The historic Lone Star showdown returns to college football this week. In the play-in game of the SEC Championship Game, No. 3 Texas will host No. 20 Texas A&M. The Longhorns have been on a roll in their first year in the SEC, holding the sole lead in the conference and already having won back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time since 2009.
Texas A&M is in the midst of a resurgence under first-year coach Mike Elko. The Aggies are in contention for a spot in the SEC Championship Game after defeating LSU and Missouri State. However, their path narrowed after losing 43-41 in overtime last week, making this a must-win matchup.
The Longhorns and Aggies have met 118 times, with Texas holding a commanding advantage of 76-37-5. The last time these teams met, the Longhorns gained just 237 yards, but outscored Texas A&M 27-25 in 2011. This time around, the stakes are much higher. The winner will play in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia and have a chance to win their first SEC title.
Texas vs. Texas A&M: What you need to know
History Rekindled: These two teams last met in 2011, the last time the schools met as members of the Big 12. Justin Tucker’s game-winning field goal made history as the rivalry lay dormant for 13 years. Surprisingly, these two teams rarely did well at the same time. The last time the two teams played each other was in 2004. On paper, this would be the highest-ranked matchup since 1977, when No. 1 Texas traveled to No. 12 Texas A&M. The energy would be on an order of magnitude.
Strengths over Weaknesses: While Texas is good almost everywhere on defense, the Longoons are a little more forgiving on the ground, ranking mid-way in the SEC in yards per carry. Texas A&M doesn’t run the ball very efficiently, but they love to rely on it. The Aggies are only second to Tennessee in rushing offense and yards per carry at 4.96, and are actually the best in SEC play alone. Expect offensive coordinator Colin Klein to repeatedly stress test the interior of the Texas defensive line.
The stories of two quarterbacks, Quinn Ewers and Marcell Reed, couldn’t be more different. Ewers is a former No. 1 rookie and third-year starter. Reed was a mid-four star who was a former reserve player. Still, there are clear advantages and disadvantages to both. Ewers has been inconsistent with the long ball and has been plagued by a lingering ankle injury. Reed is still developing as a passer, and a poor first half doomed Texas A&M’s game against Auburn. Which signal caller will be able to win games more consistently?
How to watch Texas vs. Texas A&M live
Date: Saturday, November 30th | Time: 7:30 PM ET
Location: Kyle Field — College Station, Texas
TV: ABC |Live stream: fubo (free trial)
Texas vs. Texas A&M Predictions, Picks
Texas is the better team, will compete for the national title, and will have more players selected in the NFL Draft. The Aggies are still searching for an identity under first-year coach Mike Elko and will need quarterback Marcell Reed to develop quickly. Still, you never know what’s going to happen in the game’s relaunch of this historic rivalry. Texas got one last point at the buzzer and could easily go the same way this time around. Either way, the betting lines are simply too high for what should be one of the most hyped games in the history of both programs. Pick: Texas A&M +5.5
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SportsLine’s proven computer model calls for multiple complete upsets in Week 14 of college football. Visit SportsLine now to see everything and get spread picks for each game from a model that simulates each game 10,000 times.
