2011 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas: Texas A&M Should End Season with Win

The 2011 Meineke Car Car Bowl of Texas will feature two teams that despite barely being bowl eligible at 6-6 have a lot of talent and a lot to prove.

Northwestern is always quiet when it comes to national exposure.  Most of us around the country don’t see the Wildcats play unless they are taking on a ranked Big Ten opponent. 

But don’t be fooled.  Northwestern is no pushover team.  The Wildcats may not be a top-25 team and may not even be competing for Big Ten titles, but they are a solid football team.

The Wildcats started the season with a big win over Boston College and then an easy win over Eastern Illinois, but then dropped five games in a row as they entered the meat of their Big Ten schedule, playing three ranked opponents in four weeks.

Despite the five-game skid, the Wildcats bounced back to upset Nebraska and prove that they are better than their record indicates. 

Quarterback Dan Persa has led the Wildcats with 17 touchdowns and only seven interceptions, but they also run the ball well. 

The Wildcats have one of the most balanced offenses, ranking 35th in passing yards and 36th in rushing yards.

Texas A&M came into the season with very high hopes.  The Aggies were in preseason discussions as BCS contenders but those hopes quickly faded with a second-half meltdown that cost them a game on national television against Arkansas.

The Aggies never recovered and had several other second-half meltdowns that led them to a disappointing 6-6 record.

A&M has a potent offense ranking 18th in passing yards, 21st in rushing yards and 11th overall in points scored.

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill has two of the nation’s best wide receivers in Ryan Swopes and Jeff Fuller and a 1,000-yard rusher in Cyrus Gray.

The Aggies should be able to put up a ton of points against Northwestern, who gives up an average of 27 points per game.  If the Aggie defense can show up for four quarters, they should have no problem ending their season with a win over the Wildcats. 

Factor in the virtual home game in Houston’s Reliant Stadium, and my money is on A&M.