Texas A&M Aggies vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Preview
Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa
When: Saturday, October 22, 2016 – 3:30 PM ET
Line: Texas A&M Aggies (+18.5) at Alabama Crimson Tide (-18.5); total: 57.5 – view all NCAA Football odds and lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
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Betting on the Texas A&M Aggies (+18.5)
For a team that’s 6-0 and ranked sixth in the nation, the Texas A&M Aggies have several unimpressive defensive stats. The four yards per carry they are giving up are just decent, while the 278 passing yards and 57-percent completion rate they are allowing are not what you’d expect from a top-ranked team. It’s obviously not a cause for major concern because they’re winning and the offense is putting up 40 points per game, but it certainly needs improvement.
The team will take a slice off Alabama’s spotlight Saturday in an undefeated vs. undefeated match, but a lot of eyes will also be on Aggies QB Trevor Knight. The transferee from Oklahoma joins Ole Miss’ Chad Kelly as the only active QBs to have a win against ‘Bama.
Knight is only completing 53.5 percent of his passes this season, but has a respectable 250 passing YPG average. It’s not a big threat to defenses, but his 84 rushing yards per game should be, along with his nine rushing TDs.
Speaking of rushing, the Aggies have one of the best freshman backs this year in Trayveon Williams, who’s averaging 117 yards per game on nine yards per carry.
Texas A&M is 5-5 SU (5-5 ATS) in its last 10 games on the road.
Betting on the Alabama Crimson Tide (-18.5)
Alabama, as expected, is still dominating college football. They bulldozed Tennessee for 438 rushing yards in their latest display of domination, with QB Jalen Hurts accounting for 132. Head coach Nick Saban called the 49-10 win their “most complete game” this season.
Hurts, a true freshman, is overachieving as a first-year starter, recording 259 total yards per game and already responsible for 17 TDs (nine passing, eight rushing). He’s putting a hurt (sorry, can’t help it) in defenses, d-backs and linebackers are confused if he’s looking to gallop through the end zone or feed receivers Calvin Ridley and Ardarius Stewart – the two are combining for 122 rec. yards per game and have seven of Hurts’ nine passing TDs.
The running game will also look to punish Texas A&M, bringing in an average of 265 rushing yards per game on 6.2 yards per carry.
On defense, Alabama’s list of talent is almost an embarrassment of riches – Tim Williams, Jonathan Allen, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Eddie Jackson, Ryan Anderson, Shaun Hamilton, etc. The D is averaging 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks an outing, while only giving up two yards per carry and 14 points per game.
Alabama has won 11 straight games at home, but is only 4-7 ATS.
Writer’s Prediction
Alabama (-18.5) wins, but doesn’t cover the spread.
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