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No. 4 Texas A&M (6-0, 3-0 SEC) will hit the road for the first time in SEC play to take on Arkansas (2-4, 1-2 SEC), as the Aggies have not played in Fayetteville since the 2013 season, and have not lost to the Razorbacks since the 2021 campaign. Texas A&M is the better overall team, but Arkansas interim head coach Bobby Petrino is still one of the best offensive play-callers in the country.
Aided by senior quarterback Taylen Green, who has already thrown for over 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns, while rushing for over 500 yards, Texas A&M’s defense, which has played at an elite level over the past three games, will be tested, especially in the secondary.
The Aggie offense has also been a consistent threat, averaging over 400 yards per game, aided by starting quarterback Marcel Reed’s improvement as a passer, primarily due to transfer wide receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver. Still, Texas A&M’s rushing attack will be without senior running back Le’Veon Moss, who is dealing with an ankle injury, so Rueben Owens, Amari Daniels, and freshman Jamarion Morrow will need to carry the load in the backfield collectively.
Nationally, Texas A&M is considered a touchdown favorite, 7.5 points to be exact, over the Razorbacks, mainly due to the Aggies’ No. 4 ranking and Arkansas’s poor defense. However, with this being Texas A&M’s second road game since defeating Notre Dame in South Bend, the Aggies will likely be on upset alert if the defense does not shut down the Razorbacks early.
USA TODAY Sports’ prediction for Texas A&M vs. Arkansas in Week 8
On Thursday, USA TODAY Sports’ team of college football experts revealed their weekly picks and predictions for every top 25 matchup in Week 8, while Texas A&M vs. Arkansas, which isn’t widely considered one of the top matchups, could end up being the game of the weekend.
Out of the six analysts listed (Eddie Timanus, Paul Myerberg, Matt Hayes, Blake Toppmeyer, Erick Smith, and Jordan Mendoza), only Matt Hayes believes that the Razorbacks will pull off the upset. If it weren’t for potentially rainy conditions, Texas A&M would likely be an even larger favorite.
Texas A&M has not lost in Fayetteville since the 1988 season. While Arkansas is looking to right the ship and attempt to reach bowl game eligibility, the Aggies have much larger postseason goals and need to leave Fayetteville with a win.
Texas A&M vs. Arkansas will kick off at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, and will air on ESPN.
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