It’s been frustrating, no question. Close losses to the power teams of the SEC, like the 38-35 one last Saturday in Oxford, take a toll.

The loss at Mississippi came after the 20-13 disappointment in Knoxville, which followed a 26-20 defeat at home to Alabama.

A few inches here and a few more there made the difference, as head coach Jimbo Fisher has constantly preached they would. Problem is, those few inches don’t seem to go the way of the Aggies.

Those few inches that make the difference in these big games seem to always go the other way. They certainly have this season. The Aggies are 0-3 this year in games decided by 1 score.

Oh, how this season could have been different with just 1 more play here or there. Only 1 of the Aggies’ 4 losses didn’t  come by 1 score. And now, standing at 5-4 on the season (3-3 in SEC play), the Aggies are relegated to playing solely for bowl eligibility.

With 3 opponents left on the schedule, Texas A&M must defeat 1 of them to qualify for the postseason. That means either beating Mississippi State on Saturday or Abilene Christian the following week. Both games are at Kyle Field and represent the Aggies’ best opportunity to clinch a bowl berth.

That’s because they end the regular season against LSU in Baton Rouge, and we are all well aware of Texas A&M’s recent road record: 9 straight losses spanning the last couple of seasons.

What does it all mean? It means that the Aggies either win on Saturday or face the harsh reality that they’ve hit rock bottom. Texas A&M faces a Mississippi State team tied with Arkansas for last place in the SEC West. Both are saddled with conference records of 1-5.

You think the Aggies have problems? The Bulldogs have scored 2 touchdowns over their past 3 games. MSU is a program with no identity and no direction. And that’s unfortunate given the circumstances with the offseason passing of beloved head coach Mike Leach.

Still, winning in the SEC isn’t easy, and that task is made tougher with the mounting injuries the Aggies are suffering. Several players left the game last Saturday with various bumps and bruises.

Injuries to a beleaguered secondary, top receiver Evan Stewart, RB Le’Veon Moss and a couple of DLs are leaving the Aggies as short-handed as they were last year when devastated by the injury bug. Even QB Max Johnson has sore ribs from the beating he took last Saturday.

But if the Aggies don’t want to end up 5-7 again, like last season, they won’t fall back on that as an excuse. It will be up to Fisher to provide leadership in this time of need — leadership that up to this point from coaches and players alike.

If this thing is to get turned around, that’s where it must start. Somebody has to step up and assume a leadership role, because it isn’t coming from the top. It’s a vital ingredient of any program that’s been missing since Fisher took over nearly 6 full years ago.

Yes, the game on Saturday is a big one for the Aggies. Huge, in fact. The Bulldogs have won the last 2 meetings. The Aggies must stop the streak on Saturday or face the realization that the Fisher Era is done. You can’t lose to a program in as much disarray as Mississippi State is in right now — on your home field — and expect to continue down that same path to nowhere.