Auburn coach Bryan Harsin reveals what jumps out to him about Texas A&M

Auburn is currently 6-2 on the season, has won back-to-back games and four of its last five and is ranked No. 13 in the first College Football Playoff ranking of the year, but that doesn’t mean the Tigers are going into Saturday’s game against Texas A&M overlooking the Aggies. Instead, head coach Bryan Harsin knows how good his team’s opponent is and had plenty of praise to give to them heading into the matchup.

The Aggies, who are also 6-2 on the year and just behind Auburn at No. 14 in the CFP ranking, have a well-balanced team that puts up nearly 30 points and 400 yards per game while allowing just 16 points and 329 yards to their opponents.

On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Zach Calzada has thrown for 1,364 yards and 12 touchdowns with seven interceptions, while the running back duo of Isaiah Spiller (761 yards and five touchdowns) and Devon Achane (608 yards and five touchdowns) have combined for 1,369 yards and 10 total scores.

“I think offensively they’re very good at scheming,” Harsin said. “Coach [Jimbo] Fisher does a great job of putting together a game plan, so you have to be ready for whatever it is they’re trying to attack you on that particular week. And they’re talented. The quarterback can throw it – he’s a very good thrower. Their two tailbacks are explosive, their tight end, their receiver – [Ainias] Smith – are all very good players. They win their 1-on-1 matchups quite often, so you have to be prepared for that and how to slow them down.”

Defensively, the Aggies have seven different guys with 30 tackles or more – led by Aaron Hansford and Antonio Johnson, who have 55 each to go along with 11 total tackles-for-loss. Tyree Johnson leads A&M in the sacks category with six, and Leon O’Neal Jr. has picked off a pair of passes this season.

“Defensively, their defensive line is very good,” Harsin said. “I think they’re physical, I think they’re very talented, they play hard. They’re statistically very good defensively – and they have been. This isn’t the first time they’ve been really good on the defensive side. They play hard, they’re sound and the guys up front do their job.”

Bryan Harsin on Texas A&M: The team ‘has been built’

Auburn coach Bryan Harsin had plenty of good to say about Texas A&M’s squad, highlighted by him noting that Aggies’ coach Jimbo Fisher has built them up to where they are now.

“What I see is a team that looks like it has been built to where they are right now,” Harsin said. “They recruited well, got good players, they understand what they’re doing with their schemes … and that’s what a good football team looks like. This is a good football team all the way around, and I respect that.”

No. 13 Auburn and No. 14 Texas A&M kickoff at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Kyle Field. CBS is carrying the broadcast.