Following a 44-14 victory over South Carolina and a bye week, No. 13 Texas A&M will host No. 12 Auburn. Here are five players to look for in the upcoming SEC West showdown:
Zach Calzada – A&M
After facing some turbulence early in the season, the redshirt sophomore quarterback has found his mojo.
Calzada came into his own during the Aggies’ three-game win streak, passing for seven touchdowns and three interceptions over the past three contests. While he has thrown a pick in each of his five starts, and only completed north of 60 percent of his passes twice, he has vastly improved in managing the offense and limiting mistakes.
In Monday’s press conference, junior tight end Jalen Wydermyer said Calzada still has areas to improve upon as a passer, but has made tremendous strides since first seeing action against Colorado on Sept. 11.
“[Calzada] has definitely improved on his accuracy,” Wydermyer said. “I would like to see him improve with his touch passes, but he has grown so much. He has become more comfortable in the pocket throwing the ball.”
Bo Nix – Auburn
In his third year as a starter, junior quarterback Bo Nix has continued to be one of the most interesting players in college football. After getting benched during a 34-24 win over Georgia State in September, the junior quarterback has improved his play over the last four weekends, leading the Tigers to wins over LSU, No. 17 Arkansas and No. 10 Ole Miss.
First year head coach Bryan Harsin has taken advantage of Nix’s ability to scramble and extend plays, which has led his new style of play to be compared to former A&M Heisman winner Johnny Manziel. The experienced passer has accounted for nine passing touchdowns and four rushing touchdowns this season.
On Monday, A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said Harsin’s coaching should be credited for some of Nix’s improvements in play.
“Bryan [Harsin] has done a great job with that team,” Fisher said. “[Nix] is a great competitor; he can beat you with his legs and his arm. He’s competitive as heck, tough as heck and he’s making smart decisions with the football.”
DeMarvin Leal – A&M
Leal, a junior defensive lineman, has been a commanding force for the A&M defensive front, being named a finalist for the Bednarik Award on Monday, Nov. 1.
He has tallied 35 tackles and 5 ½ sacks during 2021 and will be back in action after not suiting up against South Carolina. In his most recent performance on the road against Missouri on Oct. 16, he accounted for six tackles and a sack.
In Auburn’s weekly press conference, Harsin said the Tigers need to prepare for A&M’s defense, mentioning Leal’s status as one of the best defensive players in college football.
“Defensively, they’re really good,” Harsin said. “These guys are second in the SEC in scoring defense, and they’ve done very well with sacks. Leal is a guy that stands out there. This guy was a first-team preseason All-American.”
Tank Bigsby – Auburn
Bigsby is coming off his biggest Saturday of the season, rushing for 140 yards and a touchdown in the Tigers’ 31-20 victory over Ole Miss. The sophomore running back has carried Auburn’s rushing attack, compiling 666 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Last season, Bigsby rushed for 834 yards and five scores and received high praise for his play, being named SEC freshman of the year.
While Bigsby has been a staple of the Tigers’ offense, the Georgia native has struggled on the road, averaging just 3.9 yards per carry as opposed to 6.3 yards per carry at home.
Devon Achane – A&M
While junior Isaiah Spiller takes the lead in total carries this season, sophomore running back Achane has acted as an explosive presence in the backfield, averaging 7.1 yards per carry and finding the endzone seven times this season. His campaign has only improved with time, averaging a team-leading 7.5 yards per carry during the month of October.
Sharing the backfield with Spiller and junior Ainias Smith, Achane has found ways to produce on special teams. He made a key play against No. 1 Alabama, returning a kickoff for 96 yards and a score to give the Aggies momentum in their upset victory.