Texas A&M @ West Virginia preview

AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL STORYLINES

1. Texas A&M will take on one of the teams that took its place in the Big 12 when the Aggies meet West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn. The Mountaineers have more in common with Texas A&M than just their former/current conference affiliations, as the coaching staffs of both teams know each other well. West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen worked for Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin at Houston, and Texas A&M offensive coordinator Jake Spavital worked under Holgorsen at Oklahoma State and West Virginia.

2. Both teams run a high-scoring offensive attack and average more than 33 points. A lot of those points come from the passing game as West Virginia (314.6) and Texas A&M (306.4) rank in the top 12 nationally in average passing yards despite the Aggies breaking in two new quarterbacks this season. Kenny Hill got the first chance to replace Johnny Manziel and was off to a hot start but lost his job during a three-game losing streak that included a 59-0 loss to Alabama, and freshman Kyle Allen started the final four contests.

3. The Aggies and the Mountaineers each come into the postseason battle tested after playing two of the toughest schedules. Texas A&M knocked off a pair of top 10 teams on the road while West Virginia may be the reason the Big 12 was left out of the playoff because of its victory over Baylor. “We faced a very challenging schedule this season with five top 12 teams, and playing a tough opponent like Texas A&M in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl will be yet another challenge this year,” Holgorsen told reporters. “We had a good season and getting to play in a bowl game is a great way to reward the players, especially our seniors.”

TV: 2 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: West Virginia -3.5

ABOUT TEXAS A&M (7-5, 3-5 SEC): The Aggies are not quite as explosive with Allen under center, and the Arizona native had a tough time in the 23-17 loss to LSU that closed the regular season while throwing for 144 yards and a late interception as the team was driving. The freshman could not get the upperclassmen a win in that Senior Day contest but could still help send them out as the first class in Texas A&M history to post four straight bowl wins. “It can be a legacy,” Sumlin told reporters. “There’s a lot for us to play for.”

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (7-5, 5-4 Big 12): The Mountaineers have a chance to build some momentum going into the offseason after snapping a three-game slide in the regular season finale with a 37-24 win at Iowa State. West Virginia got a glimpse of the future in that win when sophomore Skyler Howard took over for senior Clint Trickett (concussion) at quarterback and went 21-of-40 for 285 yards and three touchdowns while adding 69 yards on the ground. All-Big 12 wide receiver Kevin White, who set a record with seven straight 100-yard receiving games to start the season, cooled off with an average of 59.6 yards in the final five contests.

PREDICTION: Texas A&M 35, West Virginia 30