ESPN has set its Week 8 broadcast crew for Texas A&M’s trip to Alabama, with Joe Tessitore and Jesse Palmer handling the call from Bryant-Denny Stadium. Kris Budden will work the sideline for the 2:30 CT kickoff on ABC.
The matchup comes at a key point for both teams. Texas A&M enters at 4-3 and 1-3 in SEC play after a 41-0 win over The Citadel in Week 7, a result that gave the Aggies a much-needed jolt after a rough stretch.
Alabama, meanwhile, is trying to rebound after consecutive losses to Georgia at home and Tennessee on the road. In those two games, sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell threw for fewer than 200 yards each time.
The Aggies’ offense has its own issues. Redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed has taken a step back, which has fueled discussion about sophomore Brady Hart after his solid second-half showing on Saturday. Even so, production against an undersized FCS opponent is not being treated as a major shift, and Reed is still expected to make his eighth start of the season.
Texas A&M’s defense will face a tougher test in Tuscaloosa. Alabama’s offense has not been at its best, but it still carries the kind of firepower that can push toward 30 points per game, thanks to Russell’s arm talent and a young running back room that has shown real promise. The Aggies, though, do have one path to making life uncomfortable: their pass rush against an Alabama offensive line that has struggled badly, ranking 129th in sacks allowed at three per game.
ABC will televise the game, and ESPN’s crew slots in behind only the top two broadcast teams of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit, and Sean McDonough and Greg McElroy. Texas A&M, now 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the SEC, heads into Saturday with the chance to keep building after its shutout win, while Alabama looks to stop the skid at home.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Still Has One Big Backcourt Ruling Left to Watch
Jordan Popes path to a full season with Texas A&M just got a lot clearer. A California judge granted the guard a preliminary injunction, extending the legal protection he had already received through a temporary restraining order and making him eligible to play throughout the upcoming basketball season.
For the Aggies, the timing matters because their backcourt picture still is not fully settled. The program is now waiting on a similar ruling for Rylan Griffen, and until that comes down, Texas A&M still has one major roster question hanging over its guard rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Fans Will Be Watching Isaiah Horton For One Reason
Isaiah Hortons first season with Texas A&M has not gone the way anyone around the program expected, and the toughest stretch has come in the red zone, where the wide receiver has not found the end zone since the early part of the season. After a recent game against The Citadel, the attention around Horton shifted from production to effort, when a social media comment purportedly from his father expressed disappointment and urged him to step up.
Now the focus is less on what Horton has done so far and more on how he responds from here. Texas A&M still has games left to shape the season, and fans will be watching closely to see whether Horton can turn the criticism into a reset. For a player brought in to make an impact, the next stretch carries some real weight. [Read more 🡒]
Two Former Alabama Players Carry Extra Weight For Texas A&M In Tuscaloosa
Wilkin Formby and Isaiah Horton arrive in Tuscaloosa with a little more familiarity than most Texas A&M transfers. Both spent time at Alabama before moving to College Station over the offseason, and now they are set to line up against their former school at Bryant-Denny Stadium in a game that already carries plenty of weight for the Aggies. Formby has settled in on the offensive line after moving from right tackle to guard, while Horton has become a steady part of the passing game.
For Texas A&M, the matchup gives both players a chance to factor into one of the seasons biggest stages with extra motivation attached. Horton has already produced 20 catches for 280 yards and three touchdowns through seven games, and Formbys versatility has helped him find a spot in the rotation. Their ties to the coaching staff only add another layer to a game that will be watched closely on both sidelines. [Read more 🡒]