GameDay Kickoff: What Texas A&M-Alabama means to the playoff race

TOP 10 LIST: Alabama has grown accustomed to playing much-hyped games, going 23-6 against Top 10 teams since 2008. Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said his team used the week off to address areas of concern as it aims to finish the stretch run better than the past two years. It was only the fourth time since at least 1949 that LSU finished a game with more points than offensive plays.

It was the 12th Alabama defensive or special teams touchdown of 2016 and the 10th straight game the Tide had scored without the need of the offense.

The Alabama Crimson Tide (7-0) defeated the Volunteers, 49-10, in Week 7 in whihc Jalen Hurts completed 16 of 26 passes for 14 yards.

The Texas A&M Aggies are quietly beating up on their opponents. The second is a matchup that could be available on Sunday’s for the next decade. We hope he makes a full recovery ahead of the NFL Draft in the spring. Both quarterbacks have put up impressive passing performances, but the real damage from Trevor Knight and Jalen Hurts has come on the ground. He’s also proven to be a threat on the ground, rushing for 502 yards with nine more scores. However, a weak defense will have Texas A&M on the wrong side of a shootout Saturday afternoon. The Alabama defensive has not been the same as shutdown defenses of the past.

“Opportunistic” might be the best way to describe the Tide’s defense.

Texas A&M will look back on that drive as the turning point. During last week’s game against Tennessee, the senior returned a punt 79 yards for a score for his second touchdown return of the season.

With the college football season essentially at its midpoint, Alabama, despite starting a true freshman quarterback, again has clearly established itself as the nation’s gold standard.

TCU at #13 West Virginia.

Next up is a home date with Texas A&M and they won’t be overlooking the Aggies’ potential with a trip to LSU right around the corner. But the Badgers survived a late Iowa surge – and next week they get division favorite Nebraska at home. Texas A&M ranks 68th nationally in defending the run. Hill also fumbled three times last week, losing one. “As good as there is in football”. They are going to stuff the run.

#17 Arkansas at #24 Auburn.

No. 21 Auburn (5-2, 3-1 SEC) rushed for more yards against No. 17 Arkansas (5-3, 1-3 SEC) than any team has since before the turn of the century en route to a smashing 56-3 victory over the Razorbacks Saturday evening in Jordan Hare Stadium.

Saturday’s game will feature two quarterbacks who can move well. Because they are in the SEC West, Texas A&M could go to either the Sugar Bowl or the Cotton Bowl. They’ve only come close in 2013, the only other time they faced the Crimson Tide with Manziel at the helm. Another non-offensive touchdown for Alabama. But the Bulldogs have lost three of their past four games while the Wildcats have won three of four. For a school wrought with tradition, this is a yearly ritual they’d like to end. And that includes four national championship teams in the past seven years.

N.C. State is 4-2 on the season and gave Clemson all the could handle last week.

Back-to-back losses to Ohio State and MI put Wisconsin in a hole in its own division. They were hitting a lot of 5, 6, 7-yard plays so they had to adjust defense. It’s looking like a bit of an odd year no matter how it shakes out.

NC State at #7 Louisville. As long as they show up ready to roll from the whistle, they should be able to take care of business.

Wisconsin at Iowa. Noon on ESPN.

Washington State at Arizona State.