Missouri @ Texas A&M preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 29, 2011 ) Missouri 38, Texas A&M 31

Quarterback Johnny Manziel gets a final chance to bolster his case to become the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy when No. 10 Texas A&M hosts Missouri for the third year in a row Saturday night. It's highly likely that it's the Aggies' regular-season finale, but they could still reach the SEC championship game in the ultra-slim scenario in which they beat the Tigers while Alabama and LSU lose to Auburn and Arkansas, respectively. That aside, the game puts a wrap on the first season in the SEC for the two Big 12 defectors, who wound up in opposite directions. Both were among “others receiving votes” outside a preseason Top 25 that included six other SEC squads. While Manziel has sparked the Aggies' emergence, including their upset of then top-ranked Alabama, the Tigers have struggled to just two conference victories – over Kentucky and Tennessee, both winless in SEC play.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: Texas A&M -22

ABOUT MISSOURI (5-6, 2-5 SEC): Junior QB James Franklin (1,562 yards, 10 TDs, 7 INTs) will be a game-time decision after sustaining a concussion during last week's 31-27 home loss to Syracuse. Backup Corbin Berkstresser guided the Tigers to 10 fourth-quarter points in place of Franklin, and could be called upon to make his fourth start of the season. It was the defense that failed Missouri and hurt its bowl chances, however, as the Tigers gave up 21 fourth-quarter points including a score after they had grabbed a 27-24 lead with under two minutes to go. Senior LB Zaviar Gooden did his part to try and stop the Orange, making a a career-best 15 tackles. Senior WR T.J. Moe needs six catches to move into fourth place in school history. Senior TB Kendial Lawrence has five 100-yard games this season and 2,145 career receiving yards, good for 10th at Missouri.

ABOUT TEXAS A&M (9-2, 5-2 SEC): Manziel threw for 267 yards and rushed for 100 last week against Sam Houston State to surpass 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards, becoming the first freshman to do so and just the fifth in FBS history. He's also helped make a winner of another first-year Aggie, head coach Kevin Sumlin. On Monday, Manziel was named one of three finalists for both the Maxwell Award as the nation's top all-around player as well as the Davey O'Brien Award as the top quarterback. Aiding Manziel and the Aggies' powerful offense is junior OT Luke Joeckel, who was named a finalist for the Outland Trophy (top interior lineman). Behind a line led by Joeckel, the Aggies lead the SEC in scoring, rushing and total offense, and their 43.5 scoring average ranks sixth in the nation. Senior WR Uzoma Nwachukwu had a career game with 160 yards on just four catches, including an 89-yard score, in the 47-28 rout over Sam Houston.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Texas A&M leads the series 7-5, but Missouri has captured three straight – including a 38-31 comeback OT victory last season in College Station – and five of the past six.

2. Manziel, who has 4,161 total yards, needs 167 to break Cam Newton's SEC record set in 2010.

3. The Tigers have forced a turnover in 29 straight games. The last time they came up empty was Oct. 30, 2010, against Nebraska.

PREDICTION: Texas A&M 55, Missouri 27