No. 5 Texas A&M will be looking for its second win of the season season, this time on the road, against Colorado in what should be an entertaining matchup between SEC and Pac-12 teams at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium in Denver. The Aggies are coming of a 41-10 win over Kent State in its opener and Colorado cruised past Northern Colorado 35-7.
Texas A&M broke in first-year starting quarterback Haynes King last weekend and the results were a mixed bag. He had 292 passing yards and two touchdowns, but three interceptions and some questionable decision-making that allowed the Golden Flashes to hang around much longer than they should have.
Colorado, meanwhile, unleashed a diverse and dangerous rushing attack led by running back Jarek Broussard. The sophomore rushed for 94 yards on 15 carries and was one of four Buffaloes to gain at least 40 yards on the ground.
Let's break this game down while making picks straight up and against the spread.
Texas A&M vs. Colorado: Need to know
Strength vs. strength: Texas A&M's rushing attack was expected to be its strength heading into the season and it didn't disappoint. Devon Achane had 124 yards and two touchdowns, while Isaiah Spiller added 113 yards on 17 carries. They'll be going up against a Buffaloes defense that allowed just 20 rushing yards on 18 carries last weekend. Yes, you have to factor in the level of competition, but if the Buffs can slow down the Aggies' ground game, it'll be a good sign as they move into Pac-12 play later in the year.
Can Colorado's O-line hold up? The Buffaloes finished last season ranked eighth in the Pac-12 after giving up 6.3 tackles for loss per game, but gave up just three TFLs last week. The stout Texas A&M defensive front, led by star lineman DeMarvin Leal, had nine TFLs vs. Kent State and is one of the most talented units in the country. You can bet that they will be coming after freshman quarterback Brendon Lewis from the moment toe meets leather.
King must make progress: The hype surrounding King's debut was as big as the Lone Star state, but he didn't exactly uphold his end of the bargain. The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder was erratic through the air and, while talented, he's going to have to be much more consistent if he's to lead the Aggies into SEC West contention. Coach Jimbo Fisher's system puts a ton of responsibility on the QB's shoulders and it's impossible to simulate in practice. Now that he's been in the pressure cooker once, let's see what he can do against a Power Five defense. Players improve most from Game 1 to Game 2, and King will test that theory Saturday.
How to watch Texas A&M vs. Colorado live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 11 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Empower Field at Mile High -- Denver, Colorado
TV: Fox | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Texas A&M vs. Colorado prediction, picks
Oddsmakers are giving Texas A&M too much credit here. While I think that the Aggies will win, it won't be a high-scoring affair. I have faith enough faith in Colorado's defense to at least keep it close heading into the fourth quarter. At that point, expect Texas A&M to play ground-and-pound football just to get out of there. The likelihood of Fisher opening things up on the road with a quarterback making his second start is equal to the chances of Bishop Sycamore winning a high school football state championship. Prediction: Colorado (+16)
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 2, and which favorites will go down hard? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread -- all from a proven computer model that has returned over $3,500 in profit over the past five-plus seasons -- and find out.
