Canes-Aggies Preview

Let me be open and honest about something before I get into this preview......I like Denis Franchione a great deal and love the type of football coach he is. Texas A&M has rediscovered the power running game they lost during the later stages of the R.C. Slocum era in College Station and now is as strong a team as the Big XII boasts.

The running game A&M will bring to the Orange Bowl is impressive to say the least. Stephen McGee is among the most complete quarterbacks in the nation. He showed his quality two seasons ago when as a Freshman he filled admirably for the injured Reggie McNeal and A&M didn't miss a beat. McGee ran for over 500 yards last season and threw for over 2,000 becoming one of the few players in the history of the BCS Subdivision (what from here on out we will refer to as Division 1 A ) to achieve this amazing feat.

Mike Goodson, and Jorvorskie Lane form a one two punch at tailback that Miami would dream of having. The Aggies can run right at teams, especially those with weak defensive lines which Miami has proved to have thus far in 2007.

Kerry Franks is the leading WR for the Aggies but Franchione as was the case at TCU and Alabama loves to get his Tight End involved in the passing game. Martel Bennent is a good TE and will be a handful for the Miami linebackers and Safeties, still smarting from the annihilation in Norman to cope with.

Defensively, A&M's front seven are outstanding. Miami will be fortunate to have as much success running the football against the Aggies as they did against Oklahoma. Can the Aggies completely shut down Graig Cooper and Javarris James. I'd count on it.

Where Texas A&M is extremely vulnerable is in the pass defense. I watched A&M's game with Fresno State a few days later on tape and was shocked at how poor their pass coverage was in almost every situation. This gives Kyle Wright an opportunity to have a big game if he can get some game breaking performances out of his Wide Receivers. The Aggies leave their corners on an island often and simply put their cover corners can not handle that sort of responsibility. The A&M game plan will likely to blitz Kyle Wright knowing the trouble Wright has had through the years handling the blitz. Now if A&M does this, short screen passes to Graig Cooper or Shawnberry McNeal maybe the best recipie for success.

I don't think Miami has the strength up front on Defense to stop Texas A&M's running game. That's what this game will come down to, and even if Kyle Wright gives a nice effort Miami likely won't have enough to make those of us heading to the Orange Bowl for possibly the last time in prime time go home happy.

PREDICTION: TEXAS A&M 27 MIAMI 20