AUSTIN — A game that needs no introduction for those in the Lone Star State.
Texas A&M football travels to Austin for the first time in 15 years to face the Texas Longhorns, with a lot at stake for both programs. For the Aggies, a win clinches a spot in the SEC championship game, keeping their hopes of a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff alive.
The Longhorns must win if they want to join their in-state rival in the CFP. No team with three losses has made the field without winning its conference title. A UT victory would be its third this season over a top-10 team. No other team in the country can match that feat.
These teams met last season for the first time since 2012, with Texas leaving Kyle Field with the victory and in-state bragging rights. A lot has changed since that meeting last November. In Year 2 under head coach Mike Elko, the Aggies have begun to turn the corner.
Quarterback Marcel Reed is squarely in the Heisman Trophy race, leading a top-15 scoring offense in the country. A&M is averaging 37.1 points per game this season, scoring 30-plus points in all but one game. A&M’s defense has shown inconsistency at times, ranking ninth in the SEC for scoring defense. However, they lead the nation in opponents’ third-down conversion percentage at 24.4%.
The recent success of the Longhorns seems to be closely linked to the development of quarterback Arch Manning and his offensive linr. Texas has won four of its last five games, and Manning has surpassed 300 passing yards in three of those victories, scoring a total of 12 touchdowns during this stretch.
Stay tuned for updates throughout the action:
Updates to follow the kickoff.
Where: Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin
TV/radio: SEC Network+, 1370 AM in Austin; 1150 AM, 93.7 FM in College Station.
Moneyline: Texas A&M -130, Texas +110
Spread: Texas A&M is a 2½-point favorite.
Cloudy conditions with temperatures expected to be in the low 60s at kickoff.
Reach Texas A&M beat reporter Tony Catalina via email at Anthony.Catalina@statesman.com.
