Texas A&M heads into Saturday’s trip to Tuscaloosa carrying a 4-3 record overall and a 1-3 mark in SEC play, and the Aggies are looking for a response after a rough stretch that included a 27-6 loss to Missouri in Week 6. They bounced back with a 41-0 shutout of The Citadel, their second shutout win, and now leave Kyle Field for the final time this month before facing No. 13 Alabama for the first time since the 2022 season.
The road picture has not been encouraging for Texas A&M in conference play. The Aggies have struggled badly away from home in SEC games, including losses to LSU and Missouri in which they failed to score a touchdown. That has put extra attention on starting quarterback Marcel Reed, who has passed for 1,227 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions, and is now considered the worst signal caller in the SEC.
There has also been a change on the defensive side for third-year coach Mike Elko, who chose to hand over play-calling duties to first-year defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill so he can focus more broadly on the team. Texas A&M’s pass defense has been strong, ranking 10th nationally, but its pass rush remains a concern, and that unit will be matched up against an Alabama offensive line that ranks 129th and gives up an average of three sacks per game.
If the Aggies are going to have a real chance at the upset, the ground game has to be a major part of the plan. Texas A&M ran for 264 yards against The Citadel, with sophomore running back Jamarion Morrow scoring three touchdowns and freshman KJ Edwards turning in a career-high 116 rushing yards. That kind of production, especially if Reed continues to struggle in the pocket, could be the clearest path for offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins.
On Friday, Texas A&M’s media team added some fuel to the buildup with its weekly pre-game hype video, this time narrated by assistant head coach and running backs coach Trooper Taylor and titled “Freight Train.” Texas A&M and Alabama are scheduled to kick off Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on ABC.
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 Has A Real Opening In Tuscaloosa This Time
Texas A&M heads to Tuscaloosa this weekend for a 2:30 p.m. matchup at Bryant-Denny Stadium, and this time the trip comes with a little more intrigue than the usual Alabama home date. The Aggies are making their second journey east of the Mississippi River this season, and they arrive with a defense and offense that could both have a say in how the afternoon unfolds against the No. 13 Crimson Tide.
Alabamas recent issues have created a more realistic opening than Texas A&M has often seen in this spot, especially after the Tide stumbled with poor third-down work in their loss to Tennessee. For the Aggies, the challenge is clear: lean into the strengths that have kept them competitive and see whether this is the kind of road test where Alabama can be pushed, rather than the kind where the home team simply settles things early. [Read more 🡒]