After clinching the SEC East for the third-straight season on the Plains of Auburn, the Georgia Bulldogs will play host to the Texas A&M Aggies in Sanford Stadium on Saturday.
What’s at stake?
Oh you know, just the ability to keep playoff hopes alive, stay in the Top 4 and get a win on senior day in Athens.
Jimbo Fisher and company are desperate for a big-time win, after going 0-3 in their biggest games of the season so far.
We don’t expect Texas A&M to upset Georgia on Saturday, but we do think it has the ability to keep it close.
Below, you will find 5 reasons the Aggies make it a close game and potentially cover.
1. Kellen Mond
If there’s one thing Texas A&M does well, it’s passing the ball. The Aggies average 2 touchdowns through the air per game, which is good for No. 36 in the nation.
Junior quarterback Kellen Mond has lit up the scoreboard with 2,345 yards passing and 18 touchdowns to his 6 interceptions. Of course, these aren’t Joe Burrow or Justin Fields type numbers, but they are still very good.
In addition, Mond’s production only slightly drops off against top competition. The Junior is averaging a 59.4% completion rate against AP Top 25 teams, which is not bad considering who the Aggies have played.
Saturday will be a wet one in Athens, but don’t sleep on Mond, who could very easily turn this game around. Of course, the junior also has 400 yards rushing on the season and can use his running abilities to make a difference on this game, even in poor passing conditions.
2. Jimbo Fisher
Fisher may not be Saban or Swinney, but he didn’t receive a life-changing contract from Texas A&M for nothing. It will take some time and a more favorable schedule, but we fully expect the former Florida State head coach to turn things around in College Station.
Now, as for Saturday’s game? Fisher has a history of getting lucky with the Seminoles and even in a 7OT game against LSU last season.
The Aggies will need some luck on Saturday and Fisher’s proven success in winning a national championship at Florida State and back-to-back ACC titles has to mean something, right?
3. It’s About Time The Aggies Win A Big One
Texas A&M came into the season ranked in the Top 15, with lofty expectations on the year. Though the schedule is one of the toughest in the country, the Aggies failed to pick up a much-needed win at home vs. Auburn in September and it might come back to bite them in bowl scheduling.
Texas A&M is far from terrible at 7-3, but the Aggies have fallen to all three ranked opponents they’ve faced this season and none of the games were particularly close.
Is Saturday finally the game where the team on a four-game win streak gets the job done against a highly ranked opponent?
Statistics have taught us that a team cannot be due, but it sure does feel like it’s now or never for Texas A&M, with Georgia potentially looking ahead to rivalry week and the SEC Championship after a huge win over Auburn.
4. The Rain
Just like the Kentucky game, this one won’t be a record breaker in any way. Georgia will be forced to abandon its go-to options in the passing game if the forecast holds up, causing a run-heavy attack on the Aggies’ defense.
While the rain might actually favor the Bulldogs, it could cause Georgia to be too reliant on its run-game, which as we’ve seen against strong teams, has caused significant trouble.
Fromm and company have done a much better job at keeping turnovers to a minimum since South Carolina, but will Swift and Herrien be enough on Saturday?
We know limiting Kellen Mond is key, but keep in mind the Texas A&M quarterback is much more mobile than Fromm, giving the Aggies a likely advantage at quarterback in a rain-soaked game.
In addition, that might play a factor on the special teams, specifically Jake Camarda and Rodrigo Blankenship. The two Bulldog specialists are key pieces to Georgia’s team at the moment and any weather-related problems shutting down the special teams will be a substantial loss in the contest.
No. 5 Texas A&M’s Special Teams
The Aggies may not be the best in the country at returning kickoffs (89) but they are very good at returning punts (14) and better than the Bulldogs at both.
If Texas A&M wants to have a shot at the upset on Saturday, it’s going to have to take advantage of its explosiveness in the return game, even if it means an extra two or three yards on average compared to Georgia.
The Aggies will need all the yards they can get and ultimately, we don’t expect them to come away with a victory on Saturday, but it certainly can happen.
I’m predicting a 31-14 Georgia win, but given the conditions, what lies ahead and Texas A&M’s strong finish to the season, I could totally see it pulling off the upset with a solid performance.
