Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1) came in at No. 14 and the second team out in the first College Football Playoff projections, ahead of No. 15 LSU and right below No. 12 SMU, as the Aggies are in a great position to finish out the year strong and earn one of the final playoff spots.
After losing to South Carolina in Week 10, most in the national media jumped off the Aggie bandwagon, which began with A&M’s 38-23 win over LSU in one of the more memorable comebacks in program history, vaulting the Aggies to No. 10 in the AP Poll before dropping to No. 15 after falling to the Gamecocks.
Amid the second bye week of the season, head coach Mike Elko is now dealing with the season-ending injury to star running back Le’Veon Moss, meaning junior back Amari Daniels and senior EJ Smith will now become the primary running backs for the final three games.
According to ESPN FPI, here are the latest predictions for New Mexico State, Auburn (on the road), and the season finale vs. Texas.
Texas A&M vs. New Mexico State
Date: Nov. 16
Location: College Station, Kyle Field
ESPN Matchup Predictor: 99.0% chance Texas A&M wins
Nothing has changed here. However, how Elko uses the new and very thin running back rotation will be interesting, as the hope is that the passing game can produce some early scores to keep Amari Daniels and EJ Smith from having to endure unnecessary snaps.
Texas A&M at Auburn
Date: Nov. 23
Location: Jordan-Hare Stadium
ESPN Matchup Predictor: 61.8% chance Texas A&M wins
Texas A&M’s chances to defeat Auburn on the road in Week 14 slightly decreased after the news that RB Le’Veon Moss will miss the rest of the season, but Auburn isn’t South Carolina, so I’ll still give the Aggies the nod.
For more Auburn news and analysis, visit Auburn Wire.
Texas A&M vs. Texas
Date: Nov. 30
Location: College Station, Kyle Field
ESPN Matchup Predictor: 24.7% chance to win
Texas A&M’s chance to defend its home turf and defeat rival Texas dropped nearly six points after losing to South Carolina and Moss’s injury, which isn’t surprising. How the Aggies perform in the next two games will likely determine this matchup.
For more Texas news and analysis, visit Longhorns Wire.
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