Yes, I'm a fan and I love my school, but let's be realistic. If A&M goes 7-5, that needs to go down as a good season. Clemson, Alabama, Georgia and LSU are guaranteed losses. They just aren't there yet. [I know, they beat LSU last year, and it was great, but it's a game they shouldn't have won.] And another West team will bite them as usual (MSU is a good choice here). They have a good core of a team but they need time for Fisher's own recruits to grow in the program. They aren't far from competing with the SEC titans, but it's two or three years from now.

#11 You clearly have not seen a halftime performance in College Station.

I've attended a game at KU, and God bless them, but there are high school stadiums here in Dallas which look better (and not just Allen High). You only have to drive by Allen Fieldhouse to know where the athletic budget priorities lie.

I think everyone is dumber after reading this article. I'll be the contrarian here; I hope LSU beats the tar out of UCF and shuts them up for good.

LSU put 72 points on my team. Do it to UCF. Beat them so hard it knocks the faux national championship banner off their stadium.

Why does A&M drop all the way to the Texas Bowl? Granted, it's relatively local, but Aggie fans travel well. Maybe not the Outback but they at least deserve a Florida bowl.

A&M only has one rival (even if we don't play them, which is unfortunate). Quit trying to "create" any others, SEC.

I like A&M's chances, but the bout with Kentucky could very well be a pick 'em.

The way we played Arkansas, Kentucky is looming pretty large right now. At least it's at home. Arky has a better defense than people think. They made a mess of Mond today. Two picks in the first half.

Obviously wouldn't work with so many bowls now, but I've always felt a bowl should be for a team with a winning record, not 6-6, or worse 5-7. Some of these bowls are ridiculous. I can't imagine the ratings and dollars of some of the pre-Christmas bowls make sense.

Texas is the one stalling. A&M has been looking at every possible way to play the game since 2011. There were talks offering Texas $1M to play IN Austin, and paying off a nonconference opponent. Have a game at NRG Stadium in Houston and it'll sell out.

These kinds of stories are the ones I like the most.

I never bought the "we have our schedules planned out until 2032" excuse. Each team buys out one of their cupcake opponents, SEC and Big 12 make adjustments for the scheduling, and done. Granted, this would take another few years, but I don't think it would be as hard as it seems to be. I agree it shouldn't be in a bowl. The only way they play each other is on Thanksgiving. Make the first game a big deal. Play it at NRG Stadium in Houston.

I think a B+ for Sumlin is a bit generous. Yes, this young team has gotten better each week. Showed some grit against Alabama, and got Ws even if they squeaked by Ark, SC, and UF, but then there's the UCLA debacle. B-

I think A&M at No. 3 is generous. It took OT (yet again) to beat Arkansas, and SC was a nail biter. Florida was a squeaker. I'm thankful for the Ws though. A bye week, then three straight home games could not come at a better time. I'd be happy with 2-1 on the homestand, then Ole Miss, which could have a field day with our young secondary. Ultimately, it may come down to beating LSU if Sumlin has any chance to save his job.

I love how my team is claiming a "moral victory." Nope. A moral victory does not equal a "W". They are improving though, and played better than I thought against a powerhouse.

I've degrade A&M a little to a B-. Yes, they won by seven, but that was also on 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. I can't figure this team out. I'm looking past the 72-3 drubbing Alabama will give them next week.

Alejandro Villanueva has my full and utter respect. The rest of the Steelers deserve a certain hand gesture. This kind of action by the Steelers should be interpreted as forfeiting the game. I respect one's freedom of speech and protest, but it doesn't mean I have to agree with it, or watch it for that matter.

I'll give credit to State. Highly unlikely Mullen would make an inter-divisional move just for more money. He doesn't strike me as that kind of guy.

Your roast of the West is classic.

I happen to like Sumlin and the general energy he's brought to the program. I don't like the late season swoon, like any one else. From No. 4 in the CFP to oblivion last year was torture. It won't happen, but I'd like for him to stay to right the ship. The defense is young, and we need a year to see who will be the future QB. In reality, if Sumlin even survives the season before getting axed, A&M offers Mark Richt $6 million a year to leave Miami, and he says no.

No offense to LSU (thought they have yet to lose), but there's been something missing on Thanksgiving. No matter where you grew up in this state, you knew the A&M-Texas game was big. It needs to happen. Half of the SEC has out of conference rivalry games. There's enough money and weight to move the schedules; those are empty excuses. Yes, Texas was a big reason A&M left the Big 12 (and further reason why the Big 12 is starting to crack), but of any game in any college football season, this is the one which needs to happen. They may not say it, but fans and boosters on both sides want it too.

I'm sorry, "pink" is the first thing that came to mind when I saw A&M's cover.

Texas A&M is like watching fireworks. You watch the nice colors and designs, and then at the end, they blow everything and it's amazing. Imagine if the grand finale was the very first part of the show. This is A&M. The blew the doors off the SEC in Year One. Now, 8-5 with losses to Alabama and LSU are the norm. Not many people watch a fireworks show in reverse.

A&M has one player on defense, and will start a mediocre senior or very green redshirt freshman at QB. I think 6-6 into a no name bowl is being optimistic. Sumlin gets fired and they offer Mark Richt $7 million a year to leave Miami, and he still says no.

I thought of "Bittersweet Symphony" for A&M before I clicked on the article.