Under The Hood: Kansas at Texas A&M

The Kansas Jayhawks are a consensus Top 10 team, ranked #3 on my own BlogPoll ballot, and #9 in the BCS Standings. Skeptics have pointed to a tremendously weak schedule, which is fair. I've preferred to note how thoroughly Kansas has dispatched of those weak teams. There aren't many teams who can say that, and if Texas or Oklahoma were the name behind this resume, it would be ranked in the top one or two in the country.

Kansas faces another tough road test this weekend as they travel to College Station to take on the powerful running game at Texas A&M. This is your preview.

Schedule To Date

Statistical Composite

Kansas By The Numbers: Offense

Rush YPG	Rush YPC	Rush TD	Pass YPG	Pass YPA	Pass TD	QB Rating	Total Offense	Scoring Offense
213.3 (16)	5.22 (11)	17 (17)	276.4 (25)	8.1 (14)	19 (13)	151.4 (14)	489.7 (10)	45.9 (3)

Texas A&M By The Numbers: Offense

Rush YPG	Rush YPC	Rush TD	Pass YPG	Pass YPA	Pass TD	QB Rating	Total Offense	Scoring Offense
260.1 (5)	5.34 (8)	25 (2)	154.8 (111)	6.0 (101)	7 (97)	112.7 (96)	414.9 (41)	32.1 (38)

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Kansas By The Numbers: Defense

Rush YPG	Rush YPC	Rush TD	Pass YPG	Pass YPA	Pass TD	QB Rate	Total Defense	Scoring Defense
78.0 (7)	2.69 (11)	2 (3)	178.1 (10)	4.6 (2)	6 (6)	91.8 (4)	256.1 (5)	10.1 (2)

Texas A&M By The Numbers: Defense

Rush YPG	Rush YPC	Rush TD	Pass YPG	Pass YPA	Pass TD	QB Rate	Total Defense	Scoring Defense
134.8 (42)	3.84 (52)	11 (57)	265.6 (100)	7.7 (94)	12 (63)	135.5 (90)	400.4 (73)	22.8 (42)

The final step is to put those numbers into context. The following chart shows the national rank in offensive and defensive yards per play for each of Kansas and Texas A&M' 2007 opponents. (Note that Non-Division 1 opponents SE Louisiana for Kansas and Montana State for A&M have been omitted.)Kansas-Texas A&M Opponents' Unit Rankings

Offense Yards/Play Rank	Kansas Opponent	Defense Yards/Play Rank	--	Offense Yards/Play Rank	Texas A&M Opponent	Defense Yards/Play Rank
41	C. Michigan	106	--	36	Fresno St	52
64	Toledo	111	--	75	UL-Monroe	95
118	Florida INTL	112	--	58	@Miami	33
29	@Kansas State	33	--	92	Baylor	64
92	Baylore	64	--	11	Oklahoma State	81
58	@Colorado	47	--	2	@Texas Tech	33
--	--	--	--	36	@Nebraska	87
67.0	Average	78.8	--	42.8	Average	63.6

Analysis

*First thing that jumps out? Kansas has absolutely sh-t kicked any subpar opponent it's faced. Second thought? That's not to be dismissed - not any year, really, but especially not this year. Not when Stanford's beating USC, Appy State's beating Michigan, and Arkansas State gives the Longhorns a compmetitive game in Austin. No, butt kickings of bad teams should be noted with approval.

*It does beg the question, though: How'd Kansas do statistically against the two solid teams it's played? Offensively, the Jayhawks picked up 5.9 and 5.4 yards per play against Kansas State and Colorado respectively - plenty respectable. Defensively, they held K-State to 5.2 yards per play; Colorado to 4.5. Not quite the dominance that their overall numbers portend, but well above average. They're getting it done against the patsies and legitimate opponents alike.

*Texas A&M is a damn good rushing team. Texas A&M is good at absolutely nothing else. How effective will they be against Kansas? The Jayhawks have faced three teams (Toledo, Central Michigan and Kansas State) who rank among the top third nationally in yards per attempt. Kansas contained all three reasonably well. Perhaps most importantly, the Aggies have absolutely no balance on offense, while KU has terrific cornerbacks it can comfortably leave in isolation in pass coverage. Hello eight in the box. Christ, why not nine? Dare ya to beat us with your arm, Stephen.

*It's tempting to give A&M a boost because the game's being played in College Station, but two cautions here: first, remember that Vegas only gives the home team about a three point boost to begin with. Second, Kansas' two real tests of the season have been road tilts, which they've handled. I'd be more concerned as a Jayhawk fan if the two tough games had been home victories.

*This just doesn't look like a good matchup for the Aggies, does it? Kansas isn't a team which can be pushed around on the ground, they have the far more balanced offense, and they've proven they can win on the road - both in a border rivalry and the altitude of Boulder.

PICK:  Kansas 30  Texas A&M 23

--PB--