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Posted at 10:45 AM EST

7:00 PM EST. What we have here is a SEC team playing an out-of-conference game against a Mountain West foe so right off the bat, before a snap is even taken, the price on the Aggies is inflated. Looking beyond the X’s and O’s is also an important aspect of handicapping games because mindset plays a major factor in determining which team will cover. Always be aware of whether the schedule helps or hinders freshness, the mental and physical toll of each game and the running "pitch count." In that regard, A&M has nothing to gain here and everything to lose. They are also coming off games against Auburn, Miss St, Florida and Alabama and will likely treat this one as a glorified practice more than an actual game. The other side of that coin is that for New Mexico, this is an opportunity to pick up a massive victory against a Power-5 program and we’re going to give a huge edge to the Lobos in the all-important state of mind category. It’s not just that though, as there are not many teams we are more anxious to fade in a situation like this than the Aggies. Make no mistake that the SEC is so down that some pretty weak teams will finish with solid records thanks to an uncharacteristically soft schedule. Kentucky is one such team and the Aggies are likewise not nearly as good as their record suggests. Five straight wins over weak opposition and a moral victory against a disinterested Alabama do not mean that the problems which led to an A&M regent publicly calling for Kevin Sumlin's ouster back in September have gone away. Poor chemistry, insufficient physicality, overdependence on too few playmakers and an inability to cope with adversity continue to plague this team even as it improves. If Christian Kirk and Armani Watts had gone down in camp, the Aggies would probably be 2-7 right now instead of 5-4. The schedule has stiffened down the stretch and this crew might have already gotten its last win. We’ve been especially eyeing this visit from New Mexico as a deceptively fair fight and an appealing fade spot and it’s finally here.

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