Texas A&M Faces A Real Test Despite Its Dominant Start

Despite being the underdogs, the Arizona State Sun Devils are poised to test Texas A&M with their explosive offense and recent successes.

Texas A&M opened 2026 with a statement, but Arizona State is bringing enough firepower to make Saturday’s trip to College Station far more interesting than the line suggests.

The Aggies rolled past Missouri State 50-0 in their season opener, never really facing a test. Texas A&M piled up more than 500 yards of offense, averaged close to six yards per play and reached the end zone six times. Missouri State, meanwhile, was held to 67 yards and under two yards per play.

That kind of start has kept Texas A&M in the driver’s seat heading into its second game, and the betting market reflects it. The Aggies are 14.5-point favorites over Arizona State at FanDuel Sportsbook in an SEC vs. Big 12 matchup.

Still, the Sun Devils arrive with credentials of their own. Kenny Dillingham has guided Arizona State to a 19-8 record over the last two seasons, along with a Big 12 championship and a trip to the College Football Playoff.

Arizona State also comes in after handling business in its opener, blasting Morgan State 70-7. New starting quarterback Cutter Boley made a loud first impression, setting the Arizona State record for passing yards by a quarterback in a debut. He finished with 387 yards on 21-of-27 passing, six touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Sun Devils’ offense was humming from start to finish, finishing close to 700 total yards with 432 through the air and 249 on the ground while averaging 9.6 yards per play. Their defense was sharp, too, limiting Morgan State to 188 total yards and under four yards per play.

Texas A&M will go into Saturday feeling good after a dominant Week 1, and the odds say it should be in control again. But Arizona State has already shown enough to suggest this one should be a real test.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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