College Football Odds: SEC Week 8 picks against the spread
Oct 17, 2015; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Kyle Allen (10) attempts a pass during the first quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
- Date: Saturday October 24, 2015
- Time: 7PM Eastern
- Location: Oxford, MS
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Spread: Ole Miss -5
- Over/Under Total: 66
The biggest matchup of the week in the SEC, and the only that features a pair of ranked opponents, features two teams that struggled mightily a week ago.
Texas A&M threw four interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns, in a 41-23 loss to Alabama a week ago that wasn’t even as close as the final score would show. The Aggies fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter and 28-6 in the second, and even when they pulled to within one score early in the third quarter, the outcome never really appeared to be in doubt. A&M couldn’t run the football (32 yards on 25 carries) and couldn’t stop the run (258 yards on 45 Alabama carries, including 236 yards and two touchdowns from Derrick Henry).
Of course, Ole Miss suffered a similar fate. Despite a perfect trap game scenario, which included an 11 AM kickoff on the road, the Rebels stormed to a 14-0 lead in the first six minutes of the first quarter against Memphis, but were completely dominated the rest of the day and lost 37-24. The Rebels’ Landshark defense, already thin because of injuries to stars Tony Conner and C.J. Johnson, lost defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche after the All-American candidate suffered a concussion playing running back.
Nkemdiche is expected to play against Texas A&M, as is safety Trae Elston, who was also banged up, and Johnson may be back, too – but the Rebels will have their hands full Saturday in Oxford with Kyle Allen, Christian Kirk and the Aggies.
Texas A&M has allowed 195.1 rushing yards per game this season, which is the third worst mark in the SEC behind South Carolina and Auburn, and is the biggest issue for an Aggies defense that has made strides this year but is still far from perfect. However, Ole Miss has struggled to run the football effectively against SEC defenses and gained just 40 yards on the ground last week against Memphis.
With Chad Kelly at quarterback and wideout Laquon Treadwell coming off a career-best 14-reception performance in which he had 144 receiving yards and a touchdown (and threw a TD on a trick play), the Rebels have the SEC’s best passing offense, but A&M has the league’s top pass-rushing duo in Garrett and Hall. Expect the Aggies to make life difficult for an Ole Miss offensive line that has struggled to protect the QB all season (Kelly has been sacked 12 times), even with (a probably rusty) Laremy Tunsil back in the lineup after missing the first seven games of the season.
Next: New Mexico State at Florida