Thanksgiving weekend is time for some of the most interesting football games of the season, since that's when many of the traditional rivalry games are played. The old saying is that anything can happen in a rivalry game, and that was true today. Undefeated Ohio State had all it could handle with a so-so Michigan team (winning 42-41), and defending national champions Alabama lost to Auburn, their most bitter rival, 34-28. Coincidentally, the Tide and the Wolverines both went down on plays that were called to avoid sending tied games into overtime.
Tonight, Texas A&M lost 28-21 at Missouri. The Aggies played four tough SEC teams with strong defenses and efficient running games, and went 0-4. The Aggies struggled to win shootouts with Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State. It was a rough year, because teams that win consistently in the SEC have potent running games and gritty defenses, and Texas A&M has neither. Their success in reaching 8-4 was mainly the result of having a quarterback with enough individual talent to win shootouts against teams like Ole Miss and Arkansas.
In 2012, the Aggies were red-hot. They stomped Auburn 63-21, and thumped Missouri 59-29. College Station was the center of attention in the world of college football after Johnny Manziel became the first freshman winner of the Heisman Trophy. The future looked bright.
In 2013, Auburn and Missouri had A&M figured out and outmanned on offense and defense. They will meet next weekend in the SEC championship game, and the winner may have a shot at the BCS championship game. What a difference a year makes. Auburn and Missouri spent the year working their way toward the top of the SEC hierarchy, while A&M was sliding down the food chain into middle-of-the-pack status. Today's SEC games allowed a glimpse of the future, and my conclusion is that until Texas A&M develops an ability to play the kind of football played by Alabama, Auburn, LSU, and Missouri, it doesn't have much future.
Tonight, Texas A&M lost 28-21 at Missouri. The Aggies played four tough SEC teams with strong defenses and efficient running games, and went 0-4. The Aggies struggled to win shootouts with Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State. It was a rough year, because teams that win consistently in the SEC have potent running games and gritty defenses, and Texas A&M has neither. Their success in reaching 8-4 was mainly the result of having a quarterback with enough individual talent to win shootouts against teams like Ole Miss and Arkansas.
In 2012, the Aggies were red-hot. They stomped Auburn 63-21, and thumped Missouri 59-29. College Station was the center of attention in the world of college football after Johnny Manziel became the first freshman winner of the Heisman Trophy. The future looked bright.
In 2013, Auburn and Missouri had A&M figured out and outmanned on offense and defense. They will meet next weekend in the SEC championship game, and the winner may have a shot at the BCS championship game. What a difference a year makes. Auburn and Missouri spent the year working their way toward the top of the SEC hierarchy, while A&M was sliding down the food chain into middle-of-the-pack status. Today's SEC games allowed a glimpse of the future, and my conclusion is that until Texas A&M develops an ability to play the kind of football played by Alabama, Auburn, LSU, and Missouri, it doesn't have much future.
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