Rice @ Texas A&M preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2013 ) Rice 31, Texas A&M 52

Rice had an extra week to prepare for Saturday's trip to No. 8 Texas A&M and coach David Bailiff knows his Owls will have their hands full against the "explosive" Aggies. "It looks like they have all the pieces offensively," Bailiff said during his Monday press conference. "No one wants an open week that early, but I think we took advantage of it and we'll see some benefits from it." The Aggies are ranked third nationally in scoring (62.5 points) and second in total offense (655 yards) after lopsided wins against South Carolina and Lamar.

Texas A&M's defense has also been strong, recording six sacks and holding both opponents under 100 yards rushing. Coach Kevin Sumlin warned his team not to overlook a Rice team that gave the Aggies trouble last year with its play-action passing and has Bailiff's strong defensive background. "There's nothing in that program that says they will be the least bit intimidated to come in and play us," Sumlin told the media Monday. "We will get their best shot."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: Texas A&M -31.5

ABOUT RICE (0-1): Driphus Jackson threw for 163 yards and rushed for a career-high 61 yards in a 48-17 loss to Notre Dame, where the Owls averaged 15.1 yards per completion. Dennis Parks and Darik Dillard each had three catches while the Owls were without returning starter Jordan Taylor (foot). Cornerback Bryce Callahan ranks third among active FBS players with 11 career interceptions after grabbing three last year for Rice.

ABOUT TEXAS A&M (2-0): Kenny Hill has completed 70.9 percent of his passes for 794 yards and seven touchdowns and is benefiting from the offseason competition with freshman Kyle Allen. Trey Williams has run for a team-high 132 yards and two scores while Malcome Kennedy leads a deep receiving group with 17 catches, 170 yards and one touchdown. The Aggies have six sacks in two games - three from freshman defensive end Myles Garrett - after recording seven in their first seven games last year.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Hill needs 206 yards to become the first Aggie to pass for 1,000 yards in three games.

2. The Aggies have seven receivers with multiple catches averaging at least 10 yards per catch, including Edward Pope (16.4), Speedy Noil (14.0) and Ricky Seals-Jones (14.0).

3. Taylor, who has 1,743 career yards, is questionable this week. "We'll play him when he's 100 percent," Bailiff told the Houston Chronicle. "We want him for the long term."

PREDICTION: Texas A&M 48, Rice 13