Both Texas A&M and LSU are not having the seasons they were hoping for, falling in the highly-competitive SEC West. Both teams have been mathematically removed from both the SEC title race and the College Football Playoffs despite entering the year ranked with high expectations. Both teams have four losses, but are looking for one more win in the regular season as the Tigers and Aggies begin a new tradition as rivals.
Quarterback drama will highlight the Thanksgiving matchup for LSU and Texas A&M. The Tigers are coming off a loss to Arkansas where their offense was shutout. Anthony Jennings struggled heavily going 12 of 22 for just 87 yards total. The Tigers will stick with Jennings regardless and not put in freshman Brandon Harris. LSU will try once again to rely on the run game which struggled against Arkansas' defense. Leonard Fournette failed to look like the No. 1 recruit he one was. He rushed for just nine yards against the Razorbacks. He has had a strong season, but a late-season slump, but he still has the chance to surpass the 1,000-yard mark.
The Tigers will ride high on their defense. The unit's secondary ranks No. 2 in the nation in pass efficiency with a 97.6 rating. They will face off against the Texas A&M offense which ranks No. 1 in the SEC and 10th in the nation in pass efficiency, putting up 321.2 yards per game. Much of that is due to freshman quarterback Kyle Allen who has done well in his limited amount of playing time. Allen is coming off a solid game against the Missouri Tigers despite the loss. He threw for 237 yards and three touchdowns. His breakout game came against the Auburn Tigers when he threw four touchdowns against the SEC West team, handing them their first loss.
LSU and Texas A&M are fighting for bowl games. Both teams are bowl eligible, but could earn a better matchup with a win. The Aggies have the offensive momentum, but LSU is hoping their defense can step up to the challenge.
