Texas A&M @ Iowa State preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 31, 2009 ) Iowa State 10, Texas A&M 35

THE STORY: After blowing huge second-half leads in back-to-back losses to Oklahoma State and Arkansas, No. 18 Texas A&M appears to be getting back on track. The Aggies have won two straight against Texas Tech and Baylor, and their 55-28 victory over the Bears last week was arguably their best performance in 2011. Iowa State went 3-0 in the non-conference season, but it’s been nothing but bad news for the Cyclones since Big 12 Conference play began. They are 0-3, and none of the losses have been close, including last week’s 52-17 meltdown at Missouri. Iowa State is 1-9 all-time against Texas A&M, with the only win coming in 2005 at College Station.

TV: ABC, ESPN3.com. LINE: Texas A&M -20

ABOUT TEXAS A&M (4-2, 2-1 Big 12): The Aggies’ offense had a game to remember against Baylor. Ryan Swope had 206 yards and a school-record four receiving touchdowns, Ryan Tannehill had a career-high six touchdown passes, and wide receiver Jeff Fuller became the school’s all-time leader in receiving yards. Fuller holds all the major receiving records at Texas A&M - catches (195), yards (2,615) and touchdowns (30). The Aggies are still having quite a bit of trouble slowing teams down, particularly through the air, where they rank dead last in all of FBS, giving up 361 yards per game.

ABOUT IOWA STATE (3-3, 0-3): The Cyclones have lost their first three Big 12 games against Texas, Baylor and Missouri by a combined 138-57. The problem on defense seems to be up front, where Iowa State has allowed the past two opponents to each total more than 290 yards on the ground. That has caused the Cyclones’ rush defense ranking to plummet all the way down to 110th nationally at 218 yards per game. One of the lone bright spots has been the play of junior college transfer quarterback Steele Jantz, who is averaging 250 total yards of offense and has totaled 12 touchdowns.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Iowa State has nine plays of at least 40 yards this season after posting only four such plays in all of 2010.

2. Texas A&M’s rush defense is fifth in the country, but its pass defense is 120th - the largest disparity of any team in the nation.

3. The last time these two teams met in Ames, they combined for 84 points, 61 first downs and 1,083 total yards in a 49-35 Texas A&M victory.

PREDICTION: Texas A&M 49, Iowa State 20 - The Aggies’ offense has found its rhythm and Jantz won’t be able to produce enough big plays in the passing game to keep the Cyclones close.