How’s that for a statement win?
Texas A&M’s impressive 38-17 victory over 15th-ranked Arizona State Saturday night in Houston was more than enough to convince poll voters the Aggies deserved a spot in this week’s Associated Press Top 25, coming in at No. 16.
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The Aggies were in the ‘receiving votes’ category in the preseason poll, but oddsmakers labeled Texas A&M a 3-point favorite over the Sun Devils and Kevin Sumlin’s team proved their worth with a dominant performance defensively.
“We weren’t ranked, but we were favored so somebody was right and somebody was wrong,” Sumlin said after the game.
Texas A&M’s momentum-building win is one that could hold much value at the end of the season when the College Football Playoff committee looks at results against other Power 5 conference teams. Arizona State is considered one of the preseason favorites in the Pac-12.
Many thought Fox Sports’ Stewart Mandel jumped off the deep end in August after he picked the Aggies to win the SEC and reach the Playoff this season. He was probably smiling from ear to ear throughout Saturday’s game as Texas A&M’s fierce defensive line manhandled the Sun Devils up front.
