No. 15 Texas A&M to visit struggling Auburn with SEC title and playoff hopes on the line

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze talks with quarterback Payton Thorne (1) during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Louisiana Monroe, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/ Butch Dill)

No. 15 Texas A&M has one more Southeastern Conference opponent to get through before a potentially huge final game. The Aggies visit Auburn on Saturday, with No. 3 Texas awaiting.

Texas A&M is among the SEC teams in those races who can’t afford another loss. The Aggies are led by dual-threat quarterback Marcel Reed and a strong running game.

The Tigers have to win their final two games to avoid a fourth straight losing season. Quarterback Payton Thorne passed for a career-high five touchdowns last week against Louisiana-Monroe.

Key matchup

Auburn’s running game against Texas A&M’s defense. Jarquez Hunter has already rushed for 1,015 yards with five touchdowns, including a nation’s best 278-yard game against Kentucky. No coincidence that it was the Tigers’ only SEC win, since their passing game has been inconsistent.

The Aggies have only allowed two of their last seven opponents to top 100 rushing yards, including holding LSU to 24 yards on 23 rushes. They have a defensive front led by Shemar Turner and transfer Nic Scourton.

Players to watch

Texas A&M: QB Marcel Reed is 4-1 as a starter. He has passed for 1,129 yards and nine touchdowns against two interceptions. He has run for 375 yards and six scores.

Auburn: QB Payton Thorne has been up and down this season but passed for a career-high five touchdowns in a 48-14 win over Louisiana-Monroe. Thorne has only three TD passes over his last four SEC games, though.

Facts & figures

The Aggies have won three of the last four meetings, including a 27-10 home win last season. … Texas A&M has allowed just 37 tackles for loss this season, leading the SEC and ranking fifth nationally. … Auburn is fourth nationally with 14 pass plays of at least 40 yards. … The Tigers had their first penalty-free game since at least 1996 against Louisiana-Monroe. They’re averaging a league-low 5.40 penalties per game. Only seven other FBS teams have had games without a penalty this season.

Kickoff for No. 15 Texas A&M (8-2, 5-1 SEC, No. 15) at Auburn (4-6, 1-5), is Saturday at 6:30PM CST on ESPN.

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