Pat McAfee is once again stirring the pot with his out-of-the-box college football picks, drawing a wave of backlash. It so happens that ESPN’s College GameDay is lively today in Lubbock, Texas, ahead of the huge Big 12 showdown between No. 8 Texas Tech and undefeated No. 7 BYU. Since the game is on the Red Raiders’ home turf, the GameDay crew leaned heavily toward them for having the home-field advantage. But not Pat McAfee.

In his preview of the game, McAfee made sure that he got some boos from the home crowd by talking about an undefeated team. The only undefeated one in the SEC. “There’s only one undefeated team in the state of Texas, and that’s Texas A&M,” McAfee said as the loud boos started to echo into the ESPN studio. But McAfee continued to list out the very reasons for his take. “They have it all,” Pat added. “Quarterback could be a Heisman. I know they’re pulling for a linebacker, Rodriguez, to win the Heisman, which is certainly beautiful.”

McAfee continues to say, “But Marcel Reed is on the only undefeated team in the SEC, and he is unbelievable and phenomenal, and their defense has gotten very good.” Pat McAfee is readily counting on that one loss of Texas Tech, which came against Arizona State, where the Sun Devils snagged a near cut 26-22 victory against the Red Raiders. But his lean towards the Aggies is not all wrong. Yes, the Aggies are 8-0 that puts them right in the College Football Playoff conversation. What’s driving this buzz? It starts with sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed, a true dual-threat star.

Reed’s not just torching defenses through the air with 1972 passing yards and 17 touchdowns. He is even a major threat on the ground, too, with 349 rushing yards and six scores. His clutch performance, rallying the Aggies past Notre Dame with a 360-yard passing game, is a prime example of his impact. Meanwhile, Jacob Rodriguez, the Red Raiders’ linebacker, is quietly but steadily gaining traction in the Heisman fan voting. Now, the defense? The Aggies are keeping their opponents to just 321.5 total yards and 23.6 points a game. Texas A&M ranks second in the SEC for tackles for loss and third in sacks, consistently putting pressure that forces opponents into mistakes.

They’re the best in all of FBS at stopping teams on third down, holding foes to a frustrating 22.2% conversion rate. Defensive end Cashius Howell is a beast off the edge, piling up 9.5 sacks, leading the SEC, and ranking third nationally. The toughest challenge ahead? The schedule doesn’t get easier, with road games against Missouri and Texas looming. Plus, if the Aggies stay on track, an SEC title game showdown with Alabama awaits.

Aggies look to extend win streak

November 8 at Faurot Field is set for a classic SEC clash, with No. 3 Texas A&M looking to stay unbeaten against a tough Missouri squad. Both teams come off bye weeks, hopefully recharged, but the stakes couldn’t be higher. The Aggies have quietly dominated this season, averaging a solid 38 points and racking up 460 yards per game. Quarterback Marcel Reed is the engine behind this freight train.

Plus, his miraculous low sack count of just three in the brutal SEC reads golden. His ability to extend plays and keep defenses guessing has made Texas A&M’s red-zone offense one of the most lethal in the country. The running backs, too, have carried their weight. Le’Veon Moss and Amari Daniels combined for a powerhouse 224-yard rushing effort against LSU. But Missouri is no pushover.

The Tigers bring a rugged defense that’s ranked in the top five nationally in yards and points allowed. They’re tough in the red zone, often forcing field goals instead of touchdowns, and their run defense is stingy. Running back Ahmad Hardy, with 937 yards and 11 touchdowns, is the backbone of Missouri’s offense. However, after Beau Pribula was sidelined due to injury, the Tigers are looking at an inexperienced signal caller, Matt Zollers, playing backup.

So, if the Aggies can exploit that weakness, Pat McAfee’s words might just come true.