OFFENSE: A-
What went right: Quarterback Jerrod Johnson was almost flawless in handling Texas A&M's offense. He was 23-of-28 passing for 234 yards and three TDs. He was just as lethal running, scoring on a fourth-down run and rushing for 10 yards on a fourth-and-6 that led to a 21-0 lead. He also picked up first downs on three other third-down runs. A&M's offensive line paved the way for a balanced attack -- 267 yards rushing and 234 passing.
What went wrong: A fumble by receiver Uzoma Nwachukwu cost A&M a touchdown.
Bottom line: The Aggies would've scored on 5 of 5 trips inside the red zone if they hadn't knelt down on their last three offensive plays to kill the clock. That's dominating the line of scrimmage -- and doing it with class.
DEFENSE: A
What went right: Hard-hitting stops and a pair of interceptions by A&M made sure this was a blowout. Linebacker Kyle Mangan stopped powerful running back Alexander Robinson for a yard loss on fourth down at the A&M 22 early in the second quarter. To start the third quarter, ISU took over at the A&M 24 after recovering a fumble, but senior cornerback Justin McQueen came up with an interception. The Cyclones had their longest play of the game -- a 45-yard pass -- after recovering a second Aggie fumble, but A&M held and ISU missed a field goal.
What went wrong: A&M didn't force a three-and-out until ISU's eighth possession. The Cyclones ran at least seven plays on each of their first six possessions and on their seventh needed only five plays to cover 57 yards.
Bottom line: It wasn't always great play after great play -- ISU was 5 of 7 converting third downs in the first half and had 188 yards -- but the Aggies made a bushel of stops when it mattered most.
SPECIAL TEAMS: F
What went right: A&M blocked a 47-yard field goal attempt because Von Miller was offsides. That might have caused ISU's Grant Mahoney to then miss from 42 yards on the next play -- at least that's what the unit would like to believe.
What went wrong: The fumble by Lionel Smith on the kickoff return to start the second half could have put ISU back in the game. A&M also allowed kickoff returns of 27 and 39 yards by Josh Lenz.
Bottom line: A&M never punted.
COACHING: A-
What went right: A&M's up-tempo offense set the tone early, never allowing Iowa State to get in the flow of the game. A&M appears to have found five offensive linemen to complement its skilled players -- the Aggies were caught behind the line only once in 45 rushes. A&M kept rotating defensive linemen, keeping big bodies fresh to slow down ISU's power running game. A&M is starting to develop playmakers on both sides of the football.
What went wrong: A&M keeps fine-tuning its special teams, but hiccups like Smith's fumble are reason for concern.
Bottom line: A fumble by fullback Jamie McCoy started the 62-14 fiasco at Kansas State, but head coach Mike Sherman thought it was somewhat of a fluke. He went back to McCoy today, and the part-time ball carrier had three carries for 52 yards. Even backup tight end Kenny Brown had a 5-yard rush at fullback as Sherman continues to tinker with his skill position players.
OVERALL: A
What went right: A&M suffered no letdown coming off the huge victory at Texas Tech. The Aggies had three penalties for 25 yards, which tied a season low in both categories. Besides Miller's offsides, there was a touchdown celebration penalty against wide receiver Howard Morrow and another offsides penalty. That's it, and that's the mark of a well-focused team.
What went wrong: That makes eight straight solid quarters of A&M football not on television. Many of the maroon-and-white faithful have missed the transformation.
Bottom line: A season that seemed lost two weeks ago at Kansas State is solidly on the upswing.
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