Fisher excited to face Hubbard and Cowboys' Offense
COLLEGE STATION - Texas A&M finally has a date set for their bowl game. After much speculation, the Aggies (7-5 4-4 SEC) will travel the 90 miles east to NRG Stadium to play in the Texas Bowl against Oklahoma State.
Some believed the team could be facing off against a 7-5 Texas roster following both school's lackluster seasons. Instead, the A&M defensive line will finish the season off with a test like no other.
For a team that has already been through the wringer, might as well add another test to their schedule. This time, it comes in the form of the nation's leading rusher, Chuba Hubbard.
"They're a great football team and had a great year," A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. "Hubbard, he can run the football, but they're playing great defense and mix it around."
Hubbard, a native of Alberta, Canada, broke onto the College Football scene in 2019. The redshirt sophomore consistently dismantled opposing defenses, rushing 100-plus yards in 11 of 12 contests. Hubbard finished with a nation-high 1,936 yards and 21 touchdowns, second-most in all FBS.
The Cowboys (8-4, 5-4 Big 12), relied predominately on their rushing attack under the direction of Mike Gundy. The team finished second in the conference with 2,835 yards and 26 touchdowns on the ground. Now, they'll look to close out their season against a former rival in A&M.
The Aggies run defense was their strength in conference play. Mike Elko's defensive front allowed an average of 3.80 yards per run and 129 yards per game, fifth in the SEC. That would be the lowest under the direction of Fisher in two seasons at College Station.
Some have criticized the Aggies season overall. What was expected to be a year of growth ends with the team playing just in their large backyard to close out the decade. Fisher, however, still expects his players to be eager to suit up near in their home state.
In his mind, Fisher is confident his players still have something to play for.
"I think our guys will definitely want to play because it's the last game, it finishes up this season and sends our seniors out the right way," Fisher said. "They were excited to play last year, I think they'll be very excited to play. I'll be shocked if they won't and we better be because it's going to be a heck of a challenge and we need to play very well."
The Aggies and Cowboys will kick off on Friday, December 27, at 5:45 p.m. in Houston. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.
