Penn State-Texas A&M: Alamo Bowl Preview

Correspondent Written on December 26, 2007

The Penn State Nittany Lions and the Texas A&M Aggies both hoped for better than they got in 2007.

The Lions (8-4) looked like a BCS-bound team in some games, but there were others in which they didn't look like they belonged in a bowl at all. The same goes for the Aggies (7-5).

San Antonio's Alamodome

The 2007 Valero Alamo Bowl will be a rematch of the 1999 Alamo Bowl, in which Penn State beat A&M by the score of 24-0.

Both teams will be going at each other all night in San Antonio's Alamodome, because they both want to end their mediocre seasons on the right foot.

Keys to the Game

Texas A&M has a solid ground game with two big, explosive backs.

Jorvorskie Lane and Mike Goodsen both have over 130 carries and 715 yards on the ground. They will split carries in the Alamo Bowl, but expect Lane to do the scoring—he has 16 TDs this season, compared to Goodsen's two.

To stop the Aggies' ground attack, senior PSU MLB Dan Connor and Co. will have to do what they did all season: punish running backs going through their holes. If the Lions shut the run down the way they did all year, the Aggies will have to look to the passing game and senior QB Steve McGee.

McGee had a very good season, with 2,147 passing yards and 12 TDs. He also led the team in rushing with 986 yards and five TDs.

The Lions will be able to stop McGee on the ground, but the weak secondary has to step up and play better than they have.

Another key to the game is PSU's Senior QB Anthony Morelli. He had a roller coaster season, and will be looking to finish his rocky career with a bowl win to ease the pain.

Morelli had the best game of his career in last season's Outback Bowl. Hopefully that carries over to this year's Alamo Bowl.

It should be a tight game early, but look for Penn State to pull away in the second half if they cover my keys.

Prediction: Penn State 28, Texas A&M 13

I'll be in attendance in San Antonio’s Alamodome, and will deliver a postgame wrap-up with pictures when I return.

Enjoy the game, football fans.

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written on December 26, 2007 Sports