COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Top-ranked Alabama looks to put on another offensive show when it visits No. 21 Texas A&M in SEC play on Saturday. The Crimson Tide have scored at least 42 points in every game while averaging 51.8 and their defense will try to halt an Aggies' squad putting up an average of 32.8.
TV: 3:30 ET, CBS. LINE: Alabama -16.5
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Junior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is once again putting up Heisman Trophy-like numbers and has passed for 23 touchdowns, including a school-record six in a 59-31 win over Ole Miss on Sept. 28 that preceded a bye. Junior receiver Donta Smith had a game for the ages against the Rebels by catching a career-best 11 passes for a school-record 274 yards while tying the SEC mark of five touchdown receptions. Alabama coach Nick Saban is expecting a tough game in College Station, Texas, as he referred to the Aggies this way: "This is really a good all-around team. This is going to be a very, very challenging game for us in every way, shape and form." Texas A&M, which is coming off a bye after beating Arkansas, has dropped games to Clemson and Auburn this season.
ABOUT ALABAMA (5-0, 2-0 SEC)
Tagovailoa hasn't been intercepted in 148 attempts while completing 76.4 percent of his passes for 1,718 yards. The left-hander has thrown 16 scoring passes over the past three games and has topped 400 yards in two of the contests. The Crimson Tide are allowing 14.8 points per game but senior linebacker Anfernee Jennings (team-leading three sacks) isn't satisfied, saying "we still have a lot of room to improve, so we're going to attack our weaknesses, get back to work and we're going to fix this."
ABOUT TEXAS A&M (3-2, 1-1)
Junior quarterback Kellen Mond has passed for 1,333 yards and 10 touchdowns while being intercepted four times and has tossed multiple scoring passes three times this season. Jhamon Ausbon has caught 32 passes for 446 yards while fellow junior receiver Quartney Davis (23 catches, 288 yards) has caught a team-best four touchdown passes after hauling in two against Arkansas. Junior cornerback Myles Jones and senior cornerback Roney Elam share the team lead of two interceptions as key players on a unit allowing 17.8 points per game.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Alabama is 9-2 against Texas A&M, including a 4-0 mark at College Station.
2. Crimson Tide junior WR Jerry Jeudy (38 catches for 488 yards and six TDs) has caught at least six passes in each game.
3. The Aggies last defeated Alabama in 2012 when Johnny Manziel guided the team to a 29-24 road victory over the No. 1 Crimson Tide.
PREDICTION: Alabama 45, Texas A&M 23