No. 3 Texas football (10-1, 6-1 SEC) is set to face a No. 20 ranked Texas A&M Aggies (8-3, 5-2 SEC) team to decide who will advance to the SEC Championship Game against the No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs in Atlanta, GA, on Dec. 7.
Win over Texas A&M ensures path to CFP for No. 3 Texas football this postseason
Texas A&M has a really solid squad on both sides of the ball, which is why first-year head coach Mike Elko's group is in contention for an SEC title game berth this fall.
The stakes are incredibly high for maybe the most important Lone Star Showdown between the Longhorns and Aggies that we've seen in the past three or four decades. If Texas wins this game against Texas A&M this weekend in College Station, it pretty much ensures the Longhorns will have a single-digit seed for the College Football Playoff (at a bare minimum).
Texas A&M also still has a shot of making the 12-team Playoff, if it wins out, including beating Georgia hypothetically in the SEC Championship Game in December.
Here are three problematic Texas A&M players that the Longhorns must be prepared to face in the Lone Star Showdown at Kyle Field in College Station on Nov. 30.
Shemar Turner, DT
Texas A&M boasts an athletic and strong group along the defensive line, including a couple of disruptive edge rushers and overpowering defensive tackles. The defensive line is definitely the strength of the Aggies' defense.
Along the interior defensive line, senior defensive tackle Shemar Turner is the most talented and potentially the most disruptive force for the Aggies' defensive front. The reason why I say he's "potentially" the most disruptive interior defensive linemen for the Aggies is the fact that he's been so inconsistent this season.
After lining up mostly on the EDGE, Texas A&M star Shemar Turner (#5) has played mostly inside this season for the Aggies. Tremendous athlete for his size (6030v, 289v) with extreme twitch as a pass rusher.
— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) November 5, 2024
Turner is still an ascending player who continues to get better. pic.twitter.com/8C9KeHgdgJ
Turner has just as many games this season with multiple quarterback pressures and havoc plays (four) as he's had missed tackles and penalties. He's prone to letting his emotions get the best of him sometimes, causing costly mistakes for the Aggies' defense.
If Turner is focused and energized for this game, he has the ability to wreck shop against Texas's interior offensive line as an inside run stopper and disruptive interior pass rusher. Turner is the highest-graded run-stopping defensive tackle for the Aggies this season, registering a team-leading 15 run stops (per PFF).