Texas A&M was once the most disappointing team in the SEC. It isn’t any longer. The timing couldn’t have been worse for Auburn.

Remember the old Aggies? They were one of the top stories in the SEC, albeit not in a good way. The old Aggies lost back-to-back games against Arkansas and Mississippi State. Texas A&M was supposed to be the team that challenged Alabama this season. The Aggies were picked 2nd in the SEC West during preseason voting by the SEC media. Even if they couldn’t beat Alabama, which had to rebuild its offense, Texas A&M certainly wasn’t expected to lose 2 games by early October. Yet that’s what happened.

These new Aggies are much more of a concern than the old ones. These new Aggies beat the No. 1 team in the nation, Alabama, and have looked like a different group of guys since that upset victory. Since beating Bama, these new Aggies have beaten Missouri and South Carolina by a combined score of 79-28. Now, no one is going to confuse those 2 teams as national title contenders or even competent. However, when you combine those wins with the Alabama upset, Texas A&M certainly looks like a team that most any team should be wary of. They were seemingly out of the SEC West race altogether after those 2 losses but instead of throwing in the towel, the Aggies buckled down and took control of their season. They should be commended for that. But how did it happen?

Texas A&M didn’t suddenly come up with some exotic game plan to get back on track. They just played solid, hard-nosed football, and backup-turned-starter Zach Calzada has found his footing. Here’s proof.

Texas A&M dominated Missouri in Columbia by controlling both sides of the line of scrimmage. The Aggies held Missouri to just 98 yards rushing in the 35-14 win. Meanwhile, Texas A&M rushed for 283 yards with a 6.7-yard average on 42 rushing attempts.

Texas A&M dominated South Carolina in much the same way. The Aggies ran for 290 yards. The Gamecocks managed to rush for 71 yards. Those new Aggies won 44-14. So how does Auburn stack up against Texas A&M’s rushing attack? Pretty well.

Auburn only allows 128 yards per game, which is 5th in the conference. The Tigers allow just 3.28-yards per rush, which is 3rd. In the era of pass-happy offenses, Auburn has been challenged on the ground and they have responded. It’s not often that we see one team determined to run the football and another that is adept at stopping the run, but that’s what will be on display when No. 12 Auburn plays No. 13 Texas A&M at Kyle Field on Saturday. This could be old-school football at its finest.

Beating Alabama also kept championship hopes alive for the Aggies. First, Auburn controls its fate. If the Tigers win out, they’ll play in the SEC Championship Game. However, if the Aggies can beat the Tigers, then Texas A&M would hold the tiebreaker over Bama and Auburn. Sure, Alabama would have to lose another game for Texas A&M to make it to Atlanta, but that’s not implausible. Alabama still must travel to Auburn, where it has lost the past 2 times.

Having something to play for can change a team’s mindset and keep it going in the right direction. That’s what the Aggies have done. Who would have thought that Texas A&M would even be in the conversation to win the SEC West after two SEC losses early in the season? Not me.

Texas A&M has shown the maturity of a team that’s not just happy to upset Alabama. It has shown the maturity of a team that knows there’s much more to play for. Even if the Aggies don’t win the rest of their regular season games, they can still end the season with respect and play in a snazzy bowl game with lots of fantastic parting gifts.

Texas A&M and Auburn have been 2 of the most newsworthy stories in college football. By losing just 1 SEC game, Auburn is in the SEC hunt and is one of the most surprising teams in the nation under first-year Tigers coach Bryan Harsin. However, the Aggies might have the Tigers topped on newsworthiness. They went from being one of the most disappointing teams in the nation to a team that has the mental fortitude to battle for a championship.

The Alabama game is proof that Texas A&M has the moxie to win a close game late. The Aggies also have the ability to control the course of a game by running the football consistently. Can Auburn slow Texas A&M’s momentum? That will likely be determined on the ground this Saturday.