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Coach Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies are next in line to try to dethrone the current kings of college football, and kings may even be too generous a description for the way Alabama has been handling its opponents lately. That being said, this may be Alabama’s greatest challenge yet. The game will be on CBS tomorrow (September 22nd) at 3:30pm EST.
What to expect from Alabama
What can be said about the number one team in the country, who has beaten their first 3 opponents by a combined total of 142 points? Alabama has been so dominant, they’ve had enough time to build highlight reels for both QB Tua Tagovailoa and QB Jalen Hurts. Saban has a winning formula that he continues to apply week after week. Part of that formula is to avoid taking any team for granted. He stresses this point leading up to tomorrow’s game:
Remaining humble is one of the most difficult parts of playing on a winning team. Despite the constant adornment and continued domination, the team still must put in work every week just like everybody else if they plan to hold on to the throne.
What to expect from Texas A&M
Texas A&M has lost their last 5 games versus Alabama dating back to 2013. They haven’t won this matchup since Johnny Manziel was under center. Fisher understands the challenge he is up against:
The Aggies enter this game 2-1. Their only loss came against No. 3 Clemson 28-26. A&M quarterback Kellen Mond came to play versus the Tigers. He threw for 430 yards and 3 touchdowns. Mond’s effort brought the Aggies within 8 points with less than a minute remaining. Then, Kendrick Rogers made this play for 6:
https://twitter.com/Travis_L_Brown/status/1038643249513209857
Rogers also had an impressive game. He caught 7 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Regardless, they still needed a 2-point conversion in order to tie the game. On the attempt, Mond was flushed out of the pocket and forced to throw into traffic. The ball was picked by Clemson’s K’von Wallace. Game over.
Several key revelations came from this game. First, it proved that Texas A&M can hold their own against powerhouse teams. If Clemson hadn’t blocked a kick in the first half, the Aggies could very well be 3-0. On the other hand, the loss exposed several weaknesses. The Aggies struggled desperately to defend the long ball, convert on special teams, and run the football. Perhaps they’ve improved on these mistakes since then, but Saban will be sure to test them to find out.
