Texas A&M vs. Alabama: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time and More
One of the season's top overall encounters that was supposed to have a College Football Playoff ticket swinging in the balance has lost some of its luster when the No. 21 Texas A&M Aggies meet the No. 7 Alabama Crimson Tide.
Nick Saban's Crimson Tide blew through the first four games on the slate before an upset at the hands of then-ranked No. 11 Ole Miss, only to respond with a narrow one-point victory over unranked Arkansas. Kevin Sumlin's Aggies are in danger of dropping three consecutive games after back-to-back losses to ranked opponents.
Instead of CFP questions in need of answers, things are more basic for this heavyweight encounter. Can the offenses move the ball with some semblance of efficiency? Can shaky defenses shore up issues?
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Much gets revealed Saturday afternoon in a matchup that doubles as a prelude to even bigger contests down the road for both sides.
In Search of a Revival
Alabama appeared to have solved its offensive problems a few weeks back.
Senior quarterback Blake Sims seized the job with emphasis and then took it to a normally stout Florida defense with 445 yards and four touchdowns to one interception. He then imploded in the loss to Ole Miss, tossing no scores and a pick before throwing for a pair of scores and just 161 yards in the 14-13 win over the Razorbacks.
As the 48th-ranked offense that averages 33.2 points per game, Saban's unit has some serious work to do. It starts with T.J. Yeldon and the ground game. Yeldon ran wild against the Rebels for 123 yards on 20 totes, but the team as a whole averaged 3.8 yards per rush.
Against an Arkansas defense that allowed 302 rushing yards to Auburn, Alabama's top three rushers were a major part of the reason the team could muster a per-carry average of just 2.1 last weekend:
| T.J. Yeldon | 16 | 45 | 2.8 | 0 |
| Derrick Henry | 7 | 25 | 3.6 | 0 |
| Blake Sims | 7 | 5 | 0.7 | 0 |
To keep up with a pass-happy Aggies attack, an offensive turnaround to mirror the unit that outscored its first four opponents by a total of 168-56 will need to impose its will on the ground.
That said, the Aggies have not been as potent as most are accustomed to as of late. The team needed overtime to upend Arkansas three games ago (not totally a bad thing—Bret Bielema has done an incredible job).
In a loss to Mississippi State, the Aggies rolled for 526 yards but a 5-of-17 mark on third down and quarterback Kenny Hill tossed three picks. Rinse and repeat in a loss to Ole Miss last week—455 total yards, 7-of-18 mark on third downs and three total turnovers.
That surely will not get it done in Tuscaloosa. Gaudy numbers are one thing, turnovers end games on their own.
Defensive Measures
The offenses get the attention when these teams take the field, but it is the defenses that will have a bigger impact on this contest in particular.
Texas A&M has been leaky all year long on that side of the football, ranking just inside the top 50 with 22.6 points per game allowed. The rush defense in particular has been nothing short of putrid.
| Arkansas | 285 | 6.1 | 3 |
| Miss. St. | 280 | 5.6 | 5 |
| Ole Miss | 160 | 4.6 | 2 |
For Saban, exploiting this defense is the key to the game, although his defense will also have to improve in a number of areas.
"We're going to certainly have to be at our best to do a good job of trying to get them stopped, and also to control the ball on offense so they don't have it all the time," Saban said, per STATS LLC (via ESPN.com). "Those things are really critical in a game like this."
Of most concern is the propensity for the team to give up major plays through the air.
The Crimson Tide allowed West Virginia's Clint Trickett to throw for 365 yards and a score, while Ole Miss' Bo Wallace tossed three scores, which came from 14, 34 and 10 yards out, the latter two coming when it mattered most—with less than six minutes left in regulation.
Hill has had his fair share of struggles, but he undeniably has the talent to expose a struggling unit.
When: Saturday, Oct. 18, 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Television: CBS
Betting Lines (via Odds Shark):
- Over/Under: 61.5
- Spread: Alabama (-11.5)
Team Injury Reports
| Denzel Devall | LB | 10/06/2014 | is expected to miss 3-4 weeks | Out | ankle |
| Kenyan Drake | RB | 10/05/2014 | is out indefinitely | Out | ankle |
| Kurt Freitag | TE | 10/12/2014 | is questionable for Saturday's game against Texas A&M | Questionable | toe |
| Grant Hill | T | 10/12/2014 | is questionable for Saturday's game against Texas A&M | Questionable | illness |
| Tyren Jones | RB | 10/15/2014 | is questionable for Saturday's game against Texas A&M | Questionable | finger |
| Ryan Kelly | C | 10/06/2014 | is expected to miss 2-3 weeks | Out | knee |
| Darian Claiborne | LB | 08/06/2014 | was dismissed from the team | Out | disciplinary |
| Isaiah Golden | DT | 08/06/2014 | was dismissed from the team | Out | disciplinary |
| A.J. Hilliard | LB | 09/02/2014 | is out indefinitely | Out | ankle |
| Malcome Kennedy | WR | 10/12/2014 | is questionable for Saturday's game against Alabama | Questionable | shoulder |
Injury reports per Sports Network, via USA Today.
Prediction
The Crimson Tide secondary is in for its biggest test of the year, as Hill is capable and Sumlin's offense is one of the most potent in the nation.
That said, Alabama at home is a daunting task for any team, but especially a young Aggies squad that is already on a serious downward spiral and in danger of losing three straight.
Yeldon and Sims, among others, will be able to keep the struggling Texas A&M defense on its toes and keep the chains moving enough to where Hill will have limited opportunities to exploit the Alabama secondary. Given his struggles as of late, a few mistakes might happen, anyway.
Alabama certainly does not run away with it, but a revival on the ground will spark the Crimson Tide.
Prediction: Crimson Tide 28, Aggies 20
Statistics and info courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
