Just a few weeks ago, people were talking about No. 15 Texas A&M and No. 24 Ole Miss being potential contenders to win the SEC West. But after the Aggies were humbled by Alabama at home, and the Rebels were rocked once again on the road, both teams’ hopes of a division title look unlikely at best. There’s still hope for a big bowl game, though, which could yet await the winner of this big conference clash.
Which team will recover from their heavy loss on Sunday? Read on below as we preview this big SEC West matchup. And for more great Week 8 action, check out our previews of Florida State vs. Georgia Tech and Utah vs. USC.
[sc:NCAAFArticles ]Texas A&M Aggies vs. Ole Miss Rebels Preview
Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford
When: Saturday, October 24, 7:00 PM ET
Line: Texas A&M Aggies (+5.5) at Ole Miss Rebels (-5.5) – view all NCAA Football lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Texas A&M Aggies (6-1, 2-1 SEC)
Alabama was always going to be a bad matchup for Texas A&M, and so it proved as the Aggies were blown out, 41-23, at home. Texas A&M didn’t come close to covering the five-point spread as a home underdog, and is now 4-2 ATS on the season.
[sc:NCAA240banner ]Despite a somewhat improved defense, the Aggies still can’t stop the run this season. They sure as heck couldn’t stop ‘Bama’s bulldozer of a running back, Derrick Henry, who burned them for 236 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
It also didn’t help that quarterback Kyle Allen was just 20-of-40 for 263 passing yards and threw three interceptions, all of which were returned for a touchdown. It was a disappointing performance from the sophomore, who failed miserably in his first legitimate test against a stellar defense this season.
However, Ole Miss should prove to be a more favorable matchup for the Aggies. For one, the Rebels can’t run the ball a lick, which will hide the Aggies’ big weakness on defense. Meanwhile, A&M can turn on the pressure with Myles Garrett and co., and should force the Rebels’ turnover-prone quarterback Chad Kelly (six INTs in his last four games) into some more miscues.
Allen could also be set for a bounce-back game against an Ole Miss defense that has underwhelmed so far this season. Ole Miss’s pass defense has already given up 13 passing touchdowns in seven games this season, the worst mark in the SEC. Allen and the A&M passing offense, meanwhile, have 15 touchdowns through six games, second-most in the conference.
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Betting on the Ole Miss Rebels (5-2, 2-1 SEC)
Ole Miss’s already slim hopes of making it to the College Football Playoff were well and truly dashed as the Rebels were rocked 37-24 at Memphis.
Despite having a 14-point cushion, the Landsharks of the Ole Miss defense couldn’t contain Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, who threw for 384 yards with three touchdowns and outplayed Ole Miss’ Chad Kelly (372 passing yards, two TDs, two INTs).
Meanwhile, the Rebels still couldn’t run the ball with any consistency – they averaged 1.7 yards per carry – and continued to have problems moving the chains. They went just 4-of-13 on third downs against Memphis, and crucially couldn’t convert a 4th-and-1 on their own 34-yard-line. Ole Miss has converted just 27 percent of its third-downs in its four toughest games of the season (Alabama, Vanderbilt, Florida, and Memphis).
At this point, it’s hard to put much trust in this Ole Miss offense. The Rebels’ 43-37 win at Alabama – which was aided by a 6-0 turnover margin in Ole Miss’s favor – continues to look more and more like a fluke.
It’s getting tougher to trust their much-hyped defense as well, especially if Robert Nkemdiche can’t play against A&M. The stud defensive lineman suffered a concussion in the first half while playing on offense against Memphis and didn’t return.
However, there’s just something about head coach Hugh Freeze’s teams that always seems to give A&M a fight. In three career meetings against the Aggies, Freeze’s Ole Miss has covered the spread all three times. Last season, the Rebels went into College Station and thrashed the Aggies, 35-20.
Writer’s Prediction
Texas A&M profits from more Kelly turnovers as the Aggies win, 33-27, on the road.
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