Both coming off close losses last week, Texas A&M football and Florida clash in Gainesville in Week 7. Here’s how to watch the game.
Texas A&M is coming off a shockingly close loss to Alabama last week, 27-19. They played hard and strong for four straight quarters and stood toe-to-toe with the top team in the nation. The Aggie defense stood strong, despite a few blown coverages, and found a way to stop a streaking Tide offense.
The Aggies head to Gainesville on Saturday night for their first true road contest since the embarrassing loss to UCLA. Awaiting them is the Florida Gators and their less than stellar alternate uniforms.
The Gators are 3-2 overall, with losses to LSU and Michigan. They have question marks all over the field, especially at quarterback- where they are torn between two starters. Their defense has stood strong, for the most part, but will be put to the test against Texas A&M, led by true freshman Kellen Mond.
Here is how you can watch the matchup.
Date: Saturday October 14
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Gainesville, Florida
Venue: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
TV: ESPN2
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Keys to Victory
This game is a must win for Florida to stay alive in the race for the SEC East, especially sitting behind the soaring Georgia Bulldogs. To win on Saturday, they will have to shut down Christian Kirk as well as Keith Ford. If the Gators can take away the Aggies offensive weapons, they have a huge chance to find success.
The Florida offensive line will also have their hands full with the likes of Landis Durham, Zaycoven Henderson, Armani Watts and Tyrel Dodson. Quarterback Feleipe Franks will have to find a way to connect to his weapons and avoiding the pressure of the Aggie defense.
For the Aggies to win, they will need to move the ball down the field with strength and authority. They will need a strong performance from Kellen Mond, much like the performance he put together against Alabama. Christian Kirk and Keith Ford will need to have the strength they’ve had recently, putting the Florida defense on ice.
The Aggie defense will need to play all four quarters, pressuring Franks and forcing him to throw quickly. They can’t give him time in the pocket, they must pressure him just like they did Austin Allen and Jalen Hurts.
Prediction
This game is an important one for both teams, coming off losses to Alabama and LSU respectively. The team that establishes their run game early and often will likely come out victorious for this one. The winner will also need to get strong defensive penetration and pressure for four straight quarters.
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My prediction? This is an Aggie win, but it is a close one. The defense gets four sacks on the game and Armani Watts adds another interception to his resume. Florida quarterback Felipe Franks connects for two touchdowns, but it is not enough to come out victorious.
Final Score: Florida 14 Texas A&M 17