Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa gives Texas A&M a chance to make a statement, and the Aggies will need a few things to go right if they want to leave Bryant-Denny Stadium with their biggest win of the season. It’s the team’s third straight conference road trip against a ranked opponent, and against a shaky Alabama squad, Mike Elko’s group has a real opening to land a result that could also dent Kalen DeBoer’s College Football Playoff hopes.
If Texas A&M is going to pull it off, the game plan has to hold up first. The Aggies need to take away the looks Alabama prefers and then count on their playmakers to deliver their best football of the year. Three names stand out as the difference-makers.
David Olano has been the most dependable weapon on the roster. The Illinois transfer has been perfect through seven weeks, going 19-for-19 on field goals and 24-for-24 on extra points.
He already has a career-long 57-yard field goal on his ledger, and that came against Arkansas. His range has been steady at every level: 6-for-6 from 20 to 29 yards, 1-for-1 from 30 to 39, and a spotless 4-for-4 from 50-plus.
In a game that could tighten up, that kind of reliability matters.
Jamarion Morrow added a different kind of spark last weekend. He scored three times, which was the first time in his collegiate career that he found the end zone multiple times in a game.
Those three touchdowns were also the first by an Aggie since Le’Veon Moss in 2021. Morrow’s return gives Texas A&M more depth in the backfield, and his game fits what this offense may need.
He can run outside, fight through traffic, and help in the passing game, which makes him useful in red-zone situations.
TK Norman is another rising piece who could matter against Alabama. He was productive against The Citadel, catching five passes for 88 yards and finishing with a long gain of 33 yards.
He worked with both Marcel Reed and Brady Hart, and with Mario Craver and Ashton Bethel-Roman not participating in that game, Norman had a bigger chance to flash. His route running, footwork and yards-after-catch ability give him a chance to create problems, especially with Alabama having some issues against Tennessee last weekend.
Expect him to be ready when his number is called.
In Other News...
Alabama Faces A Brutal Late Twist Before Texas A&M Showdown
Alabamas availability list for the matchup with Texas A&M is getting a lot of attention, and for good reason. Center Racin Delgatty, cornerback Zabien Brown and running back EJ Crowell all landed on the doubtful list, while wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams has already been ruled out. Defensive lineman Terrance Green is also unavailable, adding more uncertainty to a game that already carries plenty of weight for both sides.
Texas A&M has some encouraging news of its own heading into the trip, with wide receiver Mario Craver and defensive tackle DJ Hicks both upgraded to probable. The Aggies will be watching those late injury updates closely, because availability on both fronts could shape how the game is played at the line of scrimmage and in the passing game, especially with Alabama trying to sort through a thinning depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Gets An Opening Alabama Suddenly May Not Close
Texas A&Ms injury picture is looking a lot cleaner heading into its matchup with Alabama, with most of the players who had been listed as questionable now trending to probable. The lone exception on the Aggies report is Anto Saka, who remains questionable, but the overall direction is encouraging for a team trying to stay as close to full strength as possible in a game that figures to demand it.
Alabamas report tells a different story, with three players moving from questionable to doubtful, including running back EJ Crowell, center Racin Delgatty and cornerback Zabien Brown. Those shifts matter because availability in a game like this can swing everything from protection up front to depth in the secondary, and it gives Texas A&M a little more reason to believe the opening is real. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Just Sent A Message Before Its Alabama Test
Texas A&M took care of business in emphatic fashion, blanking The Citadel 41-0 for its second shutout of the season. The Aggies didnt just leave with a lopsided win, either, as the performance offered another reminder that this team has the kind of defensive backbone that can travel into a bigger stage.
Now comes the real test in Tuscaloosa against No. 13 Alabama, and the focus inside the program is on sharpening the running game and tightening the defensive approach before that trip. Mike Elko has also shifted defensive play-calling duties to first-year coordinator Lyle Hemphill, a move that gives the head coach more room to oversee the bigger picture as Texas A&M prepares for one of its most important games of the season. [Read more 🡒]