1 PLUS 6 EQUALS?
Oddsmakers see a rout; Aggies want to create disorder
It’s everything college football fans want.
No. 1 Alabama (7-0) vs. No. 6 Texas A&M (6-0.)
More than 101,000 fans at BryantDenny Stadium in Tuscaloosa for an SEC showdown on a Saturday afternoon in October.
On paper, the biggest college football game this weekend seems perfect. On the field, that might not be the case. Alabama is highly favored — in some cases by as many as 19½ points.
On the national stage, few are giving the Aggies a chance.
So while this appears to be a dream matchup with all the makings of a classic, the Aggies simply may not be ready to upset the No. 1 Crimson Tide. That’s OK, though. Because for the first time since Johnny Football hitched a ride out of town for good, Texas A&M has reached a high level of relevancy on the national stage.
A win on Saturday in Alabama would be monumental for A&M’s program. It would catapult it from being a good SEC team to a team on everyone’s lips at the water cooler Monday. That’s a long shot. Here’s the good news. If the Aggies cover this spread, if they keep the game close, if they disrupt Alabama on its home field, it’s a win for A&M.
The Aggies are undefeated and playing in the only conference that really matters right now. This is a program that is striving to be No. 1 in the country.
It might not get there this year, but A&M is on the right track to be in the
conversation over the next few seasons.
A strong performance in Tuscaloosa helps the Aggies take a small step forward to achieving their goal of becoming the best.
A performance like the one they had the last time they played at Alabama — they lost 59-0 in 2014 — would be a Texas-sized step backward.
There are dozens of factors heading into the game, most of which play into Alabama’s favor.
Alabama is easily the most well-rounded team in the country right now.
In addition to scoring 45.4 points per outing (ranking No. 7), the Crimson Tide have seven more non-offensive touchdowns than any other team with 11.
The Aggies have yet to control a game from start to finish.
They’ve had highlights, sure. The A&M defense caused seven Tennessee turnovers. It also gave up 684 yards to the Vols. The Aggies needed two overtimes to win.
A&M defensive end Myles Garrett is one of the best players in the country and is healthier and ready to play this week after injuring his leg in the Arkansas game Sept. 24.
But there’s no way to tell if Garrett is 100 percent before he plays against the elusive true freshman (and native Houstonian) quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Aggie faithful are quick to point out that A&M’s Trevor Knight is one of the few quarterbacks to beat Alabama in recent memory.
Don’t get too caught up in that. That was in January 2014, and Knight played for Oklahoma when the Sooners beat the Crimson Tide 45-31 in the Sugar Bowl.
As Knight would say, and has repeatedly, that means nothing now.
A&M hasn’t defeated Alabama since Johnny Manziel and teammates pulled out a 29-24 win in 2012.
Last year, the Aggies lost at home 41-23. The game the year before in Tuscaloosa is one they would like to forget.
There’s great bulletin board material for both teams.
A&M is being counted out by almost everyone.
Aggies offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said Alabama is the “king” in college football right now, then added, “But no king reigns forever.”
There’s a lot to look at, a lot to talk about, a lot of hype surrounding the game.
Now the Aggies have to live up to it.
They have to find a way to be better than 19-point underdogs.
They need to show that they belong in big-time conversations every week — not just on those when they travel to face the No. 1 team in the country.
If A&M can compete with the Crimson Tide on their home field, the Aggies won’t be considered underdogs for long.
The Aggies will be part of what everyone wants in college football.