Texas A&M (2-1) may not be completely removed from its 48-33 loss to Miami; as they say, time heals all, and after blowing out UL Monroe 47-3 last Saturday, Jimbo Fisher’s squad at least exercised some demons ahead of hosting Auburn this Saturday afternoon to open SEC play.
Unsurprisingly, sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman stole the show once again, throwing for 337 yards and a touchdown with dead-set accuracy, hitting 25/29 of his targets for a nearly record-setting 86% completion rate. With wide receiver Evan Stewart out, Ainias Smith (7 rec, 127 yards) and Jahdae Walker (5 rec, 110 yards, 1 TD) showed up and showed out, while the Aggies’ up-and-down defense held the Warhawks to three points and only 95 passing yards (all in the first half).
Looking to get off to a hot start against an Auburn team looking to pull an SEC upset, this game is vital from a momentum perspective and perhaps Jimbo Fisher’s long-term future at the helm.
Providing several key storylines and five players to watch ahead of the game, Our Staff have made our predictions ahead of Saturday’s showdown.
Cameron Ohnysty, Managing Editor
“Under first-year head coach Hugh Freeze, the Tiger’s identity is still unknown, but with an experienced defense that will look to pressure Weigman early while challenging him in the passing game, the Aggies will have their hands full but still hold the advantage on offense by a large margin.
Defensively, the Aggies’ showed more effort and physicality compared to their lackadaisical showing against Miami, and even though the pass rusher was still an issue, defensive end Shemar Turner has begun to find his footing after recording this third sack in three games.
Conner Weigman’s recent press conference appearance in which he discussed last year’s ugly loss to Auburn and what he has learned since has eased the mind of most Aggie fans who are still hesitant to believe that things will turn around. Suppose the Aggies’ offensive line holds, and The Payton Thorne/Robby Ashford combination is at least managed defensively. In that case, I’m giving Texas A&M the nod and a solid first showing to defend home turf and send a message to the rest of the SEC West.”
Final score: Texas A&M 31, Auburn 24
Pete Hernandez, Staff Writer:
“The Aggies mustered just 215 yards of offense with four turnovers generated between these two teams late last season. Thankfully, both of these teams look improved to start 2023, which means we should expect a highly competitive game.
While I believe A&M has the QB advantage with Conner Weigman playing arguably the best ball in the SEC, that’s not to say the Tigers will roll over easily. In particular, I think the tandem of Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford could at least give the Aggies some trouble, namely the latter. Ashford flashed his ability to make some plays with his legs, which I think spells trouble for A&M on the edge as they have easily given up contain on numerous occasions.
Texas A&M has too much talent and an innovative play-caller in Bobby Petrino, which means they should win their first SEC matchup of the season. Just don’t expect it to be a blowout win, and there’s a chance that the Aggies could fail to cover the spread.”
Final score: Texas A&M 30, Auburn 23
Jarrett Johnson, Staff Writer:
“After a poor offensive outing last year, I expect a much-improved showing. Conner Weigman has been hitting on all cylinders with Bobby Petrino and the wideouts. The Aggies will extend their 30-point-scoring streak to four games this season, putting up 37 points with another strong day through the air.
I do believe the defense will struggle again; however, I’m convinced DJ Durkin will make some scheme tweaks for this game. Between Auburn QB Payton Throne and RB, Damari Alston will give Aggie’s front seven a lot to think about in the ground. They cannot have the same type of performance as week two and must show that improvements have been made in the past 14 days.
I made this game a little bit closer than my original prediction, but I am still trying to find the balance between how much the offense can carry this team while the defense figures things out against level competition. However, the Aggies will still win, and Kyle Field can breathe a sigh of relief for one more week.”
Final score: Texas A&M 37, Auburn 30
Texas A&M will host the Auburn Tigers at Kyle Field on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 11:00 a.m., where it will air on ESPN.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.