
    - #16 with 1 play allowed over 60 yards
    - #39 with 1 play allowed over 70 yards
    - #91 with 1 play allowed over 80 yards
• Explosive Run Plays Against = #22 (8 plays allowed over 20 yards)
    - #27 with 3 plays allowed over 30 yards
    - #1 with 0 plays allowed over 40 yards
• Explosive Pass Plays Against = #8 (19 plays allowed over 20 yards)
    - #2 with 5 plays allowed over 30 yards
    - #10 with 3 plays allowed over 40 yards
    - #15 with 1 play allowed over 50 yards
    - #34 with 1 play allowed over 60 yards
    - #62 with 1 play allowed over 70 yards
    - #107 with 1 play allowed over 80 yards
• Sacks Per Game = #13 (3.1 PG ... 28 total)
• Tackles For Loss Per Game = #37 (6.8 PG ... 61 total)
• Interceptions = #23 (10)
• Fumble Recoveries = #94 (3)

Team
• Time of Possession = #45 (30:27)
• Turnover Margin = #65 (0)
• Penalties = #85 with 6.8 penalties per game
    - #84 with 58.7 penalty yards per game

Special Teams
• Field Goal % = #55 (75% - 18-of-24)
• Punting = #19 (46.2 Avg.)
• Kick Returns = #1 (38.0 Avg.)
• Explosive Kick Returns = #21 (4 returns over 30 yards)
• Opponent Kick Returns Average = #101 (22.9 yards per return)
• Explosive Kick Returns Allowed = #44 (2 returns allowed over 30 yards)
• Punt Returns = #29 (11.9 yards per return)
• Explosive Punt Returns = #14 (3 returns over 20 yards)
    - #1 with 3 returns over 30 yards
• Opponent Punt Returns Average = #58 (7.1 yards per return)
• Explosive Punt Returns Allowed = #84 (2 returns allowed over 20 yards)

Individual
• QB Zach Calzada = #76 in passing yards (1,556); #61 in passing TDs (12); #73 in QBR (56.3)
    - #80 in passes over 20 yards (21); #97 in passes over 30 yards (7)

• RB Isaiah Spiller = #22 in rushing yards (873); #53 in yards per carry (6.06); #25 in yards from scrimmage (1,055)
    - #10 in runs over 10 yards (29); #33 in runs over 20 yards (7); #24 in runs over 30 yards (4); #6 in runs over 40 yards (4); #45 in runs over 50 yards (1)
    - #23 in runs over 60 yards (1)

• RB Devon Achane = #51 in rushing yards (706); #11 in yards per carry (7.35 Avg.); #54 in yards from scrimmage (895)
    - #52 in runs over 10 yards (20); #23 in runs over 20 yards (8); #11 in runs over 30 yards (5); #13 in runs over 40 yards (3); #12 in runs over 50 yards (2)
    - #2 in runs over 60 yards (1); #2 in kick return average (38.0); #9 in kick returns over 30 yards (4)

• RB/WR Ainias Smith = #34 in receiving TDs (6)
    - #7 in punt return average (12.5 Avg.); #5 in punt returns over 20 yards (3); #1 in punt returns over 30 yards (3)

• WR Demond Demas = #78 in catches over 50 yards (1); #30 in catches over 60 yards (1); #13 in catches over 70 yards (1)

• WR Caleb Chapman = #56 in catches over 50 yards (1)

• TE Jalen Wydermyer = #99 in receiving TDs (4)

• DL DeMarvin Leal = #51 in sacks (5.5); #85 in tackles-for-loss (8.5)

• DL Tyree Johnson = #9 in sacks (8)

• CB Tyreek Chappell = #22 in passes defended (9); #20 in pass breakups (8)

• S/N Antonio Johnson = #84 in tackles (55)

• S Leon O’Neal = #59 in interceptions (2); #69 in passes defended (7)

• PK Seth Small = #46 in field goal % (78.3% - 18-of-23)

• P Nik Constantinou = #8 in punting average (47.5 Avg.)