A&M battles No. 1 Alabama
Despite being 19-point underdogs, it’s a talented team full of veterans that will challenge the top-ranked titans
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — For only being in its fifth season in the Southeastern Conference, Texas A&M owns a colorful history in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Aggies experienced one of their program highs with an upset of No. 1 Alabama in 2012 but two years later faced one of their alltime lows with a 59-0 loss to the Crimson Tide.
The first game marked the first time the Aggies defeated a top-ranked team on the road in more than a century of football. The second game signified A&M’s second-worst loss over that same span.
Where does that leave the sixth-ranked Aggies at top-ranked Alabama on Saturday afternoon?
“If we can make it a thriller, we’d love to,” A&M star defensive end Myles Garrett said.
The Aggies absolutely would accept a thriller based on being nearly three-touchdown underdogs (19 points according
to Friday’s line) against the rolling Crimson Tide.
“This is the second-biggest spread for a game featuring two top-10 teams in over a decade,” said Geoff Johnson, spokesman for MyTopSportsbooks.com.
Florida State was a 21-point favorite over Miami in November 2013 and wound up winning 41-14, according to Johnson.
“This week’s matchup is similar because of the undefeated records of both teams,” Johnson said. “But once again, one team (Alabama) has had the more convincing wins of late and will have the benefit of home-field advantage, which counts for a lot in the college game.”
Remember 2011?
A&M is 2-11 all-time against Associated Press No. 1 teams, with a 2002 victory over Oklahoma at Kyle Field, in addition to the Johnny Manziel-led victory at Alabama four years ago. The Aggies last faced a top-ranked team in 2013, when they fell 49-42 to Alabama at Kyle.
This season, A&M is facing its fourth opponent ranked at the time, with victories over UCLA, Arkansas and Tennessee. The Aggies needed overtime at Kyle Field to defeat the Bruins and Volunteers. A&M’s schedule to date is one reason coach Kevin Sumlin said his team won’t be intimidated on the home turf of the nation’s most
dominant program over the last decade.
“There were high stakes in the first game of the year against UCLA,” Sumlin said. “Two weeks ago, everybody said (Tennessee) was the biggest game at Kyle Field in a long time. It was a game people said we had to win.”
No one is claiming the Aggies have to win Saturday. But if they’re able to keep the contest competitive, it potentially could set up a situation similar to 2011 between Alabama and LSU, this time in the third year of the College Football Playoff. The top-ranked Tigers defeated the second-ranked Crimson Tide in the regular season five years ago, and Alabama responded with a 21-0 victory in a rematch in the national championship game.
To give themselves a chance Saturday, the Aggies must establish a running game behind Trayveon Williams, who boasts an SEC-best 117 rushing yards per game. The problem for A&M, which leads the SEC in rushing at 274 ypg, is Alabama tops the nation in run defense at 64 yards per game.
Saban takes notice
A&M’s schedule typically is considered more advantageous to a potential SEC West title in odd years, considering Alabama and Auburn must visit Kyle Field during those seasons. But the Aggies also realize this year would be a prime one to capitalize on a veteran roster, one peppered with future NFL players. Two of those play defensive end.
“They have dominating players on defense in Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall,” said Nick Saban, who’s gunning for his fifth national title since taking over the Alabama program in 2007. “They’re two defensive ends who create a lot of problems in terms of being great edge rushers.”
Garrett is only a junior but projects as a top-five selection in the 2017 NFL draft, perhaps even No. 1. Hall is a senior as are offensive tackles Avery Gennesy and Jermaine Eluemunor, quarterback Trevor Knight, top receiver Josh Reynolds and top safety Justin Evans, among other key contributors.
Junior safeties Armani Watts and Donovan Wilson are expected to consider turning pro a season early, and junior receiver Ricky Seals-Jones likely will consider the same. It all adds up to A&M needing to capitalize on the final go-round for a talented collection of players, and doing so means winning at Alabama, or at least playing the Crimson Tide close.
“Let’s make the storyline about this year,” Sumlin said when asked about past games and their results leading to this one. “These are two top10 teams trying to win the SEC West. That’s where we are.”