Texas A&M’s game against LSU marks the teams’ 11th meeting in as many years. With this rendition of the rivalry being the last game of both teams’ 2021 seasons, plenty of important postseason stakes are on the line, including the Tigers’ bowl eligibility.
Here are some important players to watch during the matchup on Saturday, Nov. 27:
Isaiah Spiller, No. 28 — A&M
Spiller, a junior running back for the Aggies, is on the brink of joining an exclusive club at A&M. If he runs for at least 16 yards on Saturday, he will become the sixth player in program history to have multiple 1,000-yard seasons, joining the likes of Darren Lewis and Trayveon Williams. Spiller, a powerful runner with three strong seasons at A&M, is eligible to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft and will likely be selected within the first couple of rounds. With draft-eligible players foregoing their team’s bowl games more and more often these days in order to avoid the risk of injury, this may be the last time the 12th Man sees Spiller, among other Aggies, don the maroon and white.
Ed Ingram, No. 70 — LSU
A starter in his freshman season, Ingram is now a graduate student and a staple for the interior of the Tigers’ offensive line for years. The offensive guard was suspended in his sophomore season, but has only missed two games since then. Currently draft-eligible, Ingram will be looking to put some good tape up for scouts against an A&M defensive line known for getting after quarterbacks.
DeMarvin Leal, No. 8 — A&M
Leal, a junior defensive lineman, is another Aggie who is draft-eligible. Leal has shown a proficiency at rushing the passer and stopping the run, no matter where he’s lined up along the line of scrimmage. The potential first-rounder has earned career-highs in both total tackles, 52, and sacks, 7.5, this season. Like Spiller, the LSU game could be the last time Leal is seen in an A&M uniform.
Damone Clark, No. 18 — LSU
Clark is a home-grown senior linebacker from Baton Rouge, La. In his fourth season with the program, Clark isn’t just leading the SEC in total tackles, but he leads the entire Football Bowl Subdivision, or FBS, in total tackles, with 126. Clark will be looking to get his eighth double-digit tackle game this year against the Aggies.
Kenyon Green, No. 55 — A&M
After an award-winning sophomore season, the junior offensive lineman has been a constant on an otherwise fluid A&M offensive line. Another potential early-round pick, Green has played at four different positions along the offensive line this season. Despite being a guard in his first two seasons with the Aggies, Green was supposed to start at tackle in 2021 before his versatility was used to plug up holes along an oft-injured unit. The Swiss Army Knife will be an interesting chess piece at the next level.
Austin Deculus, No. 76 — LSU
Deculus, a graduate tackle for the Tigers, is set to make program history against the Aggies. The lineman from Cypress will play in his 60th game, becoming the first LSU football player ever to do so. Considered a leader and mentor, Deculus will be concluding his fifth year with the Tigers as the most-tenured player in the teams’ history.
Leon O’Neal, Jr., No. 9 — A&M
After entertaining the transfer portal, O’Neal came back to A&M for his senior season and has seen his production spike as a result. The safety for the Aggies has a career-high 53 total tackles and five pass deflections this season, even scoring his first collegiate defensive touchdown. O’Neal has been waking up the scouts and could be a potential late-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.