Three weeks after throttling South Carolina in the season opener, No. 6 Texas A&M makes it second road trip of the early season with a visit to SMU Saturday. Kickoff from Gerald J. Ford Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN2.
How to Watch Texas A&M vs. SMU: Game time, TV schedule, live online streaming and more
Both of these programs are in Texas. That’s about all they have in common at the moment.
Bob Levey
Any concern over Texas A&M's offense after the departure of Johnny Manziel has long since been forgotten. The Aggies are fourth nationally in points per game, averaging 54 in wins over South Carolina, Lamar, and Rice. Sophomore quarterback Kenny Hill already has completed 69 percent of his attempts for nearly 1,100 yards passing and 11 touchdowns. More importantly, he has yet to throw an interception. A&M's rushing game has been largely nonexistent, but also largely unnecessary.
On the other end of the spectrum, SMU is in shambles. Coach June Jones abruptly quit after a 37-point Week 2 loss to North Texas. The Mustangs are last in the nation in scoring and rushing offense, 124th in scoring defense, and 108th in passing offense. Interim coach Tom Mason told his team that it had “hit the bottom” and would now try to rebound. He might want to wait until next week, though.
How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: ABC/ESPN2
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Our sites on these teams
The numbers
Rankings and records: Texas A&M is undefeated at 3-0 and ranked No. 6. SMU is winless and unranked.
Vegas: Texas A&M is a 33.5-point favorite and moving higher, having opened at -28. The over/under is set at 61.5.
Weather forecast: Clear and hot, with gametime temperatures near 90 degrees.
Two things at stake
A&M faces one of the nation’s toughest schedules, beginning next week against Arkansas. The momentum from the South Carolina win and an unblemished early non-conference slate could push them through early games against Arkansas, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss before an Oct. 18 date in Tuscaloosa.
For SMU, it’s another opportunity for a win in the state of Texas. The Mustangs play their first four games against Lone Star State opponents and have a fifth against Houston in November. Their best chance for a win was likely against North Texas two weeks ago -- they lost 43-6 -- but Mason could start his head coaching tenure with a bang Saturday.
One big matchup
Kenny Hill vs. Sam Durley: On Sept. 1, 2012, Eureka (Ill.) quarterback Sam Durley threw for 736 yards in a game, setting an all-time single-game record for passing yardage. Given SMU’s general ineptitude so far, that record could be in jeopardy Saturday.
Further reading
Check out the excellent Good Bull Hunting for more A&M coverage. Underdog Dynasty has SMU, and the rest of college football’s mid-majors, covered.
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