Kritik und Lob » Martinez, who played colle

HOUSTON -- As the No. 9 Texas A&M Aggies take a break from the rigors of Southeastern Conference to host New Mexico State on Saturday, they are far more worried about improving than they are about their opponent.And thats not simply because theyre 48 1/2-point favorites.Our identity as a team this year is playing the next week, quarterback Trevor Knight said. Its about us and a nameless, faceless opponent. And thats no disrespect to who were playing, but we want to worry about us and play as best we can.The Aggies are looking to rebound after taking their first loss of the season last week in a 33-14 defeat at top-ranked Alabama . Linebacker Justin Evans said its easier to move on from that game since a single loss to the No. 1 team could still give them an outside chance at the College Football Playoff.We know with just one loss we can still do a lot, Evans said. We dont want to look too far ahead, but in the back of our mind we know that were still playing for something so its going to be there.Texas A&M returns to SEC play next week with a trip to Mississippi State before hosting Mississippi on Nov. 12.But first theyll meet New Mexico State for the first time. New Mexico State has had a tough time this season with just two wins and is coming off a 22-19 loss to Georgia Southern.New Mexico State coach Doug Martin knows things will be tough for his offense on Saturday in facing a defense led by Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall . New Mexico State is tied for 111th in the nation after allowing 21 sacks this season. Texas A&M has piled up 23 sacks, which ranks 12th in the country. Garrett leads the Aggies with four sacks and Hall and Jarrett Johnson have 3 1/2 each. Garrett and Hall have also combined for 18 quarterback hurries.The two defensive ends are first round draft picks so its going to be a real challenge for our offense to move the football, Martin said. But were a pretty good offensive football team so looking forward to that challenge.Some other things to know about the game:RUNNING WILDTexas A&M ranks third in the nation by averaging 251.4 yards rushing a game. The Aggies success has come from splitting carries between freshman Trayveon Williams and Keith Ford and with quite a bit of help from Knight. Williams leads the team with 727 yards rushing and Ford has added 304 yards rushing. Knight has 526 yards rushing and leads the team with nine rushing scores.Ford, who has missed time with an injury this season, impressed coach Kevin Sumlin by leading the team with 62 yards rushing against Alabama.At beginning of year I said wed need all the backs, Sumlin said. All provide change of pace for difference defenses. That was more of a Keith Ford-style of football game and I think you saw that. His experience in those situations showed. Way he runs showed. Physical, tough guy in that situation, a different back than Trayveon.TEAM STRENGTHNew Mexico State has seven different players who have at least 150 yards receiving this season, giving quarterback Tyler Rogers plenty of targets each week. The group is led by Gregory Hogan, who has 26 receptions for 335 yards and three touchdowns and Tyrian Taylor with 304 yards receiving.Our offensive kids have a lot of confidence, Martin said. We have a really good group of wide receivers that can really compete against anybody and it kind of gives us an edge.WE HAVE GOOD RECEIVERS, TOONew Mexico State isnt the only one with a solid group of receivers as the Aggies receivers might be the strength of A&Ms offense. Josh Reynolds has 515 yards receiving and five scores and Christian Kirk also has five touchdowns and has added 410 yards receiving. Ricky Seals-Jones missed two games with an injury before returning last week against Alabama and has 200 yards receiving.I still say thats the best receiving corps in the country, Knight said of A&Ms receivers. And theyve proven that time and time again, and its just getting the ball in their hands and being more consistent.PILING `EM UPNew Mexico State linebacker Rodney Butler leads the nation with 102 tackles. Butler had a season-high 24 tackles against New Mexico on Sept. 10 and has had at least 12 tackles in all but one game this year.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org Zack Short Jersey . Gather a group of friends, or find a league to join online, draft your team, set your lineup and compete in a number of different formats. David Bote Jersey . John Tavares, Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo were also being counted on to slow down sizzling Rangers forward Rick Nash. That plan didnt go so well early. http://www.customcubsjersey.com/custom-cole-hamels-jersey-large-1130n.html . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries. Robel Garcia Jersey . After Mondays hard-fought loss, the wait seemed longer than usual. Getting set to go their separate ways for a short Christmas break, the Raptors coach credited his team for their effort on a seemingly impossible three-game road trip, urging them to build on that success when they get back to work at the end of the week. Authentic Custom Cubs Jersey . Dallas hasnt ruled out the star quarterback for Sunday nights game against Philadelphia, but all signs point to Romos back injury pushing Kyle Orton into the starting role after two years of limited play as the backup. Surely Ortons name isnt the first that comes to mind for fans wanting a change after years of damaging interceptions, fumbles or, most infamously, the field goal flub when Romo dropped the snap on a kick that could have won his first playoff game in 2006. NEW YORK -- Trailing by four runs in the ninth inning, the somnambulant New York Yankees were on the verge of falling 10 games behind division-leading Baltimore in the AL East. Many in the crowd of 39,875 already had streamed out, convinced they had seen another listless loss in a season filled with them.Those who left early missed an astonishing comeback the Yankees hope sparks the turnaround that has eluded them.New Yorks first three batters reached, cutting the deficit by a run, and an electric seven-pitch span unfolded.Brian McCann hit a tying, three-run homer off Sam Dyson, Starlin Castro walked and Didi Gregorius capped the six-run inning with his two-run shot, lifting the Yankees to a 9-7 win over the Texas Rangers, the team with American Leagues best record.Probably the biggest win of the year for us, Alex Rodriguez said.New York trailed 7-2 Wednesday night and had a 1.2 percent win probability, according to Fangraphs, before McCanns solo homer with one out in the eighth off Cesar Ramos. McCann, bothered by patellar tendinitis, grabbed his left knee while rounding first and limped as he circled the bases.Matt Bush came in and escaped a two-on jam, and the 30-year-old rookie, seeking his first big league save, was left in for the ninth.Win probability was up to only 1.8 percent before Rob Refsnyder singled leading off the ninth. Jacoby Ellsbury followed with a walk, and Dyson (1-2) relieved.New York had been 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position before Brett Gardner singled, and Refsnyder came home when center fielder Ian Desmond bobbled the ball for an error.After Rodriguez lined out, McCann lined a 97 mph, 1-0 fastball on the inside of the plate above the knees and sent it about six rows deep into the right-field seats. Castro walked on five pitches, and Gregorius drove Dysons first offering, an outside changeup at the knees, into the first row above the right-field scoreboard, where the ball ricocheted off a fans glove and back onto the field.I didnt know it was gone like right away. After I stepped on first, thats when I saw it, Gregorius said. I didnt smile because I didnt want to smile, but as soon as I rounded third, see all the guys there, everybody cheering, I had to smile right there.It was the first game-ending homer of Gregorius career; he said his only other one was for the Netherlands national team in October 2010 against Taiwan in the Intercontinental Cup.Threw some quality pitches down in the zone and they got hit. Thats the end of it, saiid Dyson, who blew a save for the second time in 18 chances.dddddddddddd I kind of came in and let everybody down.New York (38-39), which has never been more than two games above .500 this year, had lost the series opener, wasting a ninth-inning lead after a 3 1/2-hour rain delay in a game that ended at 2:44 a.m. Cole Hamels shut down the Yankees on Tuesday, extending their losing streak to three.Theres a sense of urgency, manager Joe Girardi said before the game. As days tick away, you start to run out of time, and you dont want to bury yourself.Texas opened a 5-1 lead in the third against Masahiro Tanaka when Nomar Mazara, a 21-year-old rookie who is the youngest position player in the majors, hit a three-run double and scored on Prince Fielders single off a diving Refsnyder at first.Rougned Odor added his 15th homer in the sixth, an opposite-field drive to left, and Adrian Beltre hit an opposite-field homer to right in the eighth off Luis Cessa (1-0), who allowed one run in three innings for his first big league win.Chase Headley had homered in the second against Nick Martinez, who played college ball in the Bronx with Fordham, and had a sacrifice fly in the sixth off Ramos. The drama was yet to come. New York had not won this year when trailing after eight innings.It can be huge, McCann said. We dug ourselves a hole early in April, and were getting out of it right now.Gregorius hoped the comeback was just a prelude.I would say the biggest is yet to come, he said.RARE FEATSBefore McCann, the previous Yankees player to homer in the eighth and ninth innings of a game was Tony Clark in 2004, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. ... The Yankees had not won when trailing by four runs in the ninth inning or later since beating Oakland 10-9 on Sept. 22, 2012, when they allowed four runs in the 13th, tied the score in the bottom half and prevailed 10-9 in the 14th.TRAINERS ROOMYankees: After leaving Tuesdays game in the first inning with a tight right hamstring, Carlos Beltran probably wont be available through at least Thursday, according to Girardi.UP NEXTYankees RHP Michael Pineda (3-7) starts Thursdays series finale against RHP A.J. Griffin (3-0). Pineda is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in his last four starts. Griffin returned from a stint on the DL caused by shoulder soreness and allowed two runs over 4 1/3 innings against Boston last Saturday. ' ' '