Auburn football heads to College Station for a huge SEC showdown against Texas A&M, and this one feels like a turning point for the season. Coming off a controversial loss, the Tigers have something to prove. But standing in their way is one of the most explosive offenses in the conference, led by wide receivers Mario Craver and Casey Concepcion, along with quarterback Marcel Reed.

Craver is leading the nation in receiving yards and has been unstoppable after the catch, while Concepcion’s consistency in moving the chains has made him just as dangerous. Together, they’ve combined for 670 yards and 7 touchdowns in only a handful of games. Auburn’s secondary, which has shown flashes of strength, will face its toughest test yet against this duo.

Marcel Reed may not be the pure passer that Oklahoma’s quarterback Drama Tier was last week, but his ability as a twitchy runner makes him dangerous. With Auburn’s defensive line looking to get more pressure and create turnovers, this matchup is going to come down to stopping big plays and forcing A&M into mistakes.

On offense, Auburn needs to lean on its ground game, where they’ve dominated the SEC so far. The Aggies have one of the weaker rush defenses in the league, which opens the door for Auburn to control the clock, stay efficient in the red zone, and keep Reed, Craver, and Concepcion on the sideline.

This game feels close to a must-win for Auburn to stay alive in the College Football Playoff race. Expect a physical battle at Kyle Field, where Auburn’s best chance comes from winning up front, running the football, and making big plays on defense.

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