Saturday, October 31, 2020, Kyle Field, Bryan-College Station, Texas, 7:30 p.m. ET
Razorbacks at Aggies Betting Preview: Razorbacks (+12), Aggies (-12)
Arkansas Razorbacks
After going winless in conference play the last two seasons, the Razorbacks (2-2, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) already have notched two league wins and should have a third had it not been for an officiating error in their loss at Auburn.
Their defense ranks fourth in the conference in allowing 25.5 points a game, and the Hogs are tied with LSU in the SEC in turnover margin. Their 10 interceptions helps get them to plus-6 in turnover margin for the year.
The bad news is that cornerback Jerry Jacobs opted out of the season’s remaining six games and declared for the NFL draft. Jacobs became the fourth Arkansas player to opt out, joining defensive back Jarques McClellion, offensive lineman Chibueze Nwanna and receiver Shamar Nash.
The Hogs hope to get Montaric Brown back in the secondary, however. Brown started 10 games last year and picked off a pass in the opener against Georgia. Defensive end Dorian Gerald, who has been out since the season opener, also could return.
“We still have a couple of guys who are still on the iffy side,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. “Maybe they’ll be ready, but we’re certainly — besides the guys who had season-ending injuries — we’re certainly going to be as healthy as we’ve been since the first game.”
Texas A&M Aggies
The No. 8 Aggies (3-1, 3-1 SEC) haven’t let the 52-24 beatdown at Alabama ruin their season and they will take a two-game winning streak into their meeting with the Razorbacks after notching wins over Florida and Mississippi State.
But coach Jimbo Fisher’s team will be up against not only a familiar foe that dates back to their Southwest Conference days but a team on the rise when the Razorbacks visit.
“It’s like somebody at the park, that guy that beats your brains in every day and he’s kicking your tail and you learn how to compete against him, you learn what he does, how to beat him,” A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. “Arkansas and A&M have played for so many years, they know each other so well, and it means a lot to the alums and everybody else that it becomes that game.”
The Aggies are hoping to get a boost in their passing game if receiver Hezekiah Jones is cleared to play. He missed all of 2019 and has yet to play this year after having Achilles surgery. He had 15 receptions for 134 yards as a sophomore in 2018 and also played in 12 games as a freshman in 2017.
Kellen Mond is having a solid season. He has completed 61.5 percent of his passes for 984 yards (246.0 per game average) with nine touchdowns against two interceptions. Isaiah Spiller has averaged 107.5 yards a game rushing.
Razorbacks at Aggies Betting Pick for October 31, 2020
Both teams have had an extra week to prepare for this one after having an open date last week. This will be the first time since a meeting in Fayetteville in 2013 that the two will be playing at a campus site. The last six meetings have been in Arlington, Texas, at AT&T Stadium, the Dallas Cowboys home. The Aggies have won the last eight meetings.
Razorbacks at Aggies Betting Pick:
Aggies 28, Razorbacks 20
Razorbacks at Aggies Best Bet for October 31, 2020
Linebacker Grant Morgan is coming off a huge game in Arkansas’ last outing with 19 tackles (3.0 for losses with a sack), two passes broken up and an interception return for a touchdown in the 33-21 win over Ole Miss. A&M’s Mond cooled a bit his last outing after plus 300-yard passing games against Alabama and Florida with only 139 yards passing in the Aggies’ win at Mississippi State.
Razorbacks at Aggies Best Bet: UNDER 62.5
