Barking mad over double-digit dog tag
Aggies say Crimson Tide being favored by 19 points shows lack of respect and motivates them
COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor was born in England, making the 325-pound mountain of a man nicknamed “London” perhaps the most qualified Aggie to speak on royalty.
And he certainly did this week, in referencing No. 6 A&M playing at top-ranked Alabama on Saturday afternoon. The Aggies are a 19-point underdog in a game between the two last undefeated teams in the Southeastern Conference.
“Alabama has been the king of college football for a while now, but no king reigns forever,” Eluemunor opined. “Every dog has its day.”
Relayed Eluemunor’s crowning quote, A&M quarterback Trevor Knight raised his eyebrows and smiled.
“That’s kind of a cool little line,” Knight said, adding he appreciated the “history lesson” via Eluemunor’s English roots.
Tired of Tide talk
Texas A&M was off last Saturday while Alabama won 49-10 at then-No. 9 Tennessee, so the Aggies have answered questions — and heard opinions — for nearly two weeks on the monarchy dubbed Alabama. Frankly, they’re tired of it.
“Somebody said, ‘Nobody gives you a chance,’” A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said. “I said, ‘I guess it’s good nobody is playing.’”
Speaking of history lessons … the reason so few are giving the Aggies (6-0, 4-0 SEC) any chance at Alabama (7-0, 4-0) has plenty to do with recent history. Coach Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide have won the last three meetings between the SEC West foes, including 59-0 two years ago at Bryant-Denny Stadium and 41-23 last season at Kyle Field.
“What happened two years ago and last year — (we’re) not the same team and it’s not the same people,” A&M defensive end Myles Garrett said. “Nothing is the same as it was before, and we’re looking forward to showing that.”
Eluemunor, Sumlin and Garrett weren’t the only Aggies waxing poetic, either, as an incensed receiver Christian Kirk said he and his teammates are wrenchingly aware of the bulging point spread.
“We all see it, we’re all aware of it, it adds fuel to your fire, a chip on your shoulder,” Kirk said. “We’re sitting here 6-0 and ranked sixth in the country, but nobody is giving us respect. We know that. We know people are waiting for us to hit that downfall. That’s burning a fire in our chests — we know what people think about us.”
Alabama was a nearly two-touchdown favorite at Tennessee in another top-10 game last Saturday and won by 39 points. The Crimson Tide are rolling in a big way, one more reason why the Aggies, who have escaped with overtime wins this season against UCLA and Tennessee, are given little chance.
“This team has done a great job, not just a good job, of blocking out the noise,” Sumlin said. “And we haven’t played our best football yet.”
The Aggies lead the SEC in total offense and rushing offense, and it’s imperative they establish a running game behind freshman sensation Trayveon Williams of C.E. King (a league-leading 117 rushing yards per game). The problem is Alabama leads the nation in run defense (allowing only 64 yards per game), 20 yards better than second-place Army and 23 yards better than third-place Houston.
Optimism runs deep
An incensed — there’s that word again — A&M offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone was reminded Tennessee had all kinds of trouble cranking up a running game against Alabama.
“We’re not Tennessee,” Mazzone said. “We run the football. If they stop us, they stop us. We’re going to run the football. Now, are they a really good defense and they may stuff our butt? Sure. But we’re not going to know that until Saturday at 2:30 when we kick this thing off. I’m a very optimistic person, so I would like us to at least make a couple of yards in the running game.”
Optimism runs deep among the Aggies, also based on relatively recent history. Four years ago, few gave then-No. 15 A&M a chance at No. 1 Alabama, but Johnny Manziel-led A&M pulled off the 29-24 upset.
Manziel is long gone, but Sumlin is still the coach, and he owns a school record three road victories over top-10 opponents, based in part on a loose approach to otherwise tight conditions.
“There comes a time where you go into situations, and you just play,” Sumlin said. “That’s where we are right now, and that’s what we’ve been doing every week this year. Our guys are in a good place.”