THE TAILGATE: A Graphical Preview of Texas A&M at Mizzou

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Josh Lambo

K: Josh hasn't made the Cast this year, but his emergence has been one of our more stabilizing factors after the up-and-down kicking game lately. Since nailing the game-winner in Oxford, he has not missed a field goal since (much less an extra point). He doesn't attempt many field goals, but still: we're optimists here. Sometimes.

Johnny Manziel

QB: Possible "lasts": SEC game, road game, ESPN prime time game, regular season game, crazy alternate uniform game, et. al. Possible outcomes: literally anything. He's the ultimate wildcard playing with quite a bit on the line despite the team's standing, so anything is fathomable.

Steven Jenkins

LB: The only guy on the front seven who has started against Missouri in two different conferences, we'll need Jenkins to be on point with Franklin back at QB. Eat your Wheaties and listen to some good Holiday jams or whatever it is you need to do, Steven.

James Franklin

QB: The senior leader at QB has been dinged up for a few weeks, but came back to engineer an impressive two-TD road win in Oxford. It's his last home game, so yeah…he's probably pumped up for being just a regular student.

Henry Josey

RB: Another guy who seems like he's been there forev---WAIT HE'S JUST A JUNIOR?! After redshirting in 2012 with a knee injury, the 2011 Doak Walker Semifinalist has rebounded nicely and is pushing for another thousand-yard season. GULP.

Michael Sam

DL: What. A. Year. At double digits on the year in both TFLs and sacks, this gentleman could be one of the biggest individual tests our offensive line has come up against all year. Also his last home game at Mizzou. Wonderful.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Neutral Site

After playing their last home game against A&M at Kyle Field, Missouri has for some reason elected to play this year’s matchup on a neutral site in a little known place called Columbia. A hasty search indicates that although it was once known for being the center of cocaine trafficking in the world, Columbia is in the midst of an economic and cultural renaissance, with booming oil and tourism industries. It is still a pretty dangerous place for Google employees, though.

Offensive Playcalling

Pronounce it whichever way you like. After calling a disastrous outing against LSU in Baton Rouge in which the Aggies used their running backs for just 6 carries, OC Clarence McKinney is feeling the heat and muddling his way through the tough questions. He now has one last opportunity to establish a rhythm in our offense that has been missing for several weeks now. Will Muschamp has some suggestions on blocking schemes if you’re interested, Coach.

The Decision: 2013

There seems to be some confusion on the timing, but it is clear that Manziel’s decision on whether or not to declare for the NFL draft will be subject to the same scrutiny as his fake tattoos, parking tickets, and Twitter account. If Johnny wants to reach the pinnacle of media over-exposure and take on the King for his crown of asshattery, he’ll need to outdo him. Look for Mr. Football to finish the Mizzou game, don a GoPro camera, and ride a bound, gagged, and confused Mark Emmert all the way to New York. Once there he will patiently await the NFL draft, which will start just 48 hours later because Johnny Football.

ELSEWHERE IN THE SEC

BEST. WEEK. EVER.

Prepare yourself for a wild ride as both divisions of the SEC get decided in the final week. For the first time in its storied history, the Iron Bowl will be a top 10 matchup, with #1 Alabama heading to Auburn to take on the #4 Tigers. Nick Saban spent last week testing the sharpness of the blades in his football reaper by dispassionately eviscerating Chattanooga. Meanwhile Auburn is riding the momentum of a season that has surpassed all expectations and in no way has involved luck and shenanigans.

On the other side of the league, Columbia will be under a microscope as Mizzou controls its own destiny heading into their meeting with the Ags. Cock fans will be pulling hard for the Aggies, as a loss for the Tigers will have them all tied up with South Carolina and Spurrier’s boys have the head to head victory. While there is technically nothing wrong with that sentence, it’s still not something I would feel comfortable repeating in front of my grandma.

Come on Ags, let’s continue the tradition of ruining things for Missouri.

LET'S HAVE A STATGASM

Turkey stats provided by LiveScience.

WHAT TO WEAR

More than seventy percent of you loved the Aggies’ grey (preferred UK spelling) uniforms before last weekend’s loss to LSU. You may think you don’t love the color grey anymore, but that’s silly superstition. Here is a list of other grey things you love to get you back on board with this grey holiday: clouds, wolves, owls, rocks, dolphins, seals, concrete.

Admit it, grey uniforms are the coolest thing we’ve worn this season. We still have the Mizzou game, but yeahhhh… about that. We’re going to wear grey again and we’re going to maybe win wearing it, so get in on the ground floor. You can order a grey jersey in men’s or women’s from Aggieland Outfitters. Now enjoy this clip of Jennifer Grey.

Text GOODBULL to 99000 on 11/27 for a chance to win a Grey Aftershock Replica Jersey from AO.