We all tend to focus our attention on quarterbacks. They get too much credit in victory and too much blame in defeat.

However, the game’s most important position was key Saturday in College Station, as Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham threw circles around the Texas A&M duo of Kellen Mond and Nick Starkel. As a result, the Tigers defeated the Aggies 42-27.

A highly publicized transfer from Baylor, Stidham was 20-of-27 passing for 268 yards with 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, plus he added 27 yards on 7 carries. He made use of the deep ball — Auburn’s aerial attack had been overly East-and-West prior to his arrival — and had a completion of at least 29 yards to three different receivers.

Stidham didn’t have to do it all by himself, either. Tigers running back Kerryon Johnson recorded 145 yards and 1 TD on 29 attempts.

Auburn moves to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in SEC play. Even with those two defeats, coach Gus Malzahn and Co. still have an outside shot at the College Football Playoff since they host No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Alabama in Weeks 11 and 13, respectively.

While the Tigers technically don’t control their own destiny in the West — they need LSU to lose another conference game down the stretch — they have more chances than any team in America to truly impress the selection committee. If they somehow manage to win the division, they’d likely face a rematch with Georgia in the league title game.

As for Texas A&M, it’s November after all. This is the time of year when coach Kevin Sumlin’s squad tends to fall apart.

Dating back to the 2013 campaign, the Aggies are 7-10 in November. Additionally, over the course of the last two seasons, this is seven consecutive losses at home to West rivals. If Sumlin wants to keep his job, he can’t afford another late collapse.

Sumlin's system tends to work better when the signal caller is a threat to run himself.

Malzahn couldn’t be more comfortable with Stidham at the controls, but Sumlin has now been forced to play both Mond and Starkel the last two games. Last week, Mond got hurt and made way for Starkel — he was the original starter before getting banged up himself in the opener. This week, Mond actually got benched in favor of Starkel.

Mond was only 5-of-11 for 16 yards, plus he wasn’t very effective as a runner. Usually quite nimble, he lost 3 yards on 2 rushes.

Starkel’s final numbers weren’t too bad, as he was 11-of-22 for 184 yards with 2 scores and 0 picks, but it’s not the same offense when he’s in there. Sumlin’s system tends to work better when the signal caller is a threat to tuck it and run.

Sumlin has a decision to make before hosting New Mexico in seven days. Both passers are freshmen — Mond (below) is right out of high school, while Starkel redshirted in 2016 — so neither brings much experience to the table. Clearly, the page has been turned on senior Jake Hubenak, even with him completing 12 of the 15 passes he’s thrown this season.

Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Ironically, Stidham is a Texas native and had the Aggies on his radar. However, he ended up at Auburn and announced his presence in this one.

It’s absurd to predict how this year would’ve shaken out had Stidham chosen Texas A&M over the Tigers, but it’s safe to say that the division race has been affected. Unquestionably, he’s given new life to Auburn’s passing game.

In the long run, perhaps Mond or Starkel turns out to be better than Stidham. Sumlin might not be around to see it, though.

The Aggies fall to 5-4 and 3-3 in the SEC. They have two conference games left, at Ole Miss in Week 12 and at LSU in Week 13, but neither is a guarantee by any stretch of the imagination. Sumlin must run the table to reach 9-4.

Why is that significant? His own athletic director, Scott Woodward, was a guest on “The Paul Finebaum Show” in June and announced live that Sumlin has to improve upon three straight 8-5 finishes. Simple math suggests that he needs to get to nine wins — three more in the regular season, plus one in a bowl game — to remain employed.

Florida already fired Jim McElwain, and Tennessee’s Butch Jones should be next. It’s open season on coaches in this conference.

If 2017 is indeed Sumlin’s swan song at Texas A&M, then his failure to find a field general to take the torch from former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel will be a big reason why. There’s simply been too much turnover.

Keep in mind that Stidham is just a sophomore, so he has two more years of eligibility left — unless the call of the NFL becomes impossible to ignore — after this season. It’s not like he’s a graduate transfer and will only be on The Plains for a single season. There’s time for him to become even more lethal in Malzahn’s scheme.

Mond has flashed some upside here and there and can be dangerous as a ball carrier, but he’s not consistent as a passer just yet.

Of course, there’s more to the separation between the Tigers and Aggies at this juncture than the various players taking shotgun snaps. Auburn runs the ball more productively and features a more complete defensive unit at all three levels.

That being said, the imbalance at quarterback in College Station was evident. Stidham was in charge from start to finish, especially with the way he could push the envelope downfield with his huge arm. Mond and Starkel aren’t the same player — Sumlin surely had to make play-call adjustments — and even combined couldn’t match Stidham.

In the long run, perhaps Mond or Starkel turns out to be better than Stidham. Sumlin might not be around to see it, though.