No. 8 LSU (6-1, 3-0 SEC) will face off against No. 14 Texas A&M (6-1, 4-0) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET, broadcasted by ABC.
BetMGM has established Texas A&M as the favorite by 2.5 points for this match.
Historically, LSU leads the series against Texas A&M with a record of 36 wins, 23 losses, and three ties.
**WHAT’S AT STAKE?**
The spotlight will be on SEC dominance this Saturday. While the season is still ongoing, the victor will enhance their chances of making it to the conference championship game. Both teams have bounced back impressively after opening losses, each currently riding a six-game winning streak. Recent trends suggest that the home-field advantage plays a vital role in this rivalry, with the home team winning the last seven encounters.
**KEY MATCHUP**
A focal point for the game will be the Texas A&M rushing game versus the LSU run defense. The Aggies, spearheaded by Le’Veon Moss, rank 13th nationally, averaging 218.6 rushing yards per game. In contrast, the Tigers demonstrated solid defense by allowing only 38 rushing yards in their previous game against Arkansas and just 14 yards to UCLA earlier this season. Moss currently ranks second in the SEC for rushing, averaging 96.3 yards per game while securing eight rushing touchdowns this season.
**PLAYERS TO WATCH**
For LSU, quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is second in the SEC, with an impressive average of 317.5 passing yards per game and leading the conference with 18 touchdown passes. Nussmeier has thrown over 300 yards in five games this year, although he had a season-low performance of 233 yards without a touchdown against Arkansas last week.
On the Texas A&M side, quarterback Conner Weigman managed to pass for 217 yards but faced two interceptions in the recent victory over Mississippi State. This was only his second game surpassing 200 yards since returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him. LSU’s pass defense has struggled, conceding an average of 243.6 passing yards per game, making Weigman a player to watch closely.
**FACTS & FIGURES**
Notably, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko served as LSU head coach Brian Kelly’s defensive coordinator during their time at Notre Dame in 2017. Last time LSU visited Texas A&M ranked sixth in the nation, the unranked Aggies shocked them with a 38-23 triumph. LSU’s last victory at Kyle Field dates to 2016 when they won 54-39. Defensive end Bradyn Swinson leads the Tigers’ defense with seven sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles. Offensively, the Aggies have been efficient in the red zone, scoring on 26 of 27 attempts, 19 of which were touchdowns. Additionally, Texas A&M has shown a strong defensive front, limiting opponents to under 100 rushing yards in four of their past five contests.