New Mexico at No. 23 Texas A&M, Saturday at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Line: Texas A&M by 38 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Texas A&M leads 5-0.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
The Aggies are looking to bounce back after a terrible 2022 season, where they finished with their worst record since going 4-8 in 2008, against a New Mexico team that dropped their final nine games last year. Coach Jimbo Fisher, who is entering his sixth season at Texas A&M, hired Bobby Petrino as his offensive coordinator to try to beef up an offense which ranked 101st in scoring with just 22.8 points a game last season and one that came in 93rd in total offense (360.9 yards per game). The Lobos will try and improve in the fourth season under coach Danny Gonzales after winning just seven games combined in his first three seasons.
KEY MATCHUP
Texas A&M WR Ainias Smith vs. the New Mexico secondary. Smith returns for a fifth season after breaking his right leg in the fourth game last season. He has 1,612 yards receiving with 17 touchdowns and 384 yards rushing in his career. Saturday he’ll lead Texas A&M’s passing game against a secondary that ranked 28th in the nation last season by allowing 202.8 yards passing a game.
Missouri State coach Bobby Petrino watches his team warm up before playing Arkansas before an NCAA college football game, Sept. 17, 2022, in Fayetteville, Ark. Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher hired Bobby Petrino in a bid to rejuvenate the offense _ and his fortunes with the Aggies. Credit: AP/Michael Woods
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New Mexico: QB Dylan Hopkins. He joins the Lobos for a final season as a graduate transfer after four years at UAB. He’s appeared in 33 career games, piling up 4,750 yards passing with 31 touchdowns. Hopkins threw for 1,913 yards with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions in 11 games last season as the Blazers went 7-6.
Texas A&M: QB Conner Weigman. The sophomore was named starter for the opener Monday after vying with Max Johnson for the job throughout camp….
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