How to watch Texas A&M vs. Arkansas: Game guide, TV/streaming, odds

It’s an old Southwest Conference showdown on new conference turf when Texas A&M and Arkansas square off Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Before the season started, most pundits and fans in SEC country didn’t have this game marked as a must-see event. The Razorbacks were coming off a winless conference campaign in 2013, and the Aggies were expected to take a big step back after losing quarterback Johnny Manziel to the NFL. Instead, A&M is unbeaten and ranked in the top 10 and Arkansas is on a three-game winning streak with a devastating ground game.

It’s a contest between teams the media picked to finish sixth and seventh in the division, and both should have a real impact on the chase for the 2014 SEC title. That proves one thing: The SEC West is easily the best division in college football.

Game time: 3:30 p.m. ET

TV: CBS (Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson, Allie LaForce)

Radio: Texas A&M; Arkansas

Online streaming: SEC Live

Rankings and records: At 3-0, Texas A&M enters the game ranked sixth in the AP Top 25 and seventh in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Arkansas is 2-1 and receiving votes in both polls. The Razorbacks lead the all-time series, 41-26-3.

Vegas: Texas A&M opened as a 12.5-point favorite, and that number has dropped to 9.5 or 10 at most sportsbooks. The over/under is set at 71.5.

Weather forecast: Partly cloudy, with a high of 90 and a low of 67, but that won’t matter much since this is at Jerry World.

It’s a divisional game between two teams in college football’s toughest division, the SEC West. Aside from nationally relevant rivalry games, the stakes don’t get a whole lot higher.

If Arkansas pulls this one off, it’ll be a clear sign that Bret Bielema’s Razorbacks will be a player in the conference race, this year and in the future.

Texas A&M’s front seven vs. Arkansas’ run game

The Aggies want to go fast and, more often that not, move the ball through the air. The Hogs want to take as much time as possible and run the ball down A&M’s throat. If Arkansas is allowed to have its way on offense, an upset could be brewing.

If Texas A&M has miscues on offense or if Arkansas’ pass defense steps up, the pressure will really be on the maroon-and-white defense. Against Texas Tech’s air raid attack, Arkansas was able to use its ground game to match the Red Raiders score for score. And then when Tech ran into offensive issues, it spelled doom for the team. Arkansas was able to take the lead, then take over the game and slowly grind the Raiders into the dirt. Texas A&M is a much better team than Texas Tech, but the Ags’ rush defense needs to come up with some stops to take the pressure off their offense.

For all things Aggies, visit Good Bull Hunting. For more on the Razorbacks, check out Arkansas Fight. SEC coverage is available at Team Speed Kills.