Texas A&M-Alabama Preview Capsule

Knight threw a pick on the first play after the defense intercepted Hurts in Alabama territory. The Crimson Tide quickly restored order by rattling off 20 unanswered points, including their ninth defensive touchdown of the season, to close the game and flush away any memories of their early struggles. Alabama S Eddie Jackson left the game late in the fourth quarter after being twisted up on a tackle on his punt return. The Tigers have little problem dialing up pressure, ranking 17th in team sacks per contest (3.0) and 11th in Football Outsiders’ adjusted sack rate. A&M returns with a seasoned quarterback in Trevor Knight and John Chavis will get his second shot at Alabama as A&M’s defensive coordinator. They are a very, very good offensive team, and very hard to defend, with the skill guys they have, the running back they have, and the quarterback they have. The Razorbacks shouldn’t be a nine-point underdog to Auburn, but they aren’t playing well up front on offense and their defense has given up way too many big plays.

Hurts passed for 166 yards and rushed for 93 more, throwing for a pair of touchdowns while getting intercepted twice. Not with this defense, and the way this offense looks with Jalen Hurts. They are undefeated and this game will likely determine which goes on to clinch the SEC West title.

Game to watch: No. 17 Arkansas at No. 21 Auburn. “It’s two teams trying to win the West”. Now the Tigers can climb all the way back as high as #2 in the nation should they run the table.

After a week off and everyone doubting them throughout the week, Texas A&M is going to come out on fire this Saturday.

Arkansas comes in fresh off their first SEC win of the season after losing to Texas A&M and Alabama. A win Saturday against Ole Miss sets up the showdown with Alabama two weeks from now in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Over the past three games Westbrook has racked up 574 yards receiving and eight touchdowns. It was even being mentioned as one of Saban’s greatest teams just seven victories into the season. The Aggies (6-0, 4-0) haven’t abandoned that formula by any stretch but have taken over the role of the SEC’s top running team that would seem more ‘Bama’s domain traditionally. “It’s just the seventh game – and we’re not putting this game on a pedestal”. In that game Oklahoma did a good job of taking advantage of a month of preparation before the Sugar Bowl and installing some new wrinkles in their offense using the quick screen pass to their wideouts as an extension of their run game that helped spread out the Tide defense allowing Trevor to have a lot of success that night.

Utah knows all about issues with the running game.

RUNNING QBS: Both defenses will have to be wary of quarterback runs. “Especially after that game when it wasn’t sitting there in the locker room”. Limited to 61 total snaps, U of L averaged 7.7 yards per play, including 8.3 yards on its 35 rushing attempts.

Utah is now sitting atop the Pac-12 South with conference surprise Colorado. “So it was good to look back and see what we need to improve on”. Wisconsin already has lost two straight and can’t afford a third loss.

Another game to keep an eye on is No. 7 Louisville hosting unranked North Carolina State at noon on ABC. The Hawkeyes have been far from impressive, yet they and Kirk Ferentz’s exorbitant contract have the chance to derail what will likely be a Wisconsin rematch with either Ohio State or MI in the conference title game. Memphis is making its first-ever trip to Annapolis where the Midshipmen are riding a 13-game winning streak.

With Alabama going off as a 14-point favorite on the road against Tennessee last Saturday, some anticipated that the Volunteers could give the Crimson Tide a legitimate scare in Knoxville.