Alabama Football: Post-Spring game-by-game predictions for 2019

Since Johnny Manziel ran wild in Tuscaloosa in 2012, Alabama has captured the last six meetings against Texas A&M, but this might be the toughest game on the Crimson Tide’s schedule in 2019. Kyle Field is one of the toughest places to play in college football and the 12th man is sure to be rocking with a likely undefeated Alabama team invading College Station.

Since the Aggies joined the SEC, Alabama has played in College Station three times. Alabama has won all three meetings, but two of the three games have been decided by a single possession. This could very well be the third, and will provide a very good mid-season test for the Crimson Tide as they look to get back to the College Football Playoff for the sixth consecutive season.

Jimbo Fisher’s first season at Texas A&M was a success, with the Aggies coming away with nine wins. His success on the recruiting trail in particular has the future looking bright in Aggieland, but A&M might still be a year away from seriously challenging in the SEC West. That doesn’t mean they couldn’t pull off the upset here, though. Remember that they narrowly missed upsetting Clemson at Kyle Field last September.

Junior quarterback Kellen Mond gave Alabama a lot of issues with his dual-threat ability a year ago, and he should take another step forward after another offseason working with Fisher. A&M also has a lot of talented wide receivers, and this game will be the biggest litmus test for how improved Alabama’s secondary is from a season ago.

I expect this to be a close game, but also the moment where Tua Tagovailoa shakes off the criticism for his perceived struggles in big games, and he makes a couple of plays down the stretch that lifts Alabama to a narrow victory.

Pick: Alabama 38, Texas A&M 31

Record: 6-0 (3-0)