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Texas AM Aggies

2-minute drill: Texas A&M gets national stage

Christopher Smith

By Christopher Smith

Published:

Texas A&M (4-0, 1-0) hasn’t done anything to invite criticism to this point. The team’s closest game was a 52-28 road win at now-No. 13 South Carolina to open the season.

Yet after opening as a two-touchdown favorite against Arkansas (3-1, 0-1), this week has brought a cascade of growing questions about the Aggies defense. Even Kenny Hill has become a target (he’s never faced a real pass rush!). Steve Spurrier even took a shot, poking A&M for holding its high ranking on the strength of beating a team like Lamar.

By the end of the week, many media members picked the Razorbacks to win straight up.

Kevin Sumlin hasn’t come out and said he’ll use that as motivation, but he hasn’t hidden it either, firing back at Spurrier.

To do anything in the game, Arkansas has to prove it can stall or slow Texas A&M’s vaunted passing game. And yes, the Aggies defense has something to prove — again, it allowed 481 yards to Rice — but Myles Garrett and the defensive line are more athletic and can get after your quarterback if A&M gets a lead.

Yes, we need to see more from Texas A&M to know whether the team will compete for an SEC West title in 2014. This next month will tell us plenty with games against Alabama and both Mississippi schools. But for those suddenly assuming a team that didn’t win an SEC game last year will head to Texas and roll over the Aggies on the way to an upset, A&M may have something to say to you this afternoon.

Christopher Smith

An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.

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