First and 10: Save it, Texas A&M. You had your Playoff shot and blew it
1. I don’t want to get on a soapbox, but …
Don’t blame Ohio State or Notre Dame when you don’t reach the Playoff, Texas A&M.
Look directly at that safe, bored team you put on the field for the previous 3 games, the one that had College Football Playoff poll position and zeroed in on another team’s misfortune instead of building its case on the field.
After all that whining and complaining since the first CFP poll, Texas A&M is left with this: The Florida loss it so desperately wanted/needed does nothing for its Playoff hopes.
In fact, it might have hurt them.
By the end of next week’s championship games, Texas A&M’s best win will be a team that lost 2 straight to end the season, and that fell out of the top 10 after a likely blowout loss to No. 1 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.
The Aggies needed Florida to play the SEC Championship Game with 1 loss, and lose respectably. That scenario would’ve at least meant Texas A&M’s anchor win would’ve stayed in the top 10 and strengthened its résumé.
And now? Well, now the Aggies need a miracle (more on that later).
Because it’s not just the Florida loss that has Texas A&M on the outside of the Playoff with its face pressed against the window. It’s not just the CFP selection committee even considering an Ohio State team that played half a season.
It’s 2 ugly wins over Auburn and LSU when the Aggies had an opportunity to make a statement.
That was the biggest sin of all.
Through all of those controversial BCS years and the previous 6 CFP seasons, the overwhelming reality was the safest, surest way to reach the game(s) that matters is winning big. Not stumbling to the finish.
The college football postseason has forever been as much a beauty pageant as a demolition derby. For 3 weeks the Aggies were dinged and dented while playing it safe in wins over Auburn and LSU – and as damaging, by not playing games because of COVID protocols.
The more Texas A&M didn’t play games – no matter which team failed to reach protocol minimums – the more they were out of sight and mind from the CFP committee. Again, it’s a beauty pageant and a demolition derby, and you must be present to be accounted for in a committee poll that is essentially an eye test.
You’re not winning votes with the committee when you beat a bad LSU team 20-7, and your quarterback completes 30% of his passes and averages 3.1 yards per attempt.
You’re not winning votes when you beat unranked Auburn 31-20 and have to score 17 points in the 4th quarter to make it happen.
You’re not winning votes when, by no fault of your own, your game against Ole Miss is canceled.
Because while the Aggies were throwing up all over themselves in those 2 wins, Ohio State was annihilating Michigan State. While the Aggies were sitting out a week because of COVID protocols, Ohio State got its biggest win of the season over 1-loss and top 10 Indiana.
Ohio State’s Heisman Trophy-contending quarterback Justin Fields was making spectacular plays in big moments to win games. Mond was doing everything he could to not lose games.
That’s not exactly all gussied up for the CFP selection committee if you know what I mean.
This is a unique season, a rare moment where the CFP selection committee could’ve chosen a Texas A&M team that rolled opponents every week since a 28-point loss – a TWENTY-EIGHT point loss – to No.1 Alabama.
Instead, the Aggies gave the committee this to chew on following a 41-38 win over Florida:
- 28-14 over Mississippi State.
- 42-31 over Arkansas.
- A blowout of a truly terrible South Carolina team.
- Uninspiring wins over LSU and Auburn.
The response from the CFP selection committee: So?
It’s a beauty pageant, and you better look good every week when you’re on the runway. Anyone can look good at home in a desperation game after a big loss to the No. 1 team.
Not everyone can grind through the demolition derby of a season. Those that can’t will eventually look just as banged and battered – and here’s the key, unattractive for the eye test – as everyone else chasing all that pretty.
Because at the end of the show, you can’t point to a car more damaged than yours. If neither are running, who cares?
2. Stand and deliver
Let’s get beyond Ohio State playing 5 regular-season games. The CFP committee clearly doesn’t care.
The next question: What does Texas A&M need to reach the Playoff (see: aforementioned miracle).
One thing that has been overlooked yet can no longer be ignored is where unbeaten USC fits in the argument. Because like Ohio State, the Trojans have also played 5 games.
An unbeaten Power 5 champion has never been left out of the CFP, and the last time an unbeaten Power 5/BCS conference champ was not given a chance to play for it all was 2004 (Auburn). If the committee is giving Ohio State a break despite playing 5 regular-season games, it must do the same for USC – or risk exposing the long denied reality that the committee vote is an eye test.
This, of course, is bad news for the Aggies. Heading into championship weekend, Texas A&M needs this Hail Mary to make the Playoff:
— It begins and ends with the ACC only getting 1 team in the playoff. That means Notre Dame beating Clemson, or Clemson beating Notre Dame so badly, the committee can’t ignore it.
Either scenario gives the Aggies their best chance of reaching the Playoff because it allows them to be judged head-to-head with USC and Cincinnati.
— If the ACC gets 2 teams in the Playoff (the anticipated result), the Aggies have no Playoff path. Alabama (win or lose to Florida) is in, and the winner of the Big Ten Championship Game is in.
If Northwestern beats Ohio State, the Wildcats’ biggest win (Ohio State for the Big Ten title) is bigger than the Aggies’ win over Florida.
Northwestern will have played 8 games – 1 less than Texas A&M (if the Aggies play Tennessee this week as scheduled).
3. The fog fallout
Forget about Marco Wilson tossing a shoe. That’s the sore on top of the infection.
An unexplainable loss has been building for weeks at Florida, and Dan Mullen has no one to blame but himself.
He had the chance 2 weeks ago against Kentucky to make a statement and get it turned, but he, in the parlance of our times, opted out. Late in the first half against the Wildcats, Mullen was screaming at defensive coordinator Todd Grantham about yet another subpar effort by the defense.
National television cameras caught it. There was no denying it.
But after the game, Mullen played it off as two friends getting after each other and going to dinner later.
The Florida defense is in disarray, and it plays out on the field nearly every snap of every game.
Missed assignments, blown assignments, poor tackling, bad angles — and 10 weeks into the season, a failure to line up in position prior to the snap. Ladies and gentlemen, that’s coaching.
That’s poor coaching of a unit that has speed, athleticism and a handful of NFL Draft picks. Mullen had to have seen that from the first game of the season, when Ole Miss did whatever it wanted offensively.
Or from Week 3, when Texas A&M’s historically average quarterback played the game of his career against the Florida defense.
Or against LSU, when a true freshman quarterback making his first start played behind a patchwork offensive line and scored 30 points (7 were on a pick-6).
Yet after both losses this season, Mullen blamed his offense. The Malik Davis fumble late in the 4th quarter against Texas A&M, and Trask’s pick-6 and fumble that led to 10 LSU points, and the red-0zone inefficiency.
It’s not the offense. It’s the defense – and Mullen should have publicly said so months ago.
No matter what was said behind closed doors, there’s no greater motivator in sports than public embarrassment.
There’s no chance former Florida coach Urban Meyer, Mullen’s mentor, allows a defense with this potential to play like it has all season without publicly calling them out. Urb simply wouldn’t stand for it.
There’s no chance former Florida coach Steve Spurrier spares an underwhelming defense his sharp tongue (he once said, after Week 1, the Gators’ best pass defense was “still the dropped ball.”)
There’s no chance Grantham calls another double corner blitz (knowing Florida’s struggles in the back end) that leads to another coverage bust and another easy touchdown, if Mullen began his postgame press conference after the Kentucky win and said, “I’m tired of watching blitzes that don’t get home and put us in bad position in coverage – and I told Todd and the players that.”
He might have said those exact words in the locker room, but it’s different (for players and assistant coaches) being dressed down in the safe space of the locker room than the unknown outside it. The sense of urgency is ramped up when all the world hears.
Marco Wilson’s boneheaded play didn’t prevent Florida from playing for a national title. That’s the sore.
The infection is the defense, and how it has played – and hasn’t been publicly pushed – all season.
4. The bronzed season
Let’s look at this within the framework that Heisman Trophy voters are creatures of the moment.
Always have been, always will be.
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask and Alabama quarterback Mac Jones began last weekend as the unquestioned leaders for the greatest individual award in sports.
Both had underwhelming games (Trask’s effort more damaging than Jones’), while Alabama wideout DeVonta Smith continued to race toward a huge season, including a Heisman moment of sorts with an electric 84-yard punt return for a touchdown in a rout of Arkansas.
Smith has 83 catches and 15 TDs this season, and has 1 game remaining against a Florida defense that hasn’t proven it can stop any passing game – much less the best passing game in college football.
It has been 29 years since a wide receiver won the Heisman (Desmond Howard, Michigan), and 33 since Tim Brown of Notre Dame became the first and only other wide receiver to win the award. The one thing we learned from those 2 Heisman winners: If you’re a wide receiver and not prominently featured in the return game, you’re not winning the trophy.
Smith has 9 returns this season (7 punt, 2 kickoff). Meanwhile, Michael Crabtree and Larry Fitzgerald and many other wide receivers have had better seasons than Smith, and didn’t win the award.
Fair or not, the Heisman has become a quarterback award, and unless Jones struggles in the SEC Championship Game, he’ll win it.
5. The Weekly Five
Five picks against the spread.
- Alabama (-17.5) vs. Florida
- Texas A&M (-10) at Tennessee
- Vanderbilt at Georgia (-35.5)
- Ole Miss (+1.5) at LSU
- Missouri (+2) at Mississippi State
Last week: 3-1 (1 cancellation).
Season: 32-19.
6. Your tape is your résumé
An NFL scout breaks down an NFL draft-eligible SEC player. This week: WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama.
“There will be a lot of discussion on this player. You put on the tape, and he just jumps out at you. He’s so smooth, gets separation, catches everything, runs away from the back end. He’s the guy you’re watching every snap.
“Then you have to look at the measurables. He’s 180 pounds, and that might be a high number. He’s Gumby out there; all arms and legs. He’s going to run in the 4.5s at the Combine, and that’s going to be a red flag.
“Then you’re going to hear how he benefited from the Alabama offense. But at the end of the day, you have to trust what you see on the tape. He’s playing in the best league in college football, and going against the best defenses in college football. And he’s the guy you can’t stop watching when the tape is rolling.
“He’s a first-round guy, and he probably moved from early second to mid-first by coming back for his senior year. He has made a lot of money this year.”
7. Powered Up
This week’s Power Poll – and one big thing.
1. Alabama: I’m still not a fan of the Tide defense (it will get exposed over the next month), but the offense should be enough to get it to the national championship game.
2. Texas A&M: Not getting to play the Ole Miss game last weekend eliminated another Playoff committee data point for the Aggies. But Florida’s loss to LSU is all that really matters in the long run.
3. Florida: Get ready for an unsightly mess in Atlanta: a Gators defense that can’t line up prior to the snap vs. the offense that runs tempo with All-Americans all over the field.
4. Georgia: This will be a weekly gut punch for Dawgs coach Kirby Smart. The more JT Daniels plays and plays well, the more baffling his decision to play Stetson Bennett and D’Wan Mathis.
5. Auburn: The dangerous reality setting in: Auburn has become a program that wins the games it should, not the games it could. Translation: a lot of Outback Bowls in Auburn’s future (no offense to the Outback Bowl).
6. Ole Miss: Man, did I want to see that Rebels offense against the Texas A&M defense (I’m not sure the Aggies did, but that’s another story for another time).
7. Missouri: Tigers aren’t quite ready to trade blows with Florida and Georgia, but I like this team and this staff. Six wins in Eliah Drinkwitz’s first season, a COVID season where every first-year staff had a distinct disadvantage.
8. LSU: Lost in the criticism of Florida losing to LSU was the way Tigers coach Ed Orgeron got a team that should’ve lost by 30 to win by 3. Emotion and motivation is a powerful thing in college football. It can lead to the unthinkable when you’re down to 54 scholarship players and playing a true freshman QB making his first start.
9. Kentucky: Is it too much to ask that the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator also be its quarterbacks coach? That the guy coaching the quarterbacks is also the guy working with the starting quarterback to come up with a game plan for Saturdays?
10. Arkansas: Feel badly for QB Feleipe Franks. Was having a nice season before injuries (hand, rib) impacted the final month, and prevented Arkansas from building on a 3-3 start.
11. Tennessee: At the very least, Tennessee got what it desperately needed – a win. But how much will that matter when Texas A&M rolls into Knoxville and lays a number on the Vols to impress the CFP selection committee?
12. Mississippi State: If I know Mike Leach, he’s just sick about wasting a good defense because he couldn’t find a quarterback to fit his system. The clock starts next year, so don’t be surprised if he reaches into the transfer portal one more time.
13. South Carolina: When you’re not inherently a heavyweight in the SEC, any rebuild is difficult. This will be especially unique with a first-time head coach (Shane Beamer) and a roster that has gotten used to losing.
14. Vanderbilt: I’ve said this 2 weeks straight, so why not again? Vandy must be different in its head-coaching hire. Hire Army coach Jeff Monken or Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo and run the triple option. Be daring.
8. Ask and you shall receive
Matt: Now that Gus Malzahn is gone, where do we go? This should’ve been done last year, and we could’ve been in a better situation.
Trent Forrester
Birmingham, Ala.
Trent: Understand this: if Auburn is willing to spend $21.4 million to fire Malzahn, a coach who beat Nick Saban and Alabama 3 times, they’re willing to try anything. That means taking shots at coaches, who for one reason or another, wouldn’t seem like a fit.
Among that list: Liberty coach and former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze. And current Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin.
The incestuous SEC favors those two, and Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian. In fact, I’d love to see Auburn offer the job to Sarkisian just to see Alabama’s intentions: Would the Tide give Sark a big raise and make him Coach In Waiting?
But that’s all funsies drama. You know, the silly season. If I were Auburn president Jay Gogue, I’d hop on a plane for Bloomington, Ind., right now and beg Tom Allen to take the job. He’s exactly – and I can’t stress this enough, exactly – what Auburn wants from its football coach.
Auburn loves to speak about it its family atmosphere, and how being part of that family is the most important thing (and winning — or lose and get $21.4 million to go away). Allen, who was an assistant on Freeze’s Ole Miss staff for 3 seasons, took over at Indiana and has transformed a basketball school into a legitimate threat in the Big Ten.
His mantra LEO – Love Each Other – is about as Auburn as it gets. He preaches the idea of players and coaches and staff loving each other, and moving that love into the passion of playing for and with each other.
Yeah, it’s hokey. But you know what? It worked at IU. He recruits furiously in the state of Florida (where he was a high school coach), and he has built his team on fast defenses and a dangerous dual-threat quarterback.
Why make any other choice?
9. Numbers: 67
When JT Daniels took over as starting quarterback at Georgia 3 games ago, the Bulldogs were converting a respectable 42% of 3rd-down conversions.
In 3 games under Daniels – the 3 (Mississippi State, South Carolina, Missouri) not nearly as difficult as the Alabama and Florida games – the Bulldogs are converting 67 % of 3rd downs.
More impressive, 6 of Daniels’ 9 TD passes are 3rd-down throws.
10. Quote to note
Florida coach Dan Mullen: “We played 10 games. I guess the best thing to do would be play less games, because you seem to get rewarded for playing less games in 2020.”
What is a Power Poll? If it’s Power Rankings, there’s no reason Florida should be ahead of Georgia (and you could probably argue A&M shouldn’t be either). If it’s a poll, then I agree with how it’s set out.
And your objective case for UGA being better than A&M is based on what? Let’s see an analysis of won/loss records and common opponents.
That’s what polls are for waycross and the reason why, in a poll, I would have both Florida and A&M ahead of UGA. But since you asked…
Common opponents:
– A&M lost to Bama by 28, UGA lost by 17 with its backup QB
– A&M beat Florida by 3, UGA lost to Florida by 17 with its backup and third string QB
– A&M beat Miss St by 14, UGA beat Miss St by 7
– A&M beat Ark by 11, UGA beat Ark by 27 with its backup and third string QB
– A&M beat Aub by 11, UGA beat Aub by 21 with its backup QB
– A&M beat scar by 45, UGA beat scar by 29
This week will give us 2 more data points for common opponents. I hope UGA can beat Vandy by at least 5 points like A&M did. Maybe you still like A&M after common opponents and maybe you put extra weight into how A&M beat Florida v how UGA played Florida. But it’s closer than some might think.
You presume that JT Bennett would play great or even good in a close game against a talented defense. I never presume such things until I see it happen. Example: Jake Fromm was terrible against teams with athletic defenses that could match UGA’s talent.
0-2 against Alabama, with virtually no points in the second half in either game
0-2 against LSU
0-1 against Texas
The only good team matching that description that he had consistent success against was Auburn, and even there it is debatable how “good” Auburn actually was. Other teams were successfully able to exploit Fromm’s average arm strength and mobility and force him into bad decisions under pressure. Is Bennett better than Fromm, who won 3 straight SEC East titles and was 1 play away from winning a national title?
More to the point, Alabama made every QB who isn’t a future Heisman winner, #1 NFL draft pick or both look bad. Even Kyler Murray – the Heisman winner AND #1 pick who has Arizona in the playoff hunt in his 2nd year – was shellshocked against Bama (for a half anyway). So, the 400 yards against an atrocious Mississippi State team and 3 TDs against a badly overmatched Mizzou team has you convinced that Bennett is a Heisman candidate and future #1 pick?
Also, the main data point that matters: won/loss record. UGA has 2. A&M has 1. To put it another way, UGA went 0-2 against Florida and Alabama (which are the only 2 ranked teams that UGA played this year). A&M went 1-1. Yes, UGA was playing Stetson Bennett in those games, but it isn’t A&M’s fault that Kirby Smart handled the QB situation so badly. More to the point, UGA shouldn’t get very much credit for finally fielding an SEC caliber player at QB 3/4 into the season, because A&M managed to do the same from the very start. If anyone should be rewarded for that, it is A&M and not UGA.
First, I thought you were done with this site, but good to see you can still handle it. Welcome back!
Power rankings are based on “what have you done lately”, polls are based on a full resume which is what you’re referring to. The full resume I give to A&M and Florida. No debate. The power ranking aka “what have you done lately” I think UGA has shown more than Florida has. I said A&M was debatable, granted they would get a knock for not playing this week even though it’s not their fault. I don’t think you’d be crazy to put A&M or UGA at the two spot in a power rank. In a poll, you would be crazy to put UGA at 2 as they have not deserved it.
JT Bennett is not a person, at least not one that plays for UGA. JT Daniels has more arm talent than Fromm and is a completely different style QB. You’re correct though, he hasn’t played a good defense. I think the point is he doesn’t have to be a heisman candidate for the UGA offense to have a pulse.
Pretty sure SB was your starting QB…
Great way to make excuses. Stetson Bennett was your starting QB. He won the job after the other guy opted out, and the kid that had a brain tumor performed poorly. Own the season.
No offense, but this only shows you go by records instead of actually watching the games. A&M doesn’t put a ton of points on the board, it’s not their style of play. They play ground and pound, wear the opponent out and dominate the 4th quarter. Thinking any true analyst across the country would even remotely consider Georgia ahead of A&M in any power rankings is kind of silly.
just stop talking plz.
Weekly power rankings are about week to week performances more than the past performances. He already conceded if it was a poll/ranking (which takes in account the whole season equally) TAMU would be ahead.
Thank you, maybe I just don’t know how to put this into words because no one seems to understand this concept.
Yeah … but this is absurd since UGA played a 5-4 team this week while A&M didn’t play at all. So no, UGA doesn’t get to jump a team that has a better overall record and a better record against common opponents merely because they played and A&M’s game got cancelled.
Sorry, UGA has no case. You are just giddy to have an SEC caliber QB. Other programs who had that already aren’t going to be nearly as impressed.
You’re mistaken if you think I, care about power rankings. I don’t. Georgia isn’t going to win a natty this year, and where they are placed in the power rankings of an editorial site isn’t going to change that.
TAMU hasn’t won a division title nor SEC title, and won’t this year. It is very unlikely that they make it to the playoffs.
Please. Pump the brakes.
Georgia currently looks better than TAMU, TAMU has had a better year. Simple.
(also inactive teams have been jumped all year in rankings and polls…)
You say simple, only your statement doesn’t pass the eye test. Georgia and A&M have very different styles of play. Georgia might be flashier, but A&M is by far the more solid and consistent, and that’s right now, not the past.
UF beat UGA and they have the same record lol
That’s why I would have them ahead in a poll lol. Please see jay.cardea’s comment above for the difference in a poll and a power ranking. Thanks.
what’s the difference?
Please see jay.cardea’s comment above for the difference in a poll and a power ranking. Thanks.
Regardless of the power polls, UGA will end up ahead of Florida in the polls and with a better conference record. The East “champion” will finish second best in the east.
Not 100% sure about that but they will finish with at least 3 Ls after ATL.
This headline should have read “First and 10: Save it, Gators. You had your Playoff shot and blew it”. But since it’s written by one of the heavily biased UF writers on this site, this type of homer “journalism” is the standard here. It’s funny that I see a lot of Gaturd fans starting to turn on Darth Gator after the Big Choke on Saturday. WithhHis idiotic behavior and weird personality he’s not halping himself. LMAO.
Correction: With his idiotic behavior and weird personality he’s not helping himself.
you lost to the team who lost to LSU by the way. AND IT WASNT EVEN CLOSE.
look at your record then look at the rankings plz. I can’t even believe a Georgia fan can even look in the mirror right now. Worst offense in the SEC
It’s not gonna matter for TAMU when they get shut down in Knoxville Saturday. Eric Gray gonna have a monster game. Watch.
were you not just saying you were mad that UF lost? What kind of fan are you?
I’m a Tennessee fan but I was rooting for UF that game because I wanted the SEC championship to actually mean something and now it doesn’t
He is also the same guy asking for TAMU to put the Vols out of their misery…
He isn’t a Vols fan…
I said in a different post I’d like to win but that would save Pruitt’s job, which is bad for the team
A post over a top 5 ranked team is never bad for a program. It’s also great for the players who are putting in work this cray year…
But none of that matter to you anyway as a Florida fan…
Win*
I’m not a Florida fan. And Pruitt staying just to ruin us again next year is bad for the team
Bad for the team is constantly changing coaches and not allowing any continuity for more than a couple years…
Keep firing coaches.. It’s what a dumba$$ like you deserves… Maybe the players will go elsewhere where they can get some support.
Oh you mean like Alabama did in the late 90s early 2000s?
Exactly.. It was terrible for the program but they were also dealing with NCAA sanctions so getting a good coach or someone to stay was almost impossible…
Changing coaches every couple years is not going to bring UT back… Winning some big games will..
Dumba$$
winning one game in a season in which we wont get into a bowl game anyway means nothing. But like I said I’d love to dash all Aggie hopes before selection Sunday, it’s just that Pruitt is horrible and there’s no point in keeping him. Give me one good reason to keep him.
One good reason? You’re not going to hire anyone any better…
To shut us down your D line is going to have to beat our O-line…sorry I don’t see that happening. I don’t see a blow out but no way y’all winning the line of scrimmage.
Our style of offense isnt built for blowouts. that’s why we are so good. the score doesn’t reflect the game.
Your parents really need to take your stash away from you.
laugh out loud.
This blog is officially more impressed with Sarah Fuller than with Texas A&M. That is fine. I am done here. I will read about my SEC football in another place.
By the way … the idea that Auburn – the #6 program in the SEC – should hire Steve Sarkisian, who failed at Washington and USC (the #1 and #2 programs in the Pac-12) is totally idiotic. The idea that Auburn should hire Lane Kiffin, who ALSO failed at USC (Ed Orgeron did a better job and had USC made him the permanent head coach after firing Kiffin THEY would have been the one to win a national title) and prior to that at the Oakland Raiders based on two mediocre SEC seasons (one at Tennessee, one at Ole Miss) is even more ridiculous.
More utterly insane still: the idea that Auburn should hire a Saban assistant at all AS NO SABAN ASSISTANT HAS BEATEN SABAN. The only people to have success against Saban in the SEC are the guys who DIDN’T coach for the guy.
But hey, this blog is too stupid to realize that “winning ugly” against LSU – like A&M did – IS BETTER THAN LOSING TO LSU BECAUSE YOU ARE TRYING TO RACK UP STYLE POINTS AND PAD STATS FOR YOUR QB’S HEISMAN CAMPAIGN.
That’s right. LSU knew that Florida was going to put the ball in Kyle Trask’s hands, so they ignored run defense and maxed out on pass coverage while applying pressure. Florida could have exploited that at any time, especially while in the red zone. They didn’t and Trask – who gets happy feet and makes terrible decisions when pressured – responded the way he did last year in losses to LSU and UGA. Even that critical turnover at the end of the first half. Take a knee – or run a draw play up the middle – and LSU doesn’t get 3 easy points.
But hey, this blog is more impressed by Sarah Fuller kicking a field goal in a game that Vandy got slaughtered by another terrible team IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WORST SEASON IN VANDERBILT HISTORY than they are Texas A&M, which isn’t even one of the SEC’s traditional big 6 and nor were they ever an upper echelon team in the Big 12 (indeed MISSOURI had a better recent winning record than A&M did the 10 years prior to their joining the SEC) going 7-1 against SEC conference games, with 8-1 very likely. Not even Johnny Manziel won 7 conference games in a season. A&M has only won 7 conference games in a season ONCE since leaving the SWC … back in 1998. A&M not getting to play Ole Miss is tragic because that took away their shot to win 10 games in a season for only the third time since leaving the SWC, which after Arkansas left was worse than several mid-major leagues!
But yeah, Sarah Fuller kicking a field goal is more important than all that. Because – as we all knows – social agendas and narratives are more important than what actually happens on the field. That is why A&M and Mond gets bashed for playing to avoid an upset and succeeding, which is precisely what Mullen and company failed to do.
And by the way, Mond’s game against Florida wasn’t his best of the season. His 5 TD and 0 sack game against South Carolina was. His 3 TD game with 81% completions against Arkansas was almost as good. But you didn’t notice either game. Sarah Fuller’s kick? That you did notice. Which speaks more about you and the site that you write for.
So you’re saying you’ll never return here or is this one of those “if X president gets elected I’m moving to Canada” statements? No one is begging you stay.
This is really just a news aggregator and place for fans to comment so not sure why you’re so bothered in the first place. But do what you gotta do for your mental health!
I am done here. I will read about my SEC football in another place.
–
Let me know if you find a decent place with a comment section. I was fond of al dot com because at least some posters there would be capable of talking about the sport, but they lost their minds and closed the comment section because people were able to discuss the news and they didn’t want that happening.
I’m being serious. If you find a good place, let us know.
Espn game chats were really good back in the day. Most people would actually talk about the game and I got to actually have some good conversations with opponent fanbases about x’s and o’s.
Sitting on the bama vs ole miss board, explaining why Bo Wallace was going to beat bama was a good day.
A’las, those boards deteriorated too and are basically gone…Honestly, with how accessible the internet is the places that are probably the best have a paywall.
The Athletic.
@ JTF
Thanks, I’ll have a look.
I angry man! Woman belong in kitchen. Stop kicking balls. Fix me sandwich. Rage!
I will sell you an e or a dictionary, but not cheap.
Twenty-five completions, 338 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions against Florida is a much more marquee performance than his games against Arkansas and SC.
Actually she kicked 2 extra points from the 3 yard line. Impressive.
Jones would undoubtedly be the most undeserving Heisman winner of all time. He doesn’t even have 30 TDs!!! And dont even thinka bout replying BT, you’re just an annoying gnat.
Maybe Desmond Howard was less deserving but my point still stands.
You’re just a dumba$& Florida fan pretending to be a Vols fan…
I’m most definetly a Vols fan and what you said had nothing to do with my comment
It’s so sad when people expose their lack of football knowledge. There’s not another QB in the country who is in more control of his offense than Mac Jones. I know as a Tennessee fan (and secret Florida fan) it’s hard to recognize good QB play but maybe in a few years you’ll understand more about the game. I’m sure one of your parents might be able to help you understand more.
The Florida fan pretending to be a Vols fan lives to Bash Mac..
You’re such a pompous prick. You think you’re better than everyone.
I don’t pretend to be better than anyone.. I also don’t pretend to be a fan of a team I am not…
Something you clearly do…
“Clearly” but any evidence you have is entirely circumstantial and I’ve already explained to you why I wanted Florida to win
The only evidence available and needed is your love fest with Florida and disdain for the Vols..
Nothing else really matters..
I dont have disdain for the Vols I have disdain for Jeremy Pruitt. I will always root for them, but Pruitt getting fired is best for the team
The Heisman isnt the award for being in control of the offense its the award for the best player in CFB and that should either go to Trask or DeVonta Smith this year.
Trask isn’t the best player in CFB..
Try again dumba$$…
Neither is Jones
Try again prick
I’ve never said he was the best player in CFB..
You on the other hand continue to act like Trask is..
He clearly is not but you just can’t admit it..
Dumba&&
Trask? Just because of his TD passes? Those empty 3 yard TD passes against Vandy? Lead his team to 2 losses. Lost against a bad LSU team because of 2 picks (1 pick 6) and a very athletic fumble.
Neither are best on their teams.. Jones is 3rd (Smith, Harris). Trask is at best 2 behind Pitts
I see a 4th QB Heisman statue in front of Ben Hill Griffen Stadium. We have better odds compared to the Tide!
Talking odds? Well Florida was a 24 point favorite over LSU…
How did that work out for you?
How many QB Heisman trophy winners you got at AL?
That’s the most specific comeback. “How many qb heisman winners do you have”
Oh yeah, well how many 1980 championships do your teams have? Only UGA can say that. How many star DL from your team went to the NFL, got a career ending injury, lost a ton of weight, and are now analysts on Gameday?? Because of those two qualifications, UGA is obviously the best and why would you be a fan of anything different.
“AhGotcha 12 HOURS AGO
How many QB Heisman trophy winners you got at AL?”
Let me ask a question or two..
How many QBs does Florida have that’s won a CFP game?
How many QBs does Florida have that’s won a CFP NC?
How many QBs does Florida have that’s lost to a team as a 23 point favorite?
I’ve got plenty more but I’ll give you time to think about those.
Lamar Jackson had 30 but 9 ints
Johnny Manziel had 26 with 9 ints
Cam only had 30 with 7 ints
There are more things than TD passes. Jones easily has the highest QBR, completion percentage, average per pass, and blows everyone away in passer rating. Trask is a good Qb that has benefited from having no running game and being allowed to run up stats like yardage and TDs, but it does not help him in the stats that measure ability.
A running game helps not hurts a QB. in 2017 the Philadelphia Eagles had the 3rd best running game and Carson Wentz was the MVP frontrunner before the ACL tear. In 2018 they were dead last in rushing offense and Wentz wasn’t even close to MVP form. LSU had a great running game last year and Burrow had the best season by a QB in history. No running game means the QB has to do everything. They are under more pressure. Not sure when having a great running game became a bad thing for a QB.
Man, y’all love to talk about how terrible A&M looks (all hail the eye test) and try to find ways to discredit us because we’re somehow in the playoff conversion.
This is the best season A&M has had since the 90s with a fantastic storyline building in a potential revenge game against Mack Brown. We are growing as a team and appear to be on the rise in the SEC. Regardless of a CFP spot or a NY6 bowl, this has given a lot of “battered” Aggies hope.
Y’all complained about how Jimbo was overpaid for 2 years, now that you can’t $%@! out those insightful pieces, you complain about how we haven’t won pretty enough.
You should be proud. This means expectations have shifted. UGA gets dismissed this year and will likely finish as a top 10 if they continue to play like they have.
It’s the nature of things, welcome to being measured against Bama (or whoever is at the top of the mountain in the SEC in a given year, aka Bama 80%+ of the time). A&M looks great this year, they don’t look elite which I think is the expectation given Jimbo’s salary. Jimbo isn’t Jim Harbaugh as some might suggest in how they talk about him, but I think there is high expectation on the Aggies – whether it’s fair or not.
I actually really appreciate that view. Maybe I shouldn’t be so grouchy…maybe.
Yeah, perspective is usually better served in the offseason (where the Dawgs thrive). In season fandom is more about shouting and yelling, the roller coaster (and grouchiness) is what makes it fun.
Amen, brother. All the while, we just keep getting better, one step at a time. Gig ’em!
Congrats to A&M on an excellent season. Hope you guys win out and take the momentum into next year. With LSU and Allbarn likely looking at a down year next year somebody needs to give Bama a run for their money in the West.
At some point, I’m hoping the Aggies can take ’em out and meet UGA in the ATL.
But for now, it’s back to work. Have a good evening.
“By the end of next week’s championship games, Texas A&M’s best win will be a team that lost 2 straight to end the season,”
Now wait a minute, did aTm NOT play an all SEC schedule? How can people constantly beat their chest over how “brutal” the SEC is, in particular the SEC EAst and then conveniently treat aTm like they played a PAC12 schedule? LMAO. Maybe in fact the SEC just isn’t any different at all than any other conference or maybe just like Chugur in No Country For Old Men, you have to choose one no one can choose for you. SEC media/fans= “I choose both because I can’t lose that way!”
I would say this is about as even as the conferences have been (excluding the Pac 12) in recent memory which makes it a down year for the SEC but not necessarily a bunch of bad teams like some say.
I get what you’re saying, but part of the reason people are saying that is because of the record of the teams that are playing an all-SEC slate. Weaknesses are exposed on a weekly basis, and very few teams are above .500.
It’s the same as it’s been every year recently. You have one dominant team, 2 or 3 good ones then a slew of mediocre to bad.
records are being dragged down because all the SEC teams have nothing left to do but beat up on each other. Give this year’s SEC a standard nonconference slate like last year and the SEC looks really good. Bama, UF, UGA, A&M all are near, at, or above 10 wins, and Mizzou and Auburn are probably in the 8-9 range.
But that still doesn’t help the accusation that in a year they play an all SEC schedule aTm has no quality wins. That’s basically saying yeah, they needed to play a B1G, PAC or Big12 team Non-con to get a decent win. If that’s true then what is that really saying about the SEC?
And you mention Mizzou who is 5-4 right now in an all-SEC schedule. Do you really think Mizzou gets 6 wins (if we beat Miss St) in the Big12 or ACC only schedule? Maybe, but maybe not, it’s certainly no guarantee. Which again doesn’t separate the SEC at all from those all-conf schedules.
I do. Notre Dame’s scheduled ACC games this year were: Clemson, UNC, BC, Pitt, GT, FSU, Louisville, Syracuse, and Duke. They were also supposed to play Wake but that got cancelled. Do you really think Mizzou couldn’t get to 6 wins? They’d lose to Clemson, UNC, maybe BC. As opposed to losing to Bama, UGA, UF, and UT. I like Mizzou’s chances there.
I also like Mizzou’s chances if we played UT again right now. Which would put us in line to win 7 games in an all-SEC schedule.
But again as far as TAMU. I just don’t see how anyone, this author or otherwise, can on one hand talk about how dam good and hard an SEC schedule is and then on the other hand bash them for having no quality wins in a year they lose only 1 game in an all-SEC schedule? It’s simply playing both sides of the fence and SEC fans do it as much as the media.
Since you are so Anti SEC I should point out that this is the conference that invited y’all in. Now I will point out that your mediocre to bad teams need to step up and contribute. Your team does nothing to raise the bar.
Yeah that’s kind of the point. Most every year, minus 3 or so teams, the entire conference is mediocre to bad not much different than every other major conference out there. There are a whole slew of us who need to step up and raise the bar. Especially if people are going to continue to “talk” about how dam tough playing an SEC schedule is.
What side of the fence are you one today darth?
When you play all conference games, and 10 game schedule, there are going to be a good many teams that take the loss. You have teams like Bama, TAMU, UGA, UF, that have 0-2 losses. That means the other teams are going to be the ones that take the losses. Simple math. I guess they teach that at Missouri, unless the snowflakes have gotten their feelings hurt by missing math problems.
It is painfully obvious that an Aggie stole Matt Hayes’ GF. Dude is so butthurt that A&M is in the running for a CFP spot. He has BAS (battered Aggie syndrome) but in a different way.
This blog is so idiotically anti-A&M it doesn’t even make sense. Why do y’all hate the idea of a new SEC power? Do y’all just want Bama every year with no teams emerging as a consistent contender? It doesn’t make sense for an SEC blog to be so anti an SEC team making the playoff i’m not sure where yalls allegiances even are. 28-14 over Miss State? They scored one TD off an insane ricochet pick six and only crossed the A&M 50 yard line ONCE, late in the 4th quarter!!! (not to mention we kneeled the ball on the 2 yard line and could’ve easily scored again) 42-31 over Ark? It was 42-17 going into the 4th before we completely shut it down and didn’t even throw a pass the rest of the game! WATCH THE GAMES
Because SEC media and fans are uber Lame. That’s it.
Being a fan of the team in the SEC and constantly whining about the conference and it’s fans is Uber lame. Your constant whining & crying is uber lame. Your Rodney Dangerfield act about Mizzu is comically lame.
Then get out. Petition your conference to find a different one to be in. It is not like Missouri has contributed anything but a win for the other teams. Oh you do contribute more snowflakes per square yard of campus area than any other school, and the Michael Same ought to be a first rounder drama.
I completely agree. I was gonna post this. Our defense coasted to an easy finish in the Arky game with no starters still in the game. And in the Miss State game, the only reason State crossed the 50 yard line was because they put in their backup quarterback who has proved to be half decent this year.
And another point, how come going into this season, Georgia’s defense was talked about as potentially having an all-time good defense, but now that we are in the season, we realize that A&M’s defense is actually having the type of season we expected from Georgia. However A&M seems to be barely getting any publicity for it, and all anyone wants to talk about is how bad the offense is.
The author hit the nail on the head about UF and Mullen. Hopefully, he learns from this but what a waste of a talented team this year.
Either the ACC will get 2 teams into the playoff, or the SEC will. Assuming the Aggies beat Tennessee (and after last weekend I’m taking nothing for granted), the last playoff spot will come down to the Aggies versus a 2-loss Clemson, or the Aggies versus a Notre Dame team that would be looking at playing Clemson for a third time. Either way, I like the Aggies chances. (No, Iowa State, Cincinnati, USC, and Coastal Carolina have no realistic chance, unless the playoff committee is completely replaced with a totally new group that evaluates teams differently than to date.)
And I might add, if the Aggies have to settle for eight wins against SEC opponents, including Florida, Auburn, and LSU, with a Cotton Bowl or an Orange Bowl invite, I’d call that a pretty darn good year.
With even better years to come.
If it’s a close game both Clemson and ND are in…
It’s not fair! LOL
Maybe.
I know no one wants to see ND vs Clemson for a third time..but…if ND loses a close oen I can’t imagine them being jumped by TAMU who lost by double digits to Bama.
I agree. The only prayer we have is for ND to win, and that’s not a guarantee.
I just don’t see that happening, so I’m cheering for a good ole fashioned Clemson beatdown in the ACC Championship game just like every year. I believe if Clemson wins by over 20 then A&M has a pretty good shot at getting into the Playoff over Notre Dame.
I’ll agree with that. It makes it easier for them write that first loss off as anomaly because “Clemson is a different team with Lawerence.”
“After all that whining and complaining since the first CFP poll”…You lost all your credibility with this line. TAMU fans didn’t whine and cry. TAMU fans were ECSTATIC to be in the top 5. Put aside the argument that many talking heads have put forth that a 6 game tOSU shouldn’t be able to be compared to teams that have played a full slate of 9 or 10 games and realize that A&M is far beyond where most fans expected them to be, especially after the announcement was made that we would play and all SEC schedule.
Matt, can you show me on this doll where Jimbo Fisher touched you?
Just the title of this article made it lose all credibility
“Matt, can you show me on this doll where Jimbo Fisher touched you?”
Best line on this thread.
LMAO @ “Matt, can you show me on this doll where Jimbo Fisher touched you?”
You got there before I did!
“2 ugly wins over Auburn and LSU”
“28-14 over Mississippi State”
“42-31 over Arkansas”
– I don’t think Matt Hayes actually watched those Aggie games. Auburn was dominated in the 4th quarter, LSU showed that their defense has improved (ask UF) at a time Mond was returning from limited practice COVID period, A&M took a knee on the 1 yard line to run out the clock against Miss State, and Arky’s last two scores were in garbage time.
USC would have 3 losses or more with our schedule, and Notre Dame 2 or more losses.
I think he may have watched highlights, but just doesn’t understand football. He’s one of those gossip columnist who can’t get a gig anywhere else but Bleacher Report. Shame TMZ turned him down, he’s much better suited for it.
As a Tiger fan I think the constant treatment of A&M on this site is pretty lame. I don’t remember whining and complaining about where they were ranked. Given where A&M was last year at this time I think they’d be pretty happy with wins over Auburn LSU Florida etc. and a top-5 ranking. The 28 point L to Bama is pretty bad but I highly doubt any team ranked below A&M could do better than that to Bama right now. They are just so good this year. What A&M fans should be complaining about is how USC have better chances than them to get in to the playoffs according to many talking heads at ESPN and the media. USC have:
1 solid win over Utah, who isn’t that great (2-2_
3 close wins over 3 bad teams (Arizona St, Arizona, UCLA (.500 and worse)
1 win over a pretty bad Washington St team
Their opponent in next weeks Pac-12 Championship game is: 3-1 Washington, who hasn’t beaten a single team over .500 and lost to the best team they played, Stanford.
USC beat Arizona, who just lost by 63 points to Arizona St, by 4. That in itself is a worse win than anything A&M did this year.
In closing, I do think that Ohio St. and Notre Dame are better than A&M this year. But it’s fair to say that A&M’s resume is better than Ohio St. I think personally Florida is a better win than Indiana. and it’s not like the Big 10 is better than the SEC this year. With Michigan, Penn State, Michigan St, even Wisconsin struggling, there really isn’t a good team that compares with Ohio St. So, it comes down to eye test vs resume. And I think we all know what the committee will choose, but in short the amount of BS the Aggies get here is really unnecessary.
Well most UGA fans point out this a Pro Florida run site. so when the comparisons were between Florida and TAMU you could imagine why TAMU got held to a higher standard…
“The 28 point L to Bama is pretty bad but I highly doubt any team ranked below A&M could do better than that to Bama right now.“
I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say you maybe tried to point out that A&M wouldn’t lose by 28 points again or something because there are concrete examples of teams.
Auburn lost by 29, and of Bama’s first four games A&M had the worst loss – worse than UGA, Mizzou, and Ole Miss.
Ok? You know the CFB world has really messed itself up when people put more emphasis on one specific game than the rest of the body of work consistently
I was speaking to a specific point that was made, but thanks. A&M is good, they’re not elite this year – basing this on their full body of work. And that’s ok.
Honestly I don’t know where all this is coming from except bitterness or bias. All of my fellow Ags I’ve talked to are just happy with how the season has turned out after the way we started with the 5 point Vandy game and the lopsided loss to ‘Bama. Are we a little frustrated with the inconsistency of Mond and the suspect secondary? Yes. Do we think our resume is better than tOSu’s? Yes. Does that mean I think we’d beat them right now? Not exactly. I think their strengths go against our weaknesses and our strengths wouldn’t matter against them. However, you do have to beat the best to be the best and you can’t do that if you don’t play so yeah, I’d like us to get a shot at the playoff. You never know what could happen.
In an attempt to put it more succinctly, we may not be “elite” yet, but we have earned it when compared to the others in consideration.
You’re not a fan of the Bama defense but which of the other contenders have you seen play better defense over the back half of the season? Don’t give me Notre Dame with it’s cupcake ACC schedule (outside of Clemson). Clemson’s defense has issues with youth on the DL and a lack of play makers in the secondary. And there’s no way you can think more of an OSU defense that was picked apart by Indiana (Indiana!) and has played half the games of Bama’s defense. What other P5 team in contention has held their past 6 opponents to 8 ppg? If you’re not liking what you’re seeing from the Bama defense, then please provide and example of a defense playing better right now. I’ll wait.
Bama is the top defense this year and the early season is clouding people’s memories.
clemson will likely beat ND in a close game—both will get in the playoffs. Alabama ND in round 1, Clemson beats Ohio state, then Alabama beats Clemson by 10 to get another ring.
^^SPOILER ALERT^^
I always think the positive is always better. If you don’t like that A&M went 8-1 and beat your gators then write a peice of how much you love the gators and they are building to be a top notch team in the Sec , just not yet.
What if the what if came true, this guy would have to change pants. twice.
I think Von Rupertsburg is the more likely one. The Bishop of Speyer probably knew that raisins float all along, but then there’s the whole lady in the tower thing too. It’s a beautiful chaos regardless.
Allowing OS to skate into the play-offs after only playing 6 games in their weak B1G schedule, should be an insult to every college football fan.
Is A&M really ready to challenge the top 3-4 teams? No, not at all.
Did A&M and every other SEC and ACC team earn their rankings by actually taking the chance in 9-11 games. Yes.
When it comes to OS, it just doesn’t matter. They could’ve played only 4 games – all against unranked teams, and they would still have gotten in.
Go ahead and pencil OS into the next 5 play-off’s. Make your reservations with no thought of needing to cancel.
OS is the only elite program the B1G has to offer. They must have OS in every play-off, and almost no matter what, they will…
If A&M were LSU, auburn or bama they’d be in.
If they were UGA they would cry about it years later…
Nah. If they were UGA they’d get into a decent bowl game against a mediocre team, complain about the opponent, then lose.
LOL… good one
I like how you countered.
It is also accurate.
He’s not wrong BT. A one loss SEC team whose only loss was @ the number 1 team in the nation should probably get in no matter the outcome of ND-Clemson. They would just get killed again probably, but they have enough blue chippers to make waves if they didn’t play Alabama
natasbob, exactly!
Don’t know if they’d be in, but instead of the opening in this article trashing aTm, it would have a complete opposite tone saying what a great win FL was even though FL will end the season with 2 losses and how with only one loss in an all-SEC schedule LSU, Auburn or Bama deserve to be in, no doubt about it.
You’re absolutely right
Mullen is such a cry baby… I’m glad they lost.
They forgot the ugly win over vanderbilt.
Oh, you mean the first game of the season after a weird unprecedented offseason. Since then have lost only one game and improved every other week, despite LSU game (after 3 weeks off due to the same virus that caused said unprecedented offseason in the first place?) Oh I remember now.
Exactly.. people tend to not have the ability to put anything in perspective. Such narrow thinking has to make life really hard, I feel for them.
Love an ugly win. Always better than a pretty loss.
You mean like the ugly loss Auburn had against A&M? Might be why he’s so salty eh?
Lest we ignore a key variable that should be discussed…. When Ole Miss (4/4) couldn’t play, A&M offered to reschedule the game to Monday clearly demonstrating a “we want to play” mentality. Very good. HOWEVER, when Ohio State offered to fill the Saturday void A&M backed off appearing to be wary of being overmatched. The SEC and the BIG10 both seemed on board until Jimbo Fisher’s fumbling step back. I am not an OSU fan, but this was disconcerting and pushed me into the non deserving of a playoff bid camp.
There’s no truth to that at all
“ Fisher later added, per multiple reports, on the SEC teleconference that A&M would not be adding Ohio State or any other opponent to the schedule in Ole Miss’ place.” Per 247
And Ohio state was never going to play them. Try and keep it real instead of making up nonsense.
Firstly, I’m a huge LSU / SEC fan so would have been thrilled to see this. No joke, paste the quote into google and you will see one of the articles that I read this from. OSU suggested this before the rule change to reduce the minimum game rule.
Neither conference allowed it. Both have only allowed in conference games. Jimbo announcing it doesn’t mean he made the decision.
Ohio State never even remotely extended that offer to play A&M, nor would they have been able to if they wanted.
This is absolutely false. There was NO way either conference was going to amend their conference only schedule to allow those 2 teams to play. Even it there had been, tOSU and the B1G would have definitely NOT let it happen. Jimbo Fisher said he’d be happy to play them. A&M would have had a shot to play themselves into the CFP. All tOSU could’ve done was stay where they were with a win or play themselves out of the CFP. You really think the B1G was gonna take that chance. Get real. They changed their own rules just to get tOSU into the B1GCG so they could protect the only chance they had at getting a team in the CFP.
“ Fisher later added, per multiple reports, on the SEC teleconference that A&M would not be adding Ohio State or any other opponent to the schedule in Ole Miss’ place.
The Aggies are currently 7-1 and coming off a 31-20 victory over Auburn on Saturday afternoon. A&M is set to close out the season against Tennessee on Dec. 19. Meanwhile the Buckeyes are currently 5-0 and as it stands now would fall short of the Big 10 threshold that requires a team to play six games in order to qualify for the Championship Game also on Dec. 19. ” per 247
Out of context. Merely stating a fact. Show us where OSU offered.
Yeah. I saw the transcript. One, that came out on a Wednesday. By then, both conferences had let it be known the game wasn’t going to happen. What Jimbo was clearly stating was: get out of fantasyland thinking this game could happen, because it can’t. The 2 conferences have already made it clear they’re not interested in making that happen.” That’s what people with a little reading comprehension grasp from the full Jimbo quote.
Saban announced he would be missing the Auburn game. Do you think that was his choice since he announced it? Jimbo told the media what he was told would/wouldn’t happen. Your confusing the messenger with the decision maker.
UGA needs someone to play this weekend
You are literally the only fool spouting this garbage. Look at all the other comments from smart fans from different teams discrediting you. OSU said they could not schedule the game you fool. You must be a texass donghorn That would explain the brain deficiency.
You keep posting a quote that you are seriously misreading and creating things that were not in it. OSU never considered the game, A&M never considered the game, it was never on the table.
Yeah, but that didn’t actually happen, so there’s that. If I’m wrong, please provide the link.
I would have loved to see OSU-A&M. If it was @ A&M then I’m sure OSU’s playoff discussion would be over.
Sleep on this Bama D all you want. Obviously, the lazy argument is to point out their performance from 7 games ago. The D has gotten exceptionally better every game.
The pass rush is coming along very nicely and that was the final piece to a great defense. 20 sacks in the last 5 games. Will Anderson, Barmore, and Chris Allen have stepped up big time.
Secondary is playing as one, cohesive unit and probably has the best cornerback duo (Surtain and Jobe) of any of the contenders. The young guys, Malachi and Branch, are coming along nicely and Daniel Wright figured out how to tackle.
“If the ACC gets 2 teams in the Playoff (the anticipated result), the Aggies have no Playoff path. Alabama (win or lose to Florida) is in, and the winner of the Big Ten Championship Game is in.”
Didn’t Northwestern lose to 2-5 Michigan State? Also, how bout that all powerful “eye test” we’ve been hearing about. Sure, seems logical.
This is an obvious assumption that tOSU beats Northwestern. I don’t think Northwestern gets in if they win the B1G
Well then maybe he should write that. Historically, OSU has never lost a game to a lesser team…
Well they have lost to inferior teams in Iowa and Purdue for seemingly no reason in recent seasons.
Iowa, Purdue, and Michigan State have beaten OSU in recent seasons
Well good thing you’re not on the playoff committee
I’m sorry, but how exactly is Clemson worthy but not TAMU? Both are undefeated except for a loss to another playoff team (ND and Alabama respectively).
I think most are assuming they beat ND.. If they don’t they won’t be in. TAMU doesn’t have a play in game like Clemson available to them.
Beat UGA and that might get them into the CFP….
Very true. But they play Pruitt’s sorry *ss
But Ohio State University only played 5 games! See what I did here? What if OSU stumbled or have quarterback get hurt and not play again or for a couple of weeks? That is why we play the games not just go skip 5 games to save from injuries and maybe a surprise beat to a team that should have beaten?
Somebody has a real bug up their ass about A&M and the playoffs. If you don’t want to get on a soapbox then, well, don’t get on a soapbox. Perhaps sending to your favorite politician any soapboxes you find laying around the office would be a good way to avoid the temptation to get on one. Politicians never have enough, it seems.
To devote so many rants, er, articles about why A&M doesn’t deserve to be in the playoffs borders on pathological. The folks at SDS seem to have an axe to grind. So much so I’m starting to wonder how much t.u. is doling out to them.
All of the statistics and comparisons against common opponents and quality of wins and eye tests and opinions on offensive styles, etc. are just entertainment. Making a living out of writing about sports and playing at expert analyst is a pretty cool way to make a living, but don’t let the fortunes of one team consume you, it’s not healthy.
As long as the playoffs are limited to four teams and despite the CFP Committee’s charge to pit the four “best,” this consideration should rule above them all: if you didn’t win your conference, you don’t deserve a chance to play for the national title. The conference title games should be thought of as play-in games. Does A&M deserve to be in the playoffs? No, they don’t.
Footballs have a funny shape and they take funny bounces, it’s part of what so many enjoy about the game. The CFP Committee is made up of people who just want to revel in their position as a member of the CFP Committee. They’re just overpaid, over-indulged, preening pot-stirrers.
Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth a few times, writers of sports commentary. It’ll be okay, because you make your living writing about sports.
Hayes is a UF grad. He’s still mad at y’all.
A 2 loss conference champion from a weak conference is more deserving than a 1 loss team? Team A plays 5 top 10 teams and only losses one. That one loss in the CCG. Team B losses 2 games while beating a 4 loss team in their CCG. Team B goes to the playoffs. Right. Makes perfect sense.
A conference title should never be a totally automatic necessity for playoff inclusion. That’s absurd. It will, however, nearly always be the first and most impressive thing on a contender’s resume…because it’s a conference championship game.
Why is everyone so angry at A&M. We know we are not elite but we win games. Nobody is whinning that we should be in the playoffs. It is really just the opposite. Everyone is saying that the Ags don’t deserve a spot.
Does a team that wins 45-42 week after week deserve the #4 spot. That is what Ou has been doing for years. So what if the scores are 31-20, 20-7. I don’t get the point of why the hatchet write ups. Again, why so mad?
Agree with you and AgFan above – it doesn’t make sense.
SDS even addressed you in the 2nd person, which they usually only reserve for articles on Tennessee!
Congrats to Devonta Smith on his amazing college career! Looking forward to watching him on Sundays.
When has Texas A&M complained about they should be in the playoff? They’re saying it’s a possibility but that it’s remote.
Geeez, obsess much Hayes?
With the Vandy game canceled, TAMU can come to Athens and settle the question themselves…..
A&M already has a game this weekend
Tenn? Come into Athens instead and play a meaningful game instead.
You’re an idiot. You and every other moron on this site has apparently forgotten the rules that the SEC implemented in regards to schedules this year. Even if we wanted to play jawja, we wouldn’t be able to because that would be taking away a home game from Tennessee unnecessarily. Think with your brain puppy.
i would love to blow out you guys.
There is no question, A&M has a chance at the playoffs this year, Georgia does not. No question to be answered.
“ago
1. I don’t want to get on a soapbox, but …
Don’t blame Ohio State or Notre Dame when you don’t reach the Playoff, Texas A&M.
Look directly at that safe, bored team you put on the field for the previous 3 games, the one that had College Football Playoff poll position and zeroed in on another team’s misfortune instead of building its case on the field.
After all that whining and complaining since the first CFP poll, Texas A&M is left with this: The Florida loss it so desperately wanted/needed does nothing for its Playoff hopes.
In fact, it might have hurt them.
By the end of next week’s championship games, Texas A&M’s best win will be a team that lost 2 straight to end the season, and that fell out of the top 10 after a likely blowout loss to No. 1 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.
The Aggies needed Florida to play the SEC Championship Game with 1 loss, and lose respectably. That scenario would’ve at least meant Texas A&M’s anchor win would’ve stayed in the top 10 and strengthened its résumé.
And now? Well, now the Aggies need a miracle (more on that later).
Because it’s not just the Florida loss that has Texas A&M on the outside of the Playoff with its face pressed against the window. It’s not just the CFP selection committee even considering an Ohio State team that played half a season.
It’s 2 ugly wins over Auburn and LSU when the Aggies had an opportunity to make a statement.
That was the biggest sin of all.
Through all of those controversial BCS years and the previous 6 CFP seasons, the overwhelming reality was the safest, surest way to reach the game(s) that matters is winning big. Not stumbling to the finish.
The college football postseason has forever been as much a beauty pageant as a demolition derby. For 3 weeks the Aggies were dinged and dented while playing it safe in wins over Auburn and LSU – and as damaging, by not playing games because of COVID protocols.
The more Texas A&M didn’t play games – no matter which team failed to reach protocol minimums – the more they were out of sight and mind from the CFP committee. Again, it’s a beauty pageant and a demolition derby, and you must be present to be accounted for in a committee poll that is essentially an eye test.
You’re not winning votes with the committee when you beat a bad LSU team 20-7, and your quarterback completes 30% of his passes and averages 3.1 yards per attempt.
You’re not winning votes when you beat unranked Auburn 31-20 and have to score 17 points in the 4th quarter to make it happen.
You’re not winning votes when, by no fault of your own, your game against Ole Miss is canceled.
Because while the Aggies were throwing up all over themselves in those 2 wins, Ohio State was annihilating Michigan State. While the Aggies were sitting out a week because of COVID protocols, Ohio State got its biggest win of the season over 1-loss and top 10 Indiana.
Ohio State’s Heisman Trophy-contending quarterback Justin Fields was making spectacular plays in big moments to win games. Mond was doing everything he could to not lose games.
That’s not exactly all gussied up for the CFP selection committee if you know what I mean.
This is a unique season, a rare moment where the CFP selection committee could’ve chosen a Texas A&M team that rolled opponents every week since a 28-point loss – a TWENTY-EIGHT point loss – to No.1 Alabama.
Instead, the Aggies gave the committee this to chew on following a 41-38 win over Florida:
28-14 over Mississippi State.
42-31 over Arkansas.
A blowout of a truly terrible South Carolina team.
Uninspiring wins over LSU and Auburn.
The response from the CFP selection committee: So?
It’s a beauty pageant, and you better look good every week when you’re on the runway. Anyone can look good at home in a desperation game after a big loss to the No. 1 team.
Not everyone can grind through the demolition derby of a season. Those that can’t will eventually look just as banged and battered – and here’s the key, unattractive for the eye test – as everyone else chasing all that pretty.
Because at the end of the show, you can’t point to a car more damaged than yours. If neither are running, who cares?
2. Stand and deliver
Let’s get beyond Ohio State playing 5 regular-season games. The CFP committee clearly doesn’t care.
The next question: What does Texas A&M need to reach the Playoff (see: aforementioned miracle).
One thing that has been overlooked yet can no longer be ignored is where unbeaten USC fits in the argument. Because like Ohio State, the Trojans have also played 5 games.
An unbeaten Power 5 champion has never been left out of the CFP, and the last time an unbeaten Power 5/BCS conference champ was not given a chance to play for it all was 2004 (Auburn). If the committee is giving Ohio State a break despite playing 5 regular-season games, it must do the same for USC – or risk exposing the long denied reality that the committee vote is an eye test.
This, of course, is bad news for the Aggies. Heading into championship weekend, Texas A&M needs this Hail Mary to make the Playoff:
— It begins and ends with the ACC only getting 1 team in the playoff. That means Notre Dame beating Clemson, or Clemson beating Notre Dame so badly, the committee can’t ignore it.
Either scenario gives the Aggies their best chance of reaching the Playoff because it allows them to be judged head-to-head with USC and Cincinnati.
— If the ACC gets 2 teams in the Playoff (the anticipated result), the Aggies have no Playoff path. Alabama (win or lose to Florida) is in, and the winner of the Big Ten Championship Game is in.
If Northwestern beats Ohio State, the Wildcats’ biggest win (Ohio State for the Big Ten title) is bigger than the Aggies’ win over Florida.
Northwestern will have played 8 games – 1 less than Texas A&M (if the Aggies play Tennessee this week as scheduled).
3. The fog fallout
Forget about Marco Wilson tossing a shoe. That’s the sore on top of the infection.
An unexplainable loss has been building for weeks at Florida, and Dan Mullen has no one to blame but himself.
He had the chance 2 weeks ago against Kentucky to make a statement and get it turned, but he, in the parlance of our times, opted out. Late in the first half against the Wildcats, Mullen was screaming at defensive coordinator Todd Grantham about yet another subpar effort by the defense.
National television cameras caught it. There was no denying it.
But after the game, Mullen played it off as two friends getting after each other and going to dinner later.
The Florida defense is in disarray, and it plays out on the field nearly every snap of every game.
Missed assignments, blown assignments, poor tackling, bad angles — and 10 weeks into the season, a failure to line up in position prior to the snap. Ladies and gentlemen, that’s coaching.
That’s poor coaching of a unit that has speed, athleticism and a handful of NFL Draft picks. Mullen had to have seen that from the first game of the season, when Ole Miss did whatever it wanted offensively.
Or from Week 3, when Texas A&M’s historically average quarterback played the game of his career against the Florida defense.
Or against LSU, when a true freshman quarterback making his first start played behind a patchwork offensive line and scored 30 points (7 were on a pick-6).
Yet after both losses this season, Mullen blamed his offense. The Malik Davis fumble late in the 4th quarter against Texas A&M, and Trask’s pick-6 and fumble that led to 10 LSU points, and the red-0zone inefficiency.
It’s not the offense. It’s the defense – and Mullen should have publicly said so months ago.
No matter what was said behind closed doors, there’s no greater motivator in sports than public embarrassment.
There’s no chance former Florida coach Urban Meyer, Mullen’s mentor, allows a defense with this potential to play like it has all season without publicly calling them out. Urb simply wouldn’t stand for it.
There’s no chance former Florida coach Steve Spurrier spares an underwhelming defense his sharp tongue (he once said, after Week 1, the Gators’ best pass defense was “still the dropped ball.”)
There’s no chance Grantham calls another double corner blitz (knowing Florida’s struggles in the back end) that leads to another coverage bust and another easy touchdown, if Mullen began his postgame press conference after the Kentucky win and said, “I’m tired of watching blitzes that don’t get home and put us in bad position in coverage – and I told Todd and the players that.”
He might have said those exact words in the locker room, but it’s different (for players and assistant coaches) being dressed down in the safe space of the locker room than the unknown outside it. The sense of urgency is ramped up when all the world hears.
Marco Wilson’s boneheaded play didn’t prevent Florida from playing for a national title. That’s the sore.
The infection is the defense, and how it has played – and hasn’t been publicly pushed – all season.
4. The bronzed season
Let’s look at this within the framework that Heisman Trophy voters are creatures of the moment.
Always have been, always will be.
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask and Alabama quarterback Mac Jones began last weekend as the unquestioned leaders for the greatest individual award in sports.
Both had underwhelming games (Trask’s effort more damaging than Jones’), while Alabama wideout DeVonta Smith continued to race toward a huge season, including a Heisman moment of sorts with an electric 84-yard punt return for a touchdown in a rout of Arkansas.
Smith has 83 catches and 15 TDs this season, and has 1 game remaining against a Florida defense that hasn’t proven it can stop any passing game – much less the best passing game in college football.
It has been 29 years since a wide receiver won the Heisman (Desmond Howard, Michigan), and 33 since Tim Brown of Notre Dame became the first and only other wide receiver to win the award. The one thing we learned from those 2 Heisman winners: If you’re a wide receiver and not prominently featured in the return game, you’re not winning the trophy.
Smith has 9 returns this season (7 punt, 2 kickoff). Meanwhile, Michael Crabtree and Larry Fitzgerald and many other wide receivers have had better seasons than Smith, and didn’t win the award.
Fair or not, the Heisman has become a quarterback award, and unless Jones struggles in the SEC Championship Game, he’ll win it.
5. The Weekly Five
Five picks against the spread.
Alabama (-17.5) vs. Florida
Texas A&M (-10) at Tennessee
Vanderbilt at Georgia (-35.5)
Ole Miss (+) at LSU
Missouri (-) at Mississippi State
Last week: 3-1 (1 cancellation).
Season: 32-19.
6. Your tape is your résumé
An NFL scout breaks down an NFL draft-eligible SEC player. This week: WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama.
“There will be a lot of discussion on this player. You put on the tape, and he just jumps out at you. He’s so smooth, gets separation, catches everything, runs away from the back end. He’s the guy you’re watching every snap.
“Then you have to look at the measurables. He’s 180 pounds, and that might be a high number. He’s Gumby out there; all arms and legs. He’s going to run in the 4.5s at the Combine, and that’s going to be a red flag.
“Then you’re going to hear how he benefited from the Alabama offense. But at the end of the day, you have to trust what you see on the tape. He’s playing in the best league in college football, and going against the best defenses in college football. And he’s the guy you can’t stop watching when the tape is rolling.
“He’s a first-round guy, and he probably moved from early second to mid-first by coming back for his senior year. He has made a lot of money this year.”
7. Powered Up
This week’s Power Poll – and one big thing.
1. Alabama: I’m still not a fan of the Tide defense (it will get exposed over the next month), but the offense should be enough to get it to the national championship game.”
Uh, did you not watch what they just did to Arkansas? And, for that matter, everything else that’s happened since Ole Miss?
Mofo did you really just copy and paste the entire goddang article?
LMAO
“1. Alabama: I’m still not a fan of the Tide defense (it will get exposed over the next month), but the offense should be enough to get it to the national championship game.”
Uh, did you not watch what Bama’s defense just did to Arkansas? Also, for that matter, did you even see what they’ve done since the Ole Miss game?
Poor Mr. Hayes must have lost his wife to an Aggie and the judge let her keep the dog in the divorce. There just aren’t enough crow bars and cutting torches to get his britches unwaded. Doesn’t matter. The concern is the selection committee’s bias for Legacy teams like Ohio State. They could be just 4-0 and would still be ranked 4th. They’d consider being 4-4 a great season if they had to play against only SEC teams every weekend….at least 8 of our 14 teams could likely have a good shot at them. Nothing we can do about it right now except hope Northwestern beats them and we get 2 SEC teams in there.
thank God this idiot isn’t apart of the cfp committee
If Clemson loses, Texas A&M is in. Just have to take care of business against the Vols.
Unfairly and unfortunately, OSU will get in before A&M
If Clemson loses it doesn’t matter, OSU and A&M would both be in.
Down playing the Aggies? What a lame take for SDS. When other teams are hoping for playoffs with a 6 game schedule. Maybe Matt should go write for the Big TEN board so we don’t have to see this bullcrap.
Just wondering Matt, could not everything you said in your grammar school rant about TAMU be said about Ohio State? They were sitting at home and not impressing the committee. They had the chance to make a statement against their only winning opponent but only won by 7. Their Heisman QB set the world on fire against all those losing teams, against the one with a winning record, not so much. You do realize that the only team with a winning record that OSU played, built that record the same way OSU did, by not playing but one team with a winning record, and they lost that one.
I was a bit confused until I saw this clown Hayes writes for Bleacher Report and isn’t an actual sports writer. He’s more of the gossip columnist genre with BR being the TMZ of the sporting world.
love it
Goddang, this site does NOT like the Aggies.
“4. Georgia: This will be a weekly gut punch for Dawgs coach Kirby Smart. The more JT Daniels plays and plays well, the more baffling his decision to play Stetson Bennett and D’Wan Mathis.”
Dear God, no wonder this moron writes for Bleacher Report if he’s still trying to shove this false rumor around that Daniel’s own father debunked.
This guy is a real head case. I put him more in the gossip columnist genre than I do the sports world. He should be writing for TMZ, or maybe his own blog alongside Perez Hilton.
Texas A&M is not here to “prove anything” to a subjective committee. That is how you lose. We are here to play our game…. And we are here to win football games. One week at a time. Whatever happens…happens.
In Jimbo We Trust.
Maybe next year! Texas A&M need to do this more consistently! Then they would give A&M a good chance to be consider a worthy team every year. That is why OSU keeps on winning every year. Got to repeat your performance and do a little bit better next year. Keep doing this then A&M will get the respect from most people.
Better hope this will not be a one hit wonder!
No. We will be in the playoffs this year. ACC game will be deciding who’s spot we will be taking.
In Jimbo We Trust
You are correct, sir (or Ma’am).
One step at a time.
Agree with this wholeheartedly. It took most of the season for A&M to be taken seriously by most analysts. By the end they really couldn’t deny the team Fisher as built. If they can string a couple more seasons like this together it will be a different storyline throughout the year.
A team that plays only five games is not to be compared to one that played ten and there claim to fame is they beat Indiana at home. Indiana? Are you serious? USCN played that many games and beat better teams. Georgia played double as did Florida.
I’m actually wondering if this guy is trolling the aggies. At this point, he is either on drugs, is messing with us, or simply out of his mind.
He’s kind of messin’ with us because he knows we have 500k living alums and wants to get more clicks.
Say what you want, but the top 5 has 3 coaches who’ve demonstrated that they can coach a team to a national championship win. Not 5 coaches, but 3.
Nick Saban
Dabo Swinney
Jimbo Fisher
Something to chew on.
winning just one has as much to do with breaks and fortune as anything – winning multiple YES its more than that – Jimbo just got fortunate in 2013 auburn had multiple flukes to get there – had FSU played bama in the natty like they played auburn it would have been ugly – and no other year has jimbo had a team that was remotely close to natty caliber – 2014 FSU only made the playoff since the ACC was horrid – they were murdered by the third place team upon arrival – in a decade + of coaching jimbo had one team and even that team was mostly fortunate with the draw and lack of playoff
There’s a bit of truth to what you’re saying, but I’m a big believer that luck favors the prepared mind. No coach can simply “luck” into a natty. There’s too much that goes into generating the opportunity to be in the championship game.
Sorry, but what Jimbo has done with A&M in just three years demonstrates it was no fluke. I don’t care what variables are involved, you don’t win a Championship with simply “breaks and fortunes”.
clueless with the uga takes outside of kirby needing to kick himself for daniels not playing (barring he was really healthy enough which we dont know)…lets not forget uga was up 14-0 on florida before that walk on backup got hurt – yall seem to consistently overlook uga injury misfortune the last few years – just like the lsu sec champ last year were the entire wr corp and starting rb was out – not saying uga would have beaten UF but bennett sure was playing a hell of a lot better prior to a clearly impactful shoulder injury – and thats not even mentioning the 5 missed starters on defense including the biggest imacts Jordan Davis and Richard lecounte along with a semi injured less than 100% monty rice – all that and the usual florida/UGA setup of both having a bye week and normal routine prior to jville getting all screwed up this year which giving a better coaching staff less time to prepare clearly has impacts – and yes smart and his staff are better than UFs – the records speak for themselves despite kirby with QBs which is as much luck as well (all you praise saban for Tua but forget he really picked Jalen Hurts over Tua and if not for injury mullen would have never picked Trask over Franks lets be honest and objective – kirby just needed from to have a season ending injury early in 2018 and the fields show would be humming along in athens and praises abound maybe – oh then the media would have said despite kirbys ignorance – he doesnt get that blind treatment like mullen