Idaho @ Texas A&M preview
Kyle Field
THE STORY: No. 9 Texas A&M has been officially accepted into the Southeastern Conference since it last played, and the Aggies are likely looking at this game as a tune-up for next week’s showdown with No. 7 Oklahoma State. The University of Idaho’s enrollment of 11,370 wouldn’t fill one-sixth of Texas A&M's Kyle Field, so the Vandals are in for quite the road trip. This is the first of three tough games for Idaho, which faces Fresno State at home and Virginia on the road in the next two weeks. This is the first meeting between the two schools.
TV: FSN. LINE: Texas A&M -35.5
ABOUT IDAHO (1-1): After a disappointing 32-15 home loss to Bowling Green to open the season, the Vandals got back on track with a 44-14 blowout of North Dakota last week. Senior quarterback Brian Reader leads the offense with 476 passing yards and six touchdowns. The majority of Reader’s targets go toward wideouts Mike Scott and Armauni Johnson, who have combined for 25 receptions. Idaho is 0-17 all-time against ranked opponents and 0-5 against Big 12 teams, losing by an average of 28 points.
ABOUT TEXAS A&M (1-0): The Aggies defeated SMU 46-14 in their opener before an off week, when they were able to spend their time watching the Big 12 Conference collapse around them. Led by senior quarterback Ryan Tannehill, the Aggies have scored 40 or more points four times in their last seven regular season games, a sign that the offense has found its way under Mike Sherman. Texas A&M has been dominant at home against non-conference opponents with a 67-10 record since 1980.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Texas A&M’s five offensive linemen have an average weight of 307.8 pounds, the heaviest unit in school history.
2. The Aggies are 1-5 after an off week under Sherman.
3. Idaho is 1-10 since 2000 in road openers, losing by an average of 29 points.
PREDICTION: Texas A&M 42, Idaho 7 - The Aggies have playmakers at every position who the Vandals won’t have an answer for, so Texas A&M should be able to rest its starters in preparation for Oklahoma State.