Ahead of Auburn's matchup with Texas A&M, our Christian Clemente chatted with Mark Passwaters of AggieYell.com. Dive in for his assessment of the Tigers-Aggies matchup and how he sees things shaking out Saturday in Jordan-Hare.

CC: Texas A&M is No. 5 in the country and a legitimate contender for the CFP, do you think this team is worthy of that No. 5 spot and should they be in the CFP conversation?

MP: I don't see why not. Nobody else has exactly jumped up and taken the spot. A&M has the best win of any non-CFP contender over Florida; their defense is one of the nation's best and their offense, minus last weekend, has been really good for the past six weeks. Yes, even against Alabama. They're not a great team, but very good in virtually every area.

CC: Offensively, what do the Aggies excel at that could be a key factor in defeating Auburn?

MP: They run the football. They control the clock and have avoided turnovers for the past month. They've also been very good on converting third downs, so they steadily move the ball up and down the field. They don't tear you apart, they kill you with a thousand cuts.

CC: Who are some A&M players Auburn fans should look out for on Saturday?

MP: The offensive line has proven to be one of the nation's best (a shock, to be sure) and Isaiah Spiller has been a great running back. When Kellen Mond is on, he can keep the sticks moving. Ainias Smith is a weapon few have had an answer for. TIght end Jalen Wydermyer is one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the nation.

CC: Auburn carries a 3-game winning-streak against Texas A&M going into this weekend's matchup, is there any extra pressure or want for revenge in this weekend's game?

MP: You'd better believe it. A&M has gotten payback on Mississippi State and LSU so far this year, and they know that beating Auburn will exorcize some demons AND get them one step closer to the CFP.

CC: Defensively, what are the strong suits of this year's Texas A&M team and what do they struggle with?

MP: They struggle with creating big plays on offense -- particularly throwing the ball down the field. When you have "Bad Kellen" instead of "Good Kellen" the offense can be stagnant. In past years, running quarterbacks and misdirection have been issues -- two things Auburn has proven.

CC: Game prediction? Who wins and why?

MP: Auburn is seriously banged up -- especially on the offensive line. A&M has held the last two teams it's played to a total of 86 rushing yards and 10 points. The defensive line, especially, has been very good. That mismatch, and A&M's ability to run the football on everyone (so far) makes me think the Aggies have the edge. If they can get pressure on Bo Nix and get him to make some mistakes, all the better. Of course, a lot rests on Mond. If he gets back to pre-hiatus form, A&M is very tough to stop. If he doesn't, it's close. But I still like A&M in this one, because they're healthier and have more to play for.

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