David Pollack picks home underdog to win in upset Week 14 rivalry game

David Pollack predicts Texas will upset undefeated Texas A&M during the high-stakes rivalry renewal in Austin.

College football analyst David Pollack is calling for an upset in the Lone Star Showdown rivalry game between the Texas A&M Aggies and Texas Longhorns. | Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Texas A&M Aggies and Texas Longhorns renew their historic rivalry on Friday with significant postseason implications on the line. No. 3 Texas A&M arrives in Austin with an undefeated record and a clear path to the Southeastern Conference championship game. No. 16 Texas hosts the matchup desperately needing a victory to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive.

The atmosphere at Royal-Memorial Stadium expects to reach a fever pitch for the first meeting between these programs on the Longhorns' campus since 2010. Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko aims to complete a perfect regular season while Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks to validate his team's preseason hype. The clash features strength against strength as the Texas offense faces an aggressive A&M defense.

College football analyst David Pollack views this high-pressure environment as the perfect setting for a season-altering result. On the Wednesday episode of the See Ball Get Ball podcast, Pollack officially selected the home underdog to hand the visitors their first loss.

David Pollack Forecasts Longhorns Upset Victory

Pollack believes the elements are in place for the Longhorns to finally play their most complete game of the year against a vulnerable opponent. He noted that the Aggies have survived several close calls recently and might be due for a stumble.

“I think this has upset written all over it,” Pollack said. “I have Texas to pull the upset. A&M has kind of flirted with it this season.”

The longtime CFB analyst noted that Texas possesses championship-caliber talent that has rarely come together at the same time. He argued that if the offense and defense could peak simultaneously, they would be among the best teams in the country. The defense has regressed slightly while the offense has found its rhythm under quarterback Arch Manning. Manning enters the game with 2,763 passing yards and 23 touchdowns.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) is peaking at the right time after throwing for 389 yards and four touchdowns last week against Arkansas. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Texas A&M counters with a ferocious pass rush led by defensive end Cashius Howell who leads the conference with 11.5 sacks. Pollack emphasized that Manning must distribute the ball quickly to neutralize that pressure. Conversely, Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed brings his own dual-threat capabilities with 2,752 passing yards and 25 touchdowns.

Pollack acknowledged the resilience the Aggies showed in their comeback win against the South Carolina Gamecocks but remains skeptical they can survive another close finish on the road.

“They showed me they got some clutch gene,” Pollack said regarding the Aggies. “But this is a field goal game to me in any direction.”

A victory for Texas would serve as a massive resume booster. Pollack argued that defeating the third-ranked team in the nation should carry more weight than the Longhorns' 14-7 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes earlier in the year. He contends that a win Friday puts the Longhorns firmly back in the national title discussion.

“Give me the Longhorns making this thing even more interesting and putting themselves in a position to maybe be talked about and discussed into the playoff,” Pollack said.

The Longhorns will host the Aggies on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.