Texas A&M junior linebacker Brian Gamble was five years old the last time the Baylor Bears defeated the Aggies.
The two teams will battle for the 97th time in school history this Saturday and Gamble, whose parents participated in the athletic program at Baylor, wants to increase the Baylor losing streak.
“I love the Baylor game,” Gamble said. “It is kind of a fun game for me, because my whole family went to Baylor.”
Last season, Gamble lead the Aggie defense into Waco, where A&M shutout the Bears 24-0. The Alto, Texas, native tallied 14 tackles and two interceptions to help shut down Baylor.
“Without a doubt, Baylor is a better team than they were last year,” said A&M head coach R.C. Slocum. “They are playing hard, sound defense. They are an improved football team.”
Gamble and the Aggies are coming off a 24-3 victory over the Notre Dame Irish last weekend at Kyle Field. The Bears, however, come into the game on the heels of a 41-0 thrashing at the hands of the Iowa State Cyclones.
A&M, sitting with a 4-0 overall record and a 1-0 conference mark, will play its first week in the Associated Press poll at No. 24 and will wrap up a three-game homestand against the Bears, who are 2-1 overall and 0-1 in Big 12 play.
Against the Cyclones, the Bears were shut down, mustering only 190 yards, including just 13 on the ground. On the other side of the ball, the Cyclone offense rolled, passing for 330 yards and gaining 179 yards rushing to pound the Bears.
True freshman running back Derek Farmer will lead the Aggie ground game against the Bears. Farmer earned the starting spot with a dominating rushing performance against the Irish, racking up 100 yards on 20 carries on his first career start.
“I thought he (Farmer) responed beautifully,” Slocum said. “He is a tough, hard runner. I am really impressed with him, and I think he is going to be a good back.”
The Bears are lead by junior quarterback Greg Cicero, who had passed for 453 yards and three touchdowns so far this season. Senior fullback Melvin Barnett leads the Bear ground attack, with 179 yards on the season.
Junior quarterback Mark Farris comes into the game with 842 yards passing on the season. Farris found a new role against the Irish, catching a 22 yard touchdown pass from sophomore runningback Oshclor Flemming in the first half of the Aggies’ victory.
Last season, Farris posted a then career-high 311 yards passing against the Bears. Farris broke the mark this season against Wyoming, with a 341 mark against the Cowboys.
Kickoff against the Bears is at 1 p.m.