Texas A&M leading tackler Otaro Alaka likely to miss Gator Bowl

Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher said earlier this week that he is not expecting senior linebacker Otaro Alaka to be available for the Gator Bowl. Alaka underwent offseason wrist surgery and is still recuperating.

Alaka is one of the most experienced players on the Aggies’ roster, with 45 career starts to his credit. He led the team during the regular season with 79 tackles, including 14.5 for loss, which is also a team-best. He’s also fifth on the team in sacks.

Alaka would be replaced by sophomore Buddy Johnson, who has 20 tackles in 11 games this season.

NC State will be playing without Germaine Pratt next week, and with Alaka likely out, the odds of a high-scoring game just went up a bit. The Aggies’ defense wasn’t particularly good even with a healthy Alaka, as they allowed nearly 6.0 yards per play this year. Let’s do some points, everybody!