Texas A&M vs Alabama Preview
The Aggies welcome #1 Alabama and Nick Saban to Kyle Field for a primetime showdown. Let’s see what we got. By: The Hammer
Can anyone stop this man? Photo by Gary Cosby-USA TODAY Sports
Well, we have arrived at the Alabama game in a way no one could have predicted. The Aggies are 3-2, coming off two straight losses to SEC West opponents with the reality of starting 0-3 in SEC play setting in. Times are tough right now. All the hype surrounding this team coming into the season is gone. Meanwhile, Alabama is rolling. The Tide had a scare early on against Florida, but have looked like a well oiled machine in every other game. And that’s exactly what they are, a perfectly crafted, well oiled machine. Now it’s our turn to line up against them.
The Aggies have nothing to lose this Saturday. No one expects us to win this game, including me. So I hope we see some things that can be encouraging for the rest of the season. A blow out is simply not an option right now. We have to hang tough. I know we can, I’m just not confident we will based on how this team is playing through five games.
Many things need to happen on Saturday to make this a competitive game. First and foremost, the offensive line needs to have their best game of the season by a Texas country mile. We need a push up front in the run game, and Calzada needs time. I’m not sure how we do it, but it needs to happen. Secondly, Jimbo has to call a hell of a game. This offense can’t keep trying to do the same stuff and hope it suddenly clicks. It won’t. I wrote about a bunch of ways this offense could change things up after the Arkansas game, so I won’t rehash all of that, but Jimbo needs to change things up. It’s possible nothing will work against Alabama’s defense, who just held Ole Miss to 291 total yards and 21 points, but I guarantee the system and strategy Jimbo has been trying to run so far this season will not work. So try something else, we’ve got nothing to lose.
Calzada needs to have a big day, and Jimbo needs to put him in a position to succeed. Photo by David Zalubowski, AP Photo
On the other side, the Aggie defense will need to play a near perfect game. Even if the offensive line plays well, and the offense finds a way to move the ball, the offense is still limited. The injuries have taken a toll and lowered the ceiling. So the defense needs to pull more than its fair share of weight. Bryce Young has to be hit early and often. Make him uncomfortable and force a mistake. The defense has to find a way to force turnovers, and probably even give the offense short fields to work with. Lastly, no big plays. Alabama has destroyed Texas A&M in recent games with big plays. 50+ yard bombs that devastate a team’s psyche. Those cannot happen. Make the Tide put together long drives and go the length of the field. They will be able to do it some, but we have to make them earn every inch.
I think what has been most disappointing this season is not the lack of production or wins, given the injuries a lot of that is understandable, but it’s how those games were lost. Injuries or not, this team has not executed well. If our second string simply got beat physically over and over, that would be disappointing based on how we have recruited, but it could be somewhat justified. They are backups for a reason. Instead, this team has repeatedly shot themselves in the foot with self inflicted wounds as opposed to simply losing physical matchups. They get too many penalties. Drop too many passes. Blow too many assignments. And just make too many mental mistakes. They’ve been getting physically beat plenty as well, but the more aggravating thing is the lack of proper execution. Without all the self inflicted wounds and mental errors, this team could easily be 5-0 despite all its shortcomings, and we would be coming into this game with a much different mindset.
This defense needs come up big and force turnovers. Photo by Rogelio V. Solis, AP Photo
If all those things mentioned above miraculously happen, this game is close. We might win. But that’s an awfully big if based on what we have seen so far this season from A&M and Bama. At the end of the day, no matter what happens on Saturday, understand this does not define the season. The rest of the SEC West, other than Alabama, is in a very similar situation at the moment. They all have holes. So if things don’t go our way and they probably won’t, move on. 9-3 is still very much on the table as far-fetched as that may seem.
I do think Alabama will take care of business in this one unfortunately. Their defense is very good, only allowing an average of 282 yards and just over 18 points a game this year, and I think our offense is going to struggle. Alabama has proven it can put up points on anyone as they lead the SEC in scoring offense at 45.6 points a game (A&M averages 23.4). Even though I expect our defense to play well, Alabama will likely score 30+ and I don't see our offense keeping pace.
Play smart. Play hard. Leave it all out on the field. It’s all you can do.
Alabama: 38
Texas A&M: 17
#BTHOALABAMA
