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"Expert" Predictions for the Alabama-Texas A&M Game
Posted on 10/15/15 at 2:12 am
Posted on 10/15/15 at 2:12 am
Bleacher Report
Michael Felder: A&M
Barrett Sallee: A&M
Ben Kercheval: A&M
Greg Couch: A&M
Adam Kramer: Alabama
quote:
Staying in the SEC, Alabama, fresh off three straight victories after its loss to Ole Miss, faces another stout conference foe in undefeated Texas A&M.
Will Nick Saban's team be able to continue the momentum against Kyle Allen and the Aggies' multitude of weapons? And can the much-improved A&M defense slow down emerging deep threat Calvin Ridley and bruising running back Derrick Henry? Like in the other SEC game, one team will seriously boost its playoff credentials, while the other might be on the outside looking in.
Michael Felder: A&M
Barrett Sallee: A&M
Ben Kercheval: A&M
Greg Couch: A&M
Adam Kramer: Alabama
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Posted on 10/15/15 at 2:20 am to TideSaint
Athlon Sports
Steven Lassan: Alabama
Mitch Light: Alabama
Braden Gall: Alabama
Mark Ross: Alabama
David Fox: A&M
Steven Lassan: Alabama
Mitch Light: Alabama
Braden Gall: Alabama
Mark Ross: Alabama
David Fox: A&M
Posted on 10/15/15 at 2:26 am to TideSaint
WhatIfSports via FoxSports
quote:
No. 10 Alabama vs. No. 9 Texas A&M
And now, we come to the SEC portion of the Top 25 matchups. If Alabama wants a shot at winning its fourth straight SEC West crown, then it needs to win-out. The Aggies have yet to win the SEC or even their division. However, they are off to a great start in 2015. Texas A&M is 5-0 and will play its sixth straight home (or neutral site) game this Saturday. The Crimson Tide are led by junior running back Derrick Henry. His 665 rushing yards are tied with Utah's Devontae Booker at 15th in the nation. In order for Alabama to make the big plays on offense, it will need to find a way to stop A&M's Myles Garrett. The sophomore defensive lineman is tied for fourth in the nation with 7.5 sacks in 2015. The computers like Alabama in a close one. Nick Saban's boys won 54.7 percent of the sims with an average score of 28.4-27.4.
Posted on 10/15/15 at 2:41 am to TideSaint
CBS Sports
quote:
Alabama at Texas A&M (+4.5): There is not a single game on the SEC slate that I'm more excited to watch this week, and I'm nervous the excitement of seeing Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall tee off against Alabama's offensive line -- the positional matchup of the weekend if you ask me -- is clouding my vision for these picks. For Garrett and Hall to do work, they'll first have to stop the run. Alabama, obviously, will try to use Derrick Henry to avoid third and long situations to protect Jake Coker.
I think ultimately this game gets decided by two of the most explosive freshman in the country: Texas A&M's Christian Kirk and Alabama's Calvin Ridley. In a game that I expect to be decided in the 20's, any explosive scoring play will be a total game-changer. Using Arkansas as a model for both teams, I think Alabama controls the game early and Texas A&M charges late. With a line that puts us above a field goal, I'll go against the KFC Watch (Kyle Field Cover Watch, as Texas A&M is 2-7 ATS at home dating back to last season). Pick: Aggies +4.5
Posted on 10/15/15 at 8:02 am to TideSaint
ESPN FPI has TAMU favored:
LINK
quote:
Sharon Katz: If this game were played on a neutral field with all else equal, ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) would give Alabama a 57 percent chance to win. But the game is not at a neutral field -- it is in College Station -- and Texas A&M had an extra week to prepare (game site, distance traveled and rest are factored into FPI's game predictions). Those factors combine to give the Aggies the FPI edge (56 percent chance to win). Many will point to Alabama's 59-0 thrashing of Texas A&M last year, but this is a completely different Texas A&M team with a new quarterback, a revamped defense and a game-changing threat on the outside, wide receiver Christian Kirk. Alabama's defense is elite (No. 1 in FPI's defensive projections), but its offense and quarterback Jake Coker have been inconsistent. Texas A&M has the type of up-tempo, big-play offense that has historically given Alabama problems, so don't be surprised if this game resembles the close ones we saw between these teams in 2012 and 2013.
LINK
Posted on 10/15/15 at 8:58 am to TideSaint
Vegas has them at a -4.5 favorite. They are way smarter than any of these clowns picking the games.
Posted on 10/15/15 at 9:22 am to Mizzou to my Lou
quote:
Vegas has them at a -4.5 favorite. They are way smarter than any of these clowns picking the games.
What if I told you that Vegas lines are not really trying to predict the outcome of games?
Posted on 10/15/15 at 10:04 am to elposter
quote:
What if I told you that Vegas lines are not really trying to predict the outcome of games?
But sometimes they do, and those are the only ones people seem to remember.
Posted on 10/15/15 at 11:26 am to GumpDyke
Ball St. had 38 carries for 240 yards, a 6.3 YPC clip.
TAMU is giving up 4.8 yards per rush attempt.
Vegas probably thinks Kiff will try to throw too much, or this would be a 7-8 point spread.
TAMU is giving up 4.8 yards per rush attempt.
Vegas probably thinks Kiff will try to throw too much, or this would be a 7-8 point spread.
Posted on 10/15/15 at 11:43 am to TideSaint
I don't know what it is but that black dude at BR hates him some Bama.
I'm surprised most aren't picking us, not that it matters.
I'm surprised most aren't picking us, not that it matters.
Posted on 10/15/15 at 3:37 pm to Carolina Tide
You mean Felder? He always picks against Bama.
Posted on 10/15/15 at 4:36 pm to 1BamaRTR
Yeah him. I remember watching coverage of all of them in the days leading up to the Notre Dame game and it seemed like he had nothing positive to say about Alabama.
Posted on 10/16/15 at 1:00 am to Carolina Tide
Phil Steele
quote:
Alabama (-4) over TEXAS A&M: Alabama has won three straight games by an average score of 33-8 following a loss at home to Ole Miss. Texas A&M has a tremendous offense, but its defense still struggles, especially against the run.
Alabama’s strength on offense is the running game and it still has a dominant defense that is allowing just 265 yards per game. Aggies head coach Kevin Sumlin is just 1-6 against the Vegas line off a bye. Roll Tide roll.
Posted on 10/16/15 at 2:02 am to TideSaint
Bleacher Report
quote:
Alabama at Texas A&M
When: Saturday, Oct. 17; 3:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Blake Sims threw three touchdown passes and ran for another in Alabama's 59-0 home win over Texas A&M last October.
What to watch for
Since it joined the SEC in 2012, no matchup has been as full of drama and intrigue for Texas A&M as its games against Alabama. That first year saw the Aggies shock the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa behind Johnny Manziel, and the following year they lost a shootout at home. The 2014 matchup was most notable in that it was the first (and only) time a Kevin Sumlin-coached team has failed to score.
What's in store for the fourth edition of this burgeoning rivalry?
Alabama (5-1, 2-1 SEC) has allowed 24 points in three games since yielding 43 in the home loss to Ole Miss, with its defense making major strides after an underachieving start to the season. The Tide now rank sixth in yards allowed, which is a necessary improvement since the offense continues to turn the ball over with 12 giveaways in the past five games.
The last two SEC foes 'Bama has faced implement a straightforward, pro-style offense, something it's traditionally had no trouble stopping. Spread and uptempo teams (like Ole Miss) are a different story.
Texas A&M (5-0, 2-0) averages 480.4 yards and 39.2 points per game despite being toward the bottom nationally in time of possession because of the speed at which it operates. Quarterback Kyle Allen has 13 TD passes and two rushing scores, while Christian Kirk has established himself as the most explosive freshman in the country with 191.6 all-purpose yards per game as a receiver and return man.
The performance on offense isn't surprising for the Aggies, as that's been a Sumlin staple dating back to his Houston days. What has stood out, though, has been how much better the defense has looked with new coordinator John Chavis calling the plays.
A&M is giving up seven fewer points and 76 fewer yards per game than in 2014, with its defensive line doing great work pressuring quarterbacks and stuffing runners in the backfield. It's still leaky against the run, though, which could be an issue if Alabama decides to go heavy on Derrick Henry like it did two weeks ago against Georgia.
Prediction: Texas A&M 29, Alabama 25
Posted on 10/16/15 at 2:19 am to TideSaint
Bleacher Report also predicted Memphis to beat Ole Miss and LSU to beat Florida.
This post was edited on 10/16/15 at 2:20 am
Posted on 10/16/15 at 4:06 pm to TideSaint
Memphis? 
Memphis??
I know the game is in Memphis and whatever, but still.
Memphis??
I know the game is in Memphis and whatever, but still.
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