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PonyFans.com is proud to welcome, as a new columnist, Nate, who is 12 years old, in seventh grade, might want to be a sports writer and knows more about football than a lot of people who already make their living covering sports. Nate will preview each game throughout the season, looking at a key player, matchup or statistic that could prove relevant in each upcoming game … and he'll go out on a limb and pick the score of each game. Feel free to post comments and constructive criticism, and to give suggestions for upcoming games!

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The Ponies are 1-1 now after the 31-30 win over Montana State that nearly gave me a heart attack. This week, I don’t think it gets any tougher than an angry Texas A&M team on the road coming after a heartbreaking loss to the hands of No. 1 Alabama, with their Heisman quarterback, Johnny Football. I have three quick things to say about the Montana State game before we take a look at this Saturday's enormous test.

The SMU defense needs to figure out a way to do what Alabama could not: contain Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel (photo by Texas A&M athletics).

Props to Garrett Gilbert, who started out slow (everybody did obviously) and responded nicely to lead SMU to the win.

SMU is clearly missing leadership on defense without Ja’Gared Davis, Taylor Reed and Margus Hunt. Yes, I know Randall Joyner was out (and June Jones' comments this week make it sound like he is questionable for A&M) but they had little energy on defense.

Easily the biggest play of the game: the 55-yard punt return for a touchdown as the second quarter expired by JaBryce Taylor. This play caused a COMPLETE momentum shift.

The Mustangs now will head over to College Station, Texas to take on the 2-1 Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies lead the all-time series 43-29-7, with SMU last beating them in 1984 (they tied in 1994).

We all know about the fame-loving, trash-talking, autograph-signing, Tim Tebow jersey-wearing, Heisman-winning circus that is Johnny Manziel. He led the Aggies to an 11-2 season record last year that included a 6-2 record in the SEC in the school's inaugural season in the conference, an upset on the road against eventual national champion Alabama, the 48-3 win over our Mustangs in Dallas and a Cotton Bowl win over Oklahoma.

We all can tell A&M’s defense can not stop ANYTHING. Rice was effective against them, Sam Houston State was effective against them, and of course, Alabama put up 49 points on them. The Aggies are 108th in total defense, giving up 36 points a game though it is only a small sample size of three games.

On the offensive side of the ball, watch out for Mike Evans the Aggies' 6-5 wide receiver. Six-foot SMU cornerback Kenneth Acker hopefully will match up decently with Evans, despite the height disadvantage. Evans has caught 20 balls for 518 yards and three touchdowns this year so far. Most of all, the SMU defense needs to somehow contain Manziel and not let him run around the field like he normally does. SMU defensive coordinator Tom Mason had two spy linebackers to try to contain Manziel last year, but nothing could stop him as he piled up 294 yards passing with four touchdowns and 124 rushing yards with two touchdowns.

Joyner and running back Traylon Shead apparently are questionable for Saturday. With TCU coming up next week, wouldn’t you want those two to be 100 percent for that game against the hated Frogs (especially Joyner, as I am fine with Prescott Line at running back)?

In order for SMU to keep it close Saturday, Gilbert has to have the game of his life, the offensive line has to step up, the defense that couldn’t stop them last year and is now gutted of all of its 2012 star players except Joyner (who may not play) has to somehow slow them down, and the receivers have to catch the ball. Unfortunately, I just can not see it even being close for the Mustangs in a hostile environment like Kyle Field.

Nate’s take: Texas A&M 52 SMU 20