Texas A&M will open the 2019 season against Texas State on Thursday night, August 29, 2019 at 8:30 p.m. eastern time.

The Aggies are coming off a successful first year under head coach Jimbo Fisher. Last year, the Aggies went 9-4 with the season ending on four straight wins including a 7OT game against LSU and a bowl win over NC State. The Aggies enter the 2019 season with some strong momentum and high expectations in the second season of head coach Jimbo Fisher.

Texas A&M had key wins against LSU, Arkansas and on the road at South Carolina. The Clemson game was what some call a “morale victory” where they played the eventual national champs better than anybody all season.

Texas A&M Aggies vs. Texas State Bobcats football TV channel

The game will air on SEC Network at 8:30 p.m. eastern time.

Texas A&M Aggies vs. Texas State Bobcats football players to watch

For Texas A&M, the main player everyone is watching is quarterback Kellen Mond. Kellen Mond truly broke into the national scene when the Aggies lost a close game to Clemson in the early part of the 2018 season. Mond played extremely well and showed that he could fight in a close game against an elite defense. With another year in head coach Jimbo Fisher’s system, fans are expecting big things from their quarterback.

Mond threw for over 3,100 passing yards last year and 24 touchdowns. His completion percentage of 57% was not incredible and could go up somewhat with a little bit better execution. Wide receivers Quartney Davis and Jhamon Ausbon will help round out the air attack.

On the defensive side of the field, keep an eye on defensive linemen Justin Madubuike, DeMarvin Leal and Tyree Johnson. They will be key to maintaining a respectable defense for the Aggies.

Texas A&M Aggies vs. Texas State Bobcats football keys to the game

Key to the Aggies’ success in 2019 will be to get the running game going. Pass protection is key, but perhaps the best way to protect Mond is to have a legitimate running game, and they’ll have to do it without Trayveon Williams. Sophomore Jashaun Corbin will carry much of the load.

Also key will be if the Aggies defense can improve on the turnover front. With only 11 takeaways last year, the Texas A&M defense needs to generate more turnovers and put their offense in easier positions to score.

Texas A&M Aggies vs. Texas State Bobcats football Vegas odds

Texas A&M is favored by 33.5 points against Texas State. The line originally opened at 34.5. The over/under currently sits at 56.5 points.

Texas A&M Aggies vs. Texas State Bobcats football history

Texas A&M and Texas State have played each other two times previously.

The first time came in 1919 when the Aggies won by a score of 28-0.

In 2005, the Aggies beat Texas State by a score of 44-31.

Additional Reading

In the latest QB Curve piece, Matt Hinton breaks down Kellen Mond:

Mond is the first of 3 junior starters on this list (along with Feleipe Franks and Jarrett Guarantano) with obvious Leap Year potential, and for my money the best bet of the 3 to fulfill it after taking a major step forward from 2017 to 2018. His physical tools are obvious: Based strictly on the highlight reel, Mond has already flashed the arm, the wheels, and the improvisational flair of a star. When it all comes together, as it did last September in an electric, 430-yard, 3-TD performance against Clemson, even the best defenses in the country are at his mercy.

So far, that hasn’t been nearly often enough. For every promising outing against Clemson (172.5 efficiency, 96.4 QBR), LSU (136.5 efficiency, 81.0 QBR), or South Carolina (156.6 efficiency, 79.5 QBR), there was a clunker against Arkansas (114.9 efficiency, 32.8 QBR), Mississippi State (95.2 efficiency, 73.6 QBR), or Auburn (111.8 efficiency, 57.1 QBR). Mond took too many sacks, committed too many turnovers, and had a tendency to disappear for long stretches at a time, e.g. virtually the entire month of October; his passer rating on the road plummeted by more than 40 points compared to his rating in College Station. If his late, game-clinching interception against LSU hadn’t been wiped off the board at the end of regulation, facilitating his stat-padding heroics in overtime, the gust of optimism that carried Mond into the offseason might have just as easily been blowing in the opposite direction.

Jimbo Fisher opener history

  • 2010: Florida State win over Samford
  • 2011: Florida State win over ULM
  • 2012: Florida State win over Murray State
  • 2013: Florida State win over Pitt
  • 2014: Florida State win over Oklahoma State
  • 2015: Florida State win over Texas State
  • 2016: Florida State win over Ole Miss
  • 2017: Florida State loss to Alabama
  • 2018: Texas A&M win over Northwestern State

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the game?

8:30 p.m. eastern time on Thursday, August 29, 2019.

What channel is the game on?

SEC Network.

How many times has Texas A&M and Texas State played each other?

2 times. Texas A&M beat Texas State both times.

Who is favored in the game?

Texas A&M is favored by 33.5 points against Texas State. The line originally opened at 34.5. The over/under currently sits at 56.5 points.