Texas A&M vs. Northwestern: 7 Best Matchups of the 2011 Texas Bowl

Texas A&M will play Northwestern on December 31 at 12 p.m. ET at Reliant Stadium in the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas.

Both teams enter the game at 6-6 and are looking to finish the year with a winning record.

The game is basically a home game for A&M since they are playing in Houston in front of tens of thousands of their fans.

The Ags have the chance to get their first bowl win since the 2001 season when they won the Galleryfurniture.com bowl also in Houston.

This is a look at the key matchups that will determine the outcome of the game.

Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill vs. Northwestern Secondary

Ryan Tannehill has completed 61 percent of his passes for over 3,400 yards and 28 touchdowns.

The Northwestern pass defense is allowing opponents to complete over 59 percent of their passes and 14.1 yards per completion.

After a month layoff the Aggie wide receiver corps should be healthy and should give Tannehill plenty of open targets downfield.

The Northwestern secondary has intercepted 11 passes on the year and will look to pick off Tannehill who has thrown 14 interceptions in 2011.

Edge: Texas A&M

Northwestern WR Jeremy Ebert vs. Texas A&M Secondary

Northwestern senior wide receiver Jeremy Ebert put together an All-Conference season with 71 receptions for 1,025 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The Aggie secondary has improved as the year has gone on but has struggled to stop good passing teams. Northwestern is a good passing team and Ebert is the best wide receiver that Northwestern has.

Aggie corner Coryell Judie is still not completely 100 percent even after the month long layoff.

The bottom line is that the Aggie secondary has made a lot of average receivers look like world beaters this year.

Edge: Northwestern.

A&M OL vs. Northwestern DL

Texas A&M averaged 209 yards rushing per game and 5.2 yards per carry.

The Northwestern defense allowed 185 yards rushing per game and 4.6 yards per carry.

The Aggies will be playing without starting LG Brian Thomas who was suspended for the bowl game for violating team rules. Thomas will be replaced by redshirt freshman Jarvis Harrison who started two games at guard earlier in the season when Cedric Ogbuehi was injured.

Even with the loss of Thomas the Aggies should be able to run the ball against a Wildcat defense that has been pushed around all year.

Edge: Texas A&M

Texas A&M RB Cyrus Gray vs. Northwestern MLB Damien Proby

Aggie senior RB Cyrus Gray rushed for 1.045 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2011. He missed the last game of the season with a stress fracture of his shoulder.

Gray appears to be healthy and has participated in all of the bowl practices although he has been held out of contact.

Northwestern MLB Damien Proby has 53 tackles on the season with 2.5 going for loss.

When he is healthy Gray is one of the best running backs in the nation. Expect Gray's speed to give the Wildcat defense fits.

Edge: Texas A&M

Northwestern QB Dan Persa vs. Texas A&M DC Tim DeRuyter

Northwestern's senior QB Dan Persa has completed 74 percent of his passes for 2.163 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2011.

Tim DeRuyter coaches a defense that has struggled to consistently stop the pass all year. DeRuyter excels at confusing quarterbacks and bringing pressure from all over the field.

Too often this season it has been the A&M defense that has appeared confused.

Persa is a fifth year senior playing in the last game of his career. He should be ready for whatever DeRuyter throws at him.

Edge: Northwestern

Texas A&M OLBs vs. Northwestern OTs

Aggie outside linebackers Sean Porter and Damontre Moore have combined for 31 tackles for loss and 16 sacks on the season.

Northwestern has allowed 70 tackles for loss and 34 sacks on the season.

Northwestern will have to find a way to block Porter and Moore to allow Persa time to throw.

The Wildcats have not seen two linebackers like Moore and Porter this season. It will be a tremendous challenge for them to block them.

Edge: Texas A&M

Aggie WR Ryan Swope vs. Northwestern S Ibraheim Campbell

Ryan Swope leads the Aggies with 81 receptions for 1,102 yards and 11 TDs.

Ibraheim Campbell is a redshirt freshman safety who leads Northwestern with 89 tackles and has snagged two interceptions.

Campbell will likely line up across from Swope in the slot.

Swope is one of the best wide receivers in the country. The Aggies should be able exploit the mismatch of Swope against any defender they line up across from him.

Edge: Texas A&M