COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M is trying to work its way back into the rankings and swept the state of Mississippi in its last two games, setting itself up for a stretch run that includes the next two games at home. The Aggies will try to make it three straight wins when they step out of SEC play for a week and host Texas-San Antonio in their final non-conference contest.
TV: Noon ET, SEC Network. LINE: Texas A&M -38.5
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Texas A&M, which closes the regular season with games at Georgia and at LSU, suffered all three of its losses at the hands of top-10 opponents - Clemson, Auburn and Alabama - but has yet to lose to an unranked opponent and earned a 24-17 victory at Ole Miss before blasting Mississippi State 49-30 at home last week. "Starts with practice," Aggies quarterback Kellen Mond told reporters. "In the past three, four weeks, I would say, we've taken a leap in practice in being more demanding and wanting to be great in practice. So just being able to start from that and go on to the games, it's really good for us. And we're looking forward to continuing that." Texas A&M forced three turnovers without committing one in the win over the Bulldogs and is looking to keep the turnover differential in its favor moving forward. The Roadrunners are tied for 106th in FBS in turnover differential at minus-4 but forced four while committing one en route to a 31-27 home victory over Rice in their last game on Oct. 19.
ABOUT TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO (3-4)
Roadrunners quarterback Lowell Narcisse enjoyed his best game last week since taking over as the starter on Oct. 5 and threw a pair of touchdown passes among 19 completions for 212 yards. “I thought that he managed the game extremely well,” UTSA coach Frank Wilson told reporters of Narcisse. “He got us in the right plays at the right time. I thought he was accurate in passing when we gave him time. I thought he moved off his launch point at times to buy time and still was able to complete some passes. His development is ever going on. I think he gets better with each game, and I think he’ll only continue to improve.” Narcisse is an asset in the running game as well and owns 385 rushing yards and three TDs on the ground.
ABOUT TEXAS A&M (5-3)
Mond enjoyed his best game of the season against Mississippi State last week, when he threw for 234 yards and three TDs and added yards and a pair of scores on the ground. “We give him a lot of freedom,” Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher told reporters of Mond. “He has the ability to distribute the ball based on the coverage or the leverage of how we go into a game plan. We may call it to him and the coverage not be right; we’re working over here. I mean, he has the ability to do that. And he’s really understanding how in his leverages, his matchups. And he keeps growing as a quarterback.” Mond is second on the team in rushing yards behind freshman Isaiah Spiller (450), who ran for a score in three of the last four contests.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Aggies DL Justin Madubuike was named a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, presented annually to the defensive player of the year.
2. The Roadrunners rank fourth in Conference USA with an average of 180.1 rushing yards.
3. Mond is one of four FBS QBs with at least 6,000 career passing yards and 1,000 career rushing yards.
PREDICTION: Texas A&M 42, UTSA 17