Texas A&M, Alabama set for defining game

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Kevin Sumlin and Texas A&M have celebrated a colossal win and endured a humiliating loss at Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium. Now, they’re back. The sixth-ranked Aggies return Saturday to face No. 1 Alabama in a matchup of the Southeastern Conference’s last unbeaten teams and a game that’s every bit as important as any previous meeting.

It’s even more intriguing with the Crimson Tide (7-0, 4-0) having edged closer to the Texas A&M style of speedy tempo and quarterback runs. The Aggies (6-0, 4-0) haven’t abandoned that formula by any stretch but have taken over the role of the SEC’s top running team that would seem more ‘Bama’s domain traditionally.

No wonder Tide coach Nick Saban said “we’re full of challenges for this week.”

“This is one of those season-defining games for us,” Saban said.

For both teams. It’s the second time in four seasons that the SEC West showdown has featured No. 1 versus No. 6 and the third Top 10 matchup in that span. The budding rivalry has produced classics like the Johnny Manziel-led 2012 upset by the Aggies in Tuscaloosa and ‘Bama’s 49-42 win a year later. It’s also supplied Alabama’s biggest beatdown against a ranked team, a 59-0 win on the Aggies’ last visit two seasons ago. Here are some things to watch in Saturday’s Texas A&M-Alabama game: respective teams in rushing, but nobody comes close in reaching the end zone on the ground. Knight has run for nine touchdowns and 502 yards, Hurts has produced 428 yards and eight TDs.