Our pick for the Lone Star Showdown in College Station

For the first time since 2011, no. 20 Texas A&M (9-2) will host the No. 3 Texas (10-1) in College Station on Saturday with a spot in the SEC championship on the line.

The last time these two teams met, the Longhorns escaped with a 27-25 victory over the Aggies thanks to a game-winning field goal by Justin Tucker. Will Saturday’s matchup come down to the wire like last time?

Columnists, writers and editors from Dallas Morning News make their picks for this weekend’s game. See their predictions below.

Lia Assimakopoulos, college sports insider

Texas’ defense will overwhelm an A&M team that will suffer back-to-back losses for the first time this season. The Longhorns will overcome the hostile Kyle Field atmosphere to set up a rematch with Georgia in the SEC Championship.

Tim Cowlishaw, columnist

The Longhorns’ offense continues to struggle as Kyle Field’s 12th man crowd has the desired effect. But Texas’ defense has the playmakers to make the difference as Texas hangs on for the SEC title.

Buckle up, the blood rivalry between Texas and Texas A&M is back

Selby Lopez, college sports editor

Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns have experience winning in tough environments, beating Alabama in Tuscaloosa last year and Michigan in Ann Arbor in September. The more than 100,000 fans at Kyle Field will present the toughest test for these Longhorns. Even on an injured ankle, Ewers should give the Longhorns enough of an offensive edge over his counterpart, A&M quarterback Marcel Reed, to lead Texas to a close road win.

Shawn McFarland, sports reporter

Texas will take a decent lead in the first half behind a humming offense led by Quinn Ewers, but things will fall out of rhythm in the third quarter to let Texas A&M get back into it. Longhorns linebacker David Gbenda said it himself this week: “a lot of people who don’t know ball probably cut it (the Aggies) off (after their early deficit against Auburn on Saturday), but I said, no, this is going to be a game .” Don’t be surprised to see the same thing happen at Kyle Field.

Kevin Sherrington, columnist

The Longhorns can prove once and for all that they’ve beaten a good team in a tough setting if their defense plays as well as usual and Quinn Ewers rises to the level he’s played in equally tough spots. Think Tuscaloosa. Texas’ primary issues? Features Marcel Reed blocking the noise and Ewers’ sore ankle. If he’s even more limited than usual, it could give the Aggies the opening they need. If so, the Aggies’ home field advantage is among the best in college football. Win this game and Texas has earned its rematch against Georgia.

Brad Townsend, Sports Business Journalist

If Quinn Ewers’ ankle injury limits his mobility like it did against Kentucky, Arch Manning may have to bail out Texas in hostile Kyle Field. Aggies redshirt freshman QB Marcel Reed will hurt Texas with his running ability, but the ballhawking Longhorns (17 interceptions) will force him into a mistake too much.

Mike Elko’s rise from mobile home upbringing to Texas A&M is forged by results, reputation