Texas vs. Texas A&M: How to Watch Live, TV Channel, Kickoff Time, and Betting Odds

Another tradition in college football culmination is the Lone Star Showdown revived as the No. 3 ranked University of Texas takes on No. 20 Texas A&M in a virtual play-in for the CFB SEC Championship. The Longhorns are soaring in their first year as a member of the SEC, occupy the first place in the conference alone, and meet the bar of consecutive 10-win seasons in the Texas program for the first time since 2009. Texas A&M is in year one of rebuilding under head coach Mike Elko after letting go of Kevin Sumlin in the middle of the previous season.

The Aggies are a fan favorite with a chance to join the SEC Championship Game following victories over LSU and Missouri. Still, a 43-41 quadruple overtime loss to Auburn last week made it significantly more difficult, and thus this game is vital. Texas A&M’s biggest rivalry game has always been with the University of Texas at Austin, and a total of 118 games have been contested; the Longhorns lead these meetings, 76-37-5. In their last meeting, the Longhorns managed only 237 total yards but still squeaked past the Aggies, 27-25, in 2011. That one has much higher risks at play. The winner will have a shot of winning their first ever SEC title in the SEC Championship game against Georgia.

History reignites: But the last time these two teams clashed was in 2011, which was their final regular season meeting before they parted ways with the Big 12 conference. This was the case when, in September 2002, Justin Tucker made a game-winning field goal in the rivalry that would go on hold for 13 more years. Peculiarly enough, these two teams have seldom performed at a high level at the same time. When both teams are entering the game ranked, it has only happened once in the last fifteen years, and that was in 2004. From the perspective of ranking, this is the highest ranked meeting since No. 1 Texas took on No. 12 Texas A&M in 1977.

There will be a high level of energy. Strength on weakness: Texas is good near most places on defense, but the Longhorns’ have been a bit more forgiving to the run—ranking middle of the pack in the SEC in yds/carry. That is an arrest only slightly less effective used by Texas A&M than other teams, but they love to use it. The Aggies rank second only to Tennessee in rushing offense and yards per attempt at 4.96 and are actually the most efficient in the SEC. Look for Klein to attack the middle of the Texas defensive line often and often with deep passes.

A tale of two QBs: Quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Marcel Reed may as well be on different planets as far as personalities are concerned. Ewers was a former No. 1 recruit, and he is entering his third year of starting. Reed was a mid-four-star power forward who got a start as a lone PG since his former backup was stripped of the ability.

However, both have their obvious advantages and disadvantages. Raskin said Ewers has been up and down with the deep ball, and he has an ankle sprain. Reed is still a work in progress as a passer, but he had a disastrous first half when Texas A&M fell to Auburn. Either signal-caller, the one that is making fewer mistakes, will be in fantastic shape to win the game.

Texas vs. Texas A&M prediction, picks

A Texans is better, and their record indicates that they shall challenge for a national title more players for the NFL Draft. The Aggies are still trying to find themselves even after this year’s hire of Mike Elko as their defensive coordinator, and quarterback Marcel Reed has to grow into his position. And still, nothing would be surprising in the renewal of this traditional conference opponent.

They lucked out with the last one at the buzzer, so it could go there for Texas as well this time. Nevertheless, the betting line is just too big entering what should be one of the most anticipated games on each program’s schedule.