No. 5 Texas A&M returns to play after sitting out two weeks because of a coronavirus outbreak to face LSU.
The Aggies have won four in a row and beat the Tigers 74-72 in seven overtimes in their last visit to College Station.
They'll need to take care of business against LSU in their return to play this week if they hope to keep their hopes alive of reaching the College Football Playoff for the first time. A victory would give them a 6-1 start for the first time since 2016.
LSU (3-3, 3-3 SEC) at No. 5 Texas A&M (5-1, 5-1, No. 5 CFP), Saturday at 5 p.m. EST (ESPN).
Line: Texas A&M by 14 1/2.
Series record: LSU leads 34-21-3.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
The Aggies have won four in a row but have had their last two games postponed because of a coronavirus outbreak. They'll need to take care of business against LSU in their return to play this week if they hope to keep their hopes alive of reaching the College Football Playoff for the first time. A victory would give them a 6-1 start for the first time since 2016.
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KEY MATCHUP
Kellen Mond and Texas A&M's passing game vs. LSU's pass defense. The Tigers have been among the worst in the nation against the pass this season, ranking No. 123rd by allowing 335.8 yards passing a game. Mond has two 300-yard passing games this season and has thrown 16 touchdown passes with just two interceptions.
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PLAYERS TO WATCH
LSU: RB Tyrion Davis-Price ran for 104 yards and a touchdown in last week's win over Arkansas for his second 100-yard game this season. Davis-Price leads the Tigers in yards rushing with 349 and rushing touchdowns with three.
Texas A&M: RB Isaiah Spiller has four 100-yard rushing games this season and ranks fourth in the SEC with 643 yards rushing. All five of his rushing touchdowns have come in the last four games.
FACTS & FIGURES
LSU is 7-1 against the Aggies since they joined the SEC in 2012. ... The Tigers beat Texas A&M 50-7 at home last season. ... Texas A&M got a 74-72 victory in an epic seven-overtime game against LSU in its last visit to College Station, Texas in 2018. It tied the FBS record for most overtimes and set a record for most combined points in an FBS game. ... The Tigers are 2-1 since freshman QB TJ Finley took over for injured Myles Brennan. ... WR Terrace Marshall leads LSU with 597 yards receiving and his nine TD receptions rank second in the SEC. ... Mond needs 153 yards passing and 74 yards rushing to become the third QB in SEC history to throw for 9,000 yards and rush for 1,500 yards in a career. ... LB Buddy Johnson leads the Aggies with 57 tackles and has had 10 or more tackles in four games. ... Texas A&M leads the nation by converting 62% of its third-down attempts.
