2. Florida at Texas A&M
LINE: Florida -6.5
ATS PICK: Florida
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
This isn’t how you’re supposed to do this, but …
Do you really trust Texas A&M to do anything great in a really, really big game?
Forgetting for a moment that the offense never got going in the 17-12 win over Vanderbilt, and the defense was knocked out in the 1st round against Alabama in last week’s 52-24 win, when was the last time this program really game through in a massive showdown?
Against the spread, it was able to play stall-ball long enough to cover agains Clemson last year, but …
Assuming Vanderbilt this year isn’t going to rise up and rock, the last time Texas A&M beat an SEC team that finished with a winning record was that wacky gajillion overtime 74-72 thing over LSU at the end of 2018.
The Aggies were able to hang around and lose by six at Georgia last year, and it didn’t get obliterated in an 28-20 loss at Auburn, but this program under Jimbo Fisher simply isn’t shocking the world.
The passing game will work against Florida. Ole Miss and South Carolina were able to throw on the Gator secondary without a problem, but the other side of the ball is the issue.
Florida QB Kyle Trask isn’t there with Joe Burrow’s early two-game 2019 pace yardage-wise, but in two games against SEC teams – Burrow got a tune-up against Georgia Southern – he has throw one more TD pass than the Heisman-winner had last year at this point.
A&M doesn’t have the pass rush to get to Trask, the secondary has allowed 293 yards per game in the first two, and you’re asking Kellen Mond and company to keep up with what’s turning into an offensive juggernaut.
Florida’s last nine SEC wins have all been by more than a touchdown. The two losses in that bunch? Last year to LSU and Georgia.
2020 Texas A&M isn’t 2019 LSU or Georgia.
And now, to close with a totally irresponsible and reckless call …