Texas A&M @ Florida preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2012 ) Florida 20, Texas A&M 17

Texas A&M gave No. 1 Alabama all it could handle last week, but a moral victory won't cut it Saturday against host Florida. The Gators already have suffered two losses and barely won two other times, posting just one comfortable victory to this point in the season.

Some Aggies fans were happy with the result against the nation's most powerful program, but coach Kevin Sumlin wasn't in the mood to view it that way. "There's no moral victory in this deal," Sumlin told reporters. "When you play that hard and you play that long, nobody's happy." Likewise, Florida wasn't pleased after last weekend's 17-16 home setback against LSU. "It hurts, and they should hurt," coach Jim McElwain told reporters. "That's the nature of the beast. ... That's life in the SEC."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: Florida -2.5

ABOUT TEXAS A&M (4-2, 2-1 SEC):The Aggies had won four in a row before the 27-19 loss to Alabama, and now they must contend with their only road contest during an eight-game stretch. Freshman Kellen Mond showed some inexperience against the Crimson Tide but still threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score while recording 237 yards through the air - his second-highest total of the season. Trayveon Williams gained 2.5 yards per carry against Alabama and has watched his yards-per-attempt average gradually decline in every game this campaign.

ABOUT FLORIDA (3-2, 3-1): The Gators were not happy with their offensive production last Saturday, when they went 2-for-9 on third downs, totaled 302 yards and completed only 10 passes all game. "The expectation, I would say at this point, is to play at a faster pace," McElwain told reporters this week. "Not every play is going to be perfect, but we need to be perfect on those 'got to have it' downs." Feleipe Franks, playing for the injured Luke Del Rio, has thrown only one interception in 79 attempts but also has failed to record a touchdown in the last two games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Florida RB Malik Davis is averaging 7.2 yards on 57 attempts through the first five games of his freshman season.

2. The Gators have allowed only three rushing touchdowns this season.

3. Texas A&M WR Christian Kirk has scored a touchdown in four of the last five contests.

PREDICTION: Texas A&M 27, Florida 24