Alabama football is looking for positivity heading into its off week.
The Crimson Tide (5-2, 3-2 SEC) return home after back-to-back losses against Georgia and Tennessee and will try to end its first regular-season losing streak since 2007 at home against Texas A&M (4-3, 1-3). Alabama has not faced the Aggies since 2023.
No. 13 Alabama kicks off against Texas A&M at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday, Oct. 24 on ABC.
Can Alabama return to its winning ways against Texas A&M? Here are the top storylines and an Alabama vs. Texas A&M score prediction.
Alabama vs Texas A&M scouting report
Here are the biggest storylines going into Alabama vs. Texas A&M:
Can Alabama football keep Marcel Reed from becoming Superman? Marcel Reed has taken a steep decline as the Aggies' quarterback. This season, he has a career-low 55.7% completion rate, a 112.5 passer rating and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of seven passing touchdowns to six interceptions. He's struggled as a runner too, averaging 3.2 yards per touch with two rushing scores. But the idea of Reed as a dual threat, as an effective passer and one that can turn on at a moment's notice should caution Alabama. Can Alabama's ball-hawk defense continue to make Reed struggle?
Will Keelon Russell storm back against Texas A&M's top-tier pass defense? Texas A&M has one of the best pass defenses in the SEC. It's not that the Aggies put pressure on opposing backfields, having generated just five sacks in seven games. But Texas A&M leads the conference as one of six SEC defenses that holds quarterbacks to a completion rate under 60% at 56.25%. Texas A&M has allowed eight passing touchdowns and 164.14 yards per game with five interceptions in seven games. Can Keelon Russell, who is looking to rediscover his juice, overcome the Aggies' stingy defensive backfield?
Will Alabama find some semblance of a pass rush? In its loss to Georgia, Alabama had four tackles-for-loss and one sack. In its loss to Tennessee, Alabama had two tackles-for-loss and one sack. Texas A&M has allowed 13 sacks in seven games. Can the Crimson Tide, even without Terrance Green, find a way to wear down the Aggies' offensive line to find a home in the Texas A&M backfield?
Alabama vs Texas A&M score prediction
Alabama is in desperate need of a get-right game, and, on paper, Texas A&M fits the mold. The Aggies have struggled on offense and have become one-dimensional without any semblance of a passing game. It's a defense that is good, but that has been beaten by opposing run games. However, the threat of a player like Reed, or players like Rueben Owens II and KJ Edwards, or receivers like Mario Craver and Isaiah Horton bring explosive potential no matter what has happened in the first seven games of 2026. Paired with a defense known to limit explosives regardless of a pass rush, Texas A&M has the recipe to make it a tough day for Alabama, one that could bring discomfort quickly. But a return home, and a return to unranked SEC play, should bring positivity to Tuscaloosa once again.
Prediction: No. 13 Alabama 28, Texas A&M 21
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter or Instagram @colingaytnews.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Will Alabama football beat Texas A&M? Our score prediction