The No. 5 Texas A&M Aggies are fresh off a dominant win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs, and the college football world is buzzing about how good A&M can be if it cleans up a few easily fixable issues.
Coach Mike Elko promised there would be changes after a disappointing end to the 2024 football season, and it started with the defense. After a bit of a rocky start, the defense found its footing as SEC play began, emerging as one of the top third-down units and holding their first SEC opponents to a combined 19 points.
Even though they’ve already faced Notre Dame and Mississippi State, both of whom have stronger records, and Florida, this might be their toughest matchup of the season so far. They’ll be up against a rejuvenated Florida Gators squad brimming with talent and riding high after a statement win over a Texas team that was projected in the preseason to be in the College Football Playoff title conversation.
For some reason, whenever Coach Billy Napier’s job security is questioned, the Gators morph into a top-10 caliber team. If this game were being played in The Swamp, it would be a prime candidate for a pregame upset pick across all the morning shows. But playing at Kyle Field is a formidable challenge for any opponent, and the 12th Man provides a true home-field advantage. That’s why the Aggies enter the weekend as a little more than a touchdown favorite.
The team at USA TODAY Sports, outside of Matt Hayes, picked Texas A&M as the favorite in this matchup, echoing several other national outlets. It’s a reasonable prediction, but it also fuels Florida’s desire to play spoiler. Football is truly a game of “any given Saturday,” so the Aggies can’t afford to overlook this contest, and Coach Mike Elko won’t let them.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.
This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: USA TODAY Sports makes picks for Texas A&M football vs. Florida Week 7
