No. 4 Texas A&M (6-0, 3-0 SEC) will play on the road for just the second time this season, as the Aggies head to Fayetteville for the first time since the 2013 season to face Arkansas (2-4, 1-2 SEC) and interim head coach Bobby Petrino, who also served as Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator during the 2023 season.
On paper (a term I tend to overuse), Texas A&M is the superior team in nearly every metric, especially on defense after allowing just one third-down conversion against the last three SEC opponents, while the defensive line that stepped up in SEC play, producing 21 sacks, averaging nearly four a game, which is good for 5th nationally.
However, Arkansas‘s offense, despite the Razorbacks’ poor record, remains one of the best units in the country. It is led by starting quarterback Taylen Green, who has already thrown for over 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns, while rushing for over 500 yards in six games. Paired with Bobby Petrino’s play calling, Texas A&M’s secondary could have its hands full.
According to the latest weather reports, there’s a 40% chance of rain in Fayetteville, and even without star running back Le’Veon Moss, head coach Mike Elko and OC Collin Klein should, and will likely focus on controlling the clock with the run game behind Rueben Owens, Amari Daniels, and freshman Jamarion Morrow.
Furthermore, Arkansas’ defense is one of the worst in the country. Texas A&M’s offense, currently ranked 25th, will continue to feed transfer wide receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver. If starting quarterback Marcel Reed is accurate, the Aggies should score 30 or more points.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Matchup Predictor gives Texas A&M a 69.9% chance to defeat the Razorbacks, as the Aggies are a slight 7.5-point favorite, and after the latest injury report revealed that only Le’Veon Moss will miss Saturday’s game, while Arkansas will be without a handful of players.
Given the potential weather issues and Petrino’s play calling, this looks like the most challenging remaining test for Texas A&M, even with LSU and Missouri on deck.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M Football: ESPN predicts Texas A&M vs. Arkansas in Week 8
