Cornflakes: A&M aims to end No. 5 LSU's CFP chances on Saturday

On Saturday night, Kyle Field will be the site of a 6 p.m. clash of two Southeastern Conference football teams with vastly different goals.

No. 5 LSU’s goal is to be No. 1 in the nation.


Texas A&M’s goal is… urination?

Aggie wide receiver Jalen Preston can explain. Last week, he said the Aggies’ aim is to ruin LSU’s College Football Playoff hopes as well as the Tigers’ Saturday morning breakfast.

“With LSU coming up, hopefully, we can piss in their cornflakes,” Preston said. “That’s what we want to do.”

Alas, as Texas A&M (4-7, 1-6) has so often learned, “wanting” and “doing” are also vastly different.

The Aggies never expected the frustrating season they’ve endured.

One of the primary reasons for the frustration is a porous run defense that has struggled mightily with mobile quarterbacks.

Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson rushed for 105 yards against the Aggies. Alabama’s Jalen Milroe rushed for 81. Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart had 95, and Florida’s Anthony Richardson had 78 and two touchdowns.

LSU (9-2, 6-1) boasts an even greater threat in junior Jayden Daniels, who leads all quarterbacks in the nation with 740 rushing yards.

“They do have quarterback runs where they plan and pull reads and read the end and have a lead blocker for him,” A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. "But he also gets a lot of (rushing yardage) in the passing game because their wideouts are very good. You can’t single-cover and push guys back. He scrambles.

“We’ve got to have edges set. And the pass rush being disciplined so you don’t rush upfield past the passer.”

The Aggies — who are ranked 123rd in the nation in run defense — obviously have had trouble accomplishing those tasks.

Adding to A&M’s problems is its difficulty of finding the end zone. The Aggies have been limited to 24 points or less in nine of 11 games.

Meanwhile, LSU’s defense — spearheaded by defensive end B.J. Ojulari and freshman phenom linebacker Harold Perkins — has limited eight opponents to 24 points or less.

The Aggies' offense is expected to get a boost with the return of running back Devon Achane and receiver Evan Stewart from injury.

Jamie Maury, TexAgs

Achane is expected to return to the lineup on Saturday night. Last year, he ran for 49 yards on 12 carries at LSU.

Achane, who missed the previous two games, has rushed for 887 yards. Stewart, who sat out last week’s 20-3 victory over Massachusetts, leads A&M in receiving with 49 catches for 607 yards and two touchdowns.

But LSU has a solid run defense and a pass rush that has produced 25 sacks and is credited with 42 quarterback pressures.

“We have to have balance,” Fisher said. “They’re very physical inside. Their backers are big and physical. They can cover in the secondary. They have great rush ends. You can’t get one-dimensional.”

Upsets happen every week. So, if the Aggies can protect quarterback Conner Weigman, maintain a balanced attack and contain Daniels, maybe they can ruin LSU’s playoff hopes.

And their breakfast, too.