The Saturday afternoon contest features two SEC teams with playoff aspirations and plenty of bad blood. That’s when the No. 3-ranked Texas A&M Aggies (8-0, 5-0 SEC) head to Missouri to take on the No. 22-ranked Tigers (6-2, 2-2 SEC) in one of college football’s best games this weekend.
Texas A&M has been the SEC’s darling this year. The Aggies survived their early-season contest against Notre Dame, winning by a single point. Their only other scare since has been a 45-42 victory over Arkansas in mid-October.
After jumping out to a 5-0 start, Missouri’s schedule got a lot tougher. The Tigers fell at home against Alabama, and Vanderbilt held off Missouri two weeks later. A third loss in the SEC would likely eliminate the Tigers from playoff contention this season.
Can the Tigers keep their postseason dreams alive? We’ll cover that and provide bettors with our favorite player props for this SEC contest.
The Aggies use multiple running backs and their quarterback to run the football. Their leading rusher is sophomore Rueben Owens II. The 5-foot-11 running back has netted 440 yards on 78 carries, scoring three times thus far for Texas A&M.
Missouri makes life tough for opposing runners. The Tigers will pack the box, holding all but two SEC opposing running backs to under five yards per rushing attempt. Despite Owens receiving double-digit carries in most outings, bettors should take the under on this player prop.
Senior wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. is having another strong campaign for Missouri. The 5-foot-11 wideout has 51 receptions for 558 yards and one score thus far, but he’s posted more than 60 yards in three of his past four games.
With the Aggies’ stout run defense, opponents have been forced to air it out against Texas A&M. That’s why bettors should have confidence that Coleman will cover his receiving prop total on Saturday, finishing with at least 50 yards in this contest.
Although he’s not a household name, Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed will soon be on NFL scouts’ lists. The mobile signal-caller has thrown for 1,972 yards and 17 touchdowns this season, and he’s rushed for 349 yards and six scores for the Aggies.
While Texas A&M focuses on running the football, don’t discount Reed’s ability to find open targets in the passing game. He’s finished above the 230-yard mark four times thus far, and the Aggies aren’t afraid to turn him loose. Expect A&M to do that on Saturday, and he’ll cover his passing prop bet total against the Tigers.
Both Texas A&M and Missouri have strong defensive foundations. Still, opponents are averaging 28 points per game against the Aggies over their last three contests, and the Tigers have surrendered at least 17 points in consecutive contests.
While logic would suggest this should be a gritty, low-scoring contest, individuals should expect the opposite. Both teams are coming off bye weeks, giving their coaches ample opportunity to scheme against their opposing defenses. The final in this contest will at least surpass 50 total points.