Texas A&M won’t have to travel far to take on Kansas State in the Texas Bowl, which will be played at NRG Stadium in Houston, just down the road from College Station. However, we’ll see how motivated the Aggies are to play in this game after being in contention for much more prestigious bowls late in the year.
Texas A&M vs. Kansas State, Texas Bowl 2016: Time, live stream, TV schedule, and 3 things to know
An old time Big 12 matchup awaits.
Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports
November was not kind to the Aggies. They climbed all the way to No. 4 in the country, and then lost three of their final four games to plummet in the polls. The team fell apart without quarterback Trevor Knight, but he should be back in the lineup after recovering from a shoulder injury.
The formula for Kansas State was the same as usual this year. The Wildcats ran the ball and played good defense. They can do pretty much everything well but nothing really great. Quarterback Jesse Ertz threw only eight touchdown passes on the season, but he rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns as well. They’re going to run right at Texas A&M and their middle-of-the-road rushing defense. How that matchup goes will go a long way in determining the game.
How to watch, stream, and listen
TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
Radio: Texas A&M | Kansas State
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Spread: Texas A&M is favored by 2.5 points.
Make friends: You can chat with fans of these teams during the game at Good Bull Hunting for Texas A&M fans, and Bring On The Cats for Kansas State fans.
Three big things to know
- Texas A&M, at one point, was in the top four of the Playoff rankings. Then it dropped three of its last four games, including losses to Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Those whispers about Kevin Sumlin’s job security from the beginning of the season started to creep back into the background a little bit, and while no one will confuse this game with the Cotton Bowl or Sugar Bowl, a big win here would be nice to go into the offseason with for A&M.
- All four of Kansas State’s losses came to ranked teams, and two were by a single possession. You may not have heard much about the Wildcats this year, but they finished 38th in the S&P+ rankings and managed to win eight games. They’re 19 spots lower in the S&P+ rankings than the Aggies, but this team is not a pushover.
- Texas A&M has the reputation as the offensive-minded team in this matchup, but it’s only averaging three more points per game than Kansas State. The Aggies should have quarterback Trevor Knight back for this game after he missed two games in November with a shoulder injury. The offense is much more dynamic with Knight in the game, so if something happens and he can’t go, it will be a big loss.
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