Texas A&M opens as road favorite against Arkansas in latest edition of Southwest Classic
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Texas A&M is 6-0 after a Week 7 win over Florida at Kyle Field.
Now, as the Aggies look to take a step closer to a first-ever College Football Playoff berth, the scene shifts to Week 8’s Southwest Classic vs. Arkansas as the two teams meet at Razorback Stadium on Saturday.
According to Circa Sports’ opening odds released on Sunday afternoon, Texas A&M is an eight-point favorite.
The Aggies haven’t started a season 6-0 since 2016. A&M fans are well aware, though, that things fell apart that year as their team lost five of their last seven to finish out at 8-5. You’d have to go all the way back to 1994 to find the last time a Texas A&M team started a season 7-0.
Meanwhile, it’s a season of transition for the Razorbacks after the firing of Sam Pittman following a Week 5 loss to Notre Dame. That led to offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino being named interim head coach.
In the program’s first game coached by Petrino since 2011, the Hogs gave Tennessee something to think about as the teams went into the locker room tied at 17 before the Volunteers eventually secured a 34-31 win in Knoxville.
Texas A&M has won the last three meetings between the two programs, including a 21-17 triumph at AT&T Stadium.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
