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Texas A&M Football: Ranking Aggies’ 2018 opponents by difficulty

By Connor Muldowney

COLLEGE STATION, TX - NOVEMBER 04: Trayveon Williams #5 of the Texas A&M Aggies rushes past Jeremiah Dinson #20 of the Auburn Tigers in the first quarter at Kyle Field on November 4, 2017 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
COLLEGE STATION, TX - NOVEMBER 04: Trayveon Williams #5 of the Texas A&M Aggies rushes past Jeremiah Dinson #20 of the Auburn Tigers in the first quarter at Kyle Field on November 4, 2017 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /
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STATESBORO, GA – SEPTEMBER 17: Wide receiver Xavier Brown #17 of the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks is congratulated by tightend Alec Osborne #89 after scoring a touchdown against of the Georgia Southern Eagles in the first quarter on September 17, 2016 at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Bennett/Getty Images)
STATESBORO, GA – SEPTEMBER 17: Wide receiver Xavier Brown #17 of the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks is congratulated by tightend Alec Osborne #89 after scoring a touchdown against of the Georgia Southern Eagles in the first quarter on September 17, 2016 at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Bennett/Getty Images) /

A slightly better matchup than Northwestern State, UL-Monroe finished the 2017 season with a 4-8 record, losing six of its last seven games.

What makes this game interesting despite it being almost a sure-win for the Aggies is the fact that the Warhawks return some of their most productive players from a season ago. That includes starting quarterback Caleb Evans who passed for 2,878 yards and 17 touchdowns, also rushing for 573 yards and 13 touchdowns. Slowing that type of production won’t be simple.

The Warhawks also return starting running back Derrick Gore, but his yards per carry average was just 3.6 in 2017. The run game did rank No. 58 in the country thanks to the dual-threat quarterback. They had one of the top quarterbacks in the Group of Five, ranking No. 21 in the nation and No. 2 in the Sun Belt.

Defensively, Louisiana-Monroe was mediocre, at best. It ranked closer to the bottom of the national rankings in terms of passing yards, rushing yards, total yards and scoring defense. 

Texas A&M should have no problem scoring on the Warhawks in Week 3.