Texas A&M football: 5 swing games that will determine where the Aggies spend the postseason
Published:
Every year there are a handful of games that seem to make or break a season. In the past few years, it has been the games down the stretch that have cost Texas A&M a major bowl invitation.
Now, I’m not talking about the cupcakes, nor are we here to discuss the game or games that on paper appear to be unwinnable. No, the games we’re discussing are … let’s call them “swing games” if you will, the games that will basically determine how high in the pecking order the Aggies will finish come bowl season.
So here are five games, in chronological order, that will determine the Aggies’ postseason travel plans.
Sept. 29 vs. Arkansas (AT&T Stadium, Arlington)
These former Southwest Conference rivals have met 74 times with the Hogs holding a 41-30-3 advantage all-time. But it’s the Aggies that have drawn closer, having won 6 consecutive. But it hasn’t been easy. Three of those games were decided in overtime. This will be Texas A&M’s first real pivotal game against a team that did not play for the 2017 national championship. It will be a real gauge on where the program stands in the beginnings of the Jimbo Fisher era. Even though Arkansas is not considered a threat to contend for conference or division honors, the Hogs are also in the early stages of a new era as well, and a win over the Aggies would point to a positive direction for them.
Oct. 13 at South Carolina
Winning on the road in the SEC is certainly a challenge. And playing in Williams-Brice Stadium is no picnic. Most are in agreement that South Carolina poses the biggest challenge for Georgia in the SEC East. That makes this a huge game not only for bowl recognition, but for the program in general as Fisher builds what he hopes will be a championship program. A victory on the road against the Gamecocks would elevate it to another level.
Oct. 27 at Mississippi State
A game for pecking order in the SEC West, the Bulldogs with a healthy QB in Nick Fitzgerald figure to be a top echelon team in the division behind Alabama and Auburn. Despite losing head coach Dan Mullen to Florida, the Bulldogs have enough experience to be a factor. It’s another huge test for the Aggies on the road and a game that, as of this day before the first kickoff, looks to be critical with regard to bowl implications among SEC West teams.
Nov. 10 vs. Ole Miss
This is one of those late-season games that the Aggies have had trouble putting away in recent past. Playing at home helps, but fans can’t slow down A.J. Brown. It’s a game the Aggies should win, but too many times we’ve seen the same kind of contests go the other way. That’s what makes this one so important. If Fisher is to turn this program around, this is the very type of game he has to win.
Nov. 24 vs. LSU
The Aggies have not beaten LSU since joining the SEC. That’s not news, but it’s a new era in Aggies football and the first time Fisher will face the team he helped win a national championship at as an assistant under Nick Saban. The game will be played at Kyle Field and that’s a huge plus as they try to end a three-game home losing streak to LSU. It’s the curtain-closer to the 2018 regular season and the Aggies’ final chance to impress the pollsters and potential bowl representatives.
Glenn Sattell is an award-winning freelance writer for Saturday Down South.
