Texas A&M @ Alabama preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 14, 2013 ) Alabama 49, Texas A&M 42

In two weeks, Texas A&M has gone from National Championship contender to the fringes of the SEC title race. No. 7 Alabama hopes to avoid a similar fate when it hosts the 21st-ranked Aggies on Saturday. It's a matchup of one of the nation's best offenses in Texas A&M's high-flying attack versus one of the country's best defenses in Alabama's stingy unit.

The Aggies have toppled in the SEC West standings - and the national rankings - with back-to-back losses to Mississippi State and Mississippi, and they face a must-win situation if they want to maintain any hope of getting back in the title race. "You try and keep an even keel and be honest with where you are," Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin told reporters. "There's no doubt based on the last two weeks that we have to coach better and we have to play better." The Crimson Tide narrowly avoided a second straight loss as they held on for a 14-13 win at Arkansas on Saturday, a week after losing 23-17 at Ole Miss.

TV: 3:39 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Alabama -11.5.

ABOUT TEXAS A&M (5-2, 2-2 SEC): The Aggies rank fourth in the nation in total offense (564.9 yards), with quarterback Kenny Hill (358.7 passing yards per game, 23 TDs, 7 interceptions) leading the way, but the offense struggled last week against Ole Miss. Hill has been without one of his top receivers the past two games with Malcome Kennedy (shoulder) out, but the senior wideout - who caught three TD passes last season against Alabama - could return Saturday. While opponents have moved the ball well against the Aggies, the defense is much improved from a year ago - especially against the pass.

ABOUT ALABAMA (5-1, 2-1): The Crimson Tide rank third nationally in rushing defense (68.8 yards) and total defense (277.2) and sixth in scoring defense (15.8 points). The offense has been less consistent despite boasting one of the nation's top receivers in Amari Cooper, who leads the SEC in receptions per game (nine), receiving yards (768) and receiving yards per game (128). Alabama lost Kenyan Drake to a broken ankle against Ole Miss but still has a strong duo in the backfield with T.J. Yeldon (452 yards, two TDs) and Derrick Henry (382, two), while quarterback Blake Sims (154, three) also is a threat to run.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Alabama is 64-2 since the start of the 2008 season when rushing for at least 140 yards, while Texas A&M allows 174.8 yards per game on the ground.

2. Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett has recorded 7 1/2 sacks, one-half shy of tying the SEC freshman record set by South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney in 2011.

3. Cooper needs 150 receiving yards to pass Julio Jones (2,653) for second on Alabama's all-time list.

PREDICTION: Alabama 30, Texas A&M 24