New Mexico State (2-7) will face off against the No. 15 Texas A&M Aggies (7-2, ranked No. 15 in the CFP) this Saturday at 7:45 p.m. EST on the SEC Network.
The betting odds from BetMGM show Texas A&M as heavy favorites, with a spread of 39.5 points.
Historically, Texas A&M holds a 1-0 advantage in their series against New Mexico State.
This game is crucial for Texas A&M, who is coming off a bye week after experiencing their first loss in SEC play to South Carolina two weeks ago.
Despite this setback, the Aggies share the best record in the Southeastern Conference (5-1) with Tennessee and are still vying for a place in the conference championship and the newly expanded College Football Playoffs.
New Mexico State enters this matchup hoping to end a two-game losing streak.
A key confrontation in this game will be between New Mexico State’s run defense and the robust rushing attack of Texas A&M.
The Aggies rank 14th nationally, averaging 212.9 rushing yards per game, while New Mexico State languishes in 122nd place, giving up 204.8 rushing yards per game.
Texas A&M must adapt following the season-ending injury of leading running back Le’Veon Moss during the South Carolina game, but they are expected to rely on Amari Daniels, who has rushed for 466 yards and six touchdowns this season, to maintain an effective ground game.
On the New Mexico State side, running back Seth McGowan will be a player to watch.
In his first season with the team after transferring from junior college and following issues at Oklahoma, he has impressed with 636 rushing yards and three touchdowns, along with 136 receiving yards and an additional score.
For Texas A&M, quarterback Marcel Reed is looking to bounce back after a tough performance against South Carolina, which included an interception and a fumble.
Reed had taken over for Conner Weigman during a previous game and led Texas A&M to a victory over LSU. This season he has passed for 861 yards and seven touchdowns while rushing for 334 yards and five additional scores.
Additional facts that fans should note include that linebacker Tyler Martinez is a defensive standout for New Mexico State, leading the team with 69 tackles.
Safety Josiah Cox has registered two interceptions this season, while running back Mike Washington, with 536 rushing yards, ranks second on the team and leads in rushing touchdowns with six.
For Texas A&M, their defense has been strong, restricting opponents to under 100 rushing yards in five of the last six games.
Additionally, they rank second in the nation with a remarkable 97.1 conversion rate when it comes to red zone scoring opportunities.
On the individual front, linebacker Taurean York leads Texas A&M’s defense with 54 tackles, while defensive end Nic Scourton stands out nationally, ranking 10th for tackles for loss (12.5) and 11th in the SEC with five sacks.