Arizona State vs. Texas A&M Preview and Prediction

The Aggies will be ready to celebrate in Houston. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M may be entering the 2015 season unranked, but don’t let that fool you. The Aggies return elite talent on both sides of the ball.

Quarterback Kyle Allen enters his second season as a starter and looks to build off of a 1,322-yard, 16 touchdown campaign — and he has the crop of receivers to do just that.

Wide receiver Josh Reynolds leads the position after posting 842 yards and 13 scores in his debut season with the Aggies. Behind Reynolds are two relatively unproven receivers, Speedy Noil and Christian Kirk, who are poised to have breakout seasons, collectively.

We all know Texas A&M can score points at will. With experience both under center and on the edge, offensive productivity may even see a boost from last year.

But the defense is what yields the most concern.

A&M’s defense was porous last season — specifically against the run. The Aggies allowed 216 yards per game on the ground and ranked in the lower echelon of the conference — and the country — in that category.

Hoping to remedy the defensive woes, head coach Kevin Sumlin brought in former LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis — who has a proven track record in composing stout defenses.

Chavis is optimistic about the talent he’s inherited. With a pass-rushing weapon like Myles Garrett heading the group, you have to believe Chavis will be able to transform this defense from mundane to magical. The question is: How long will it take?

With threats like Bercovici and Foster on the opposite sideline, a speedy solution may be necessary if the Aggies are to start their season 1-0.

Next: The Verdict