Alabama football faces an easier challenge than expected.
Heading into the season, Texas A&M was considered one of the toughest teams on Alabama football‘s schedule. Since the Aggies host the Tide this year, this week’s upcoming game was viewed as a chance for the Tide to be upset. However, Texas A&M has failed to live up to the hype.
Many expected this to be a battle between unbeaten teams, and the Aggies did not live up to their end of the deal. Instead, this is a matchup between the top-ranked Tide and the unranked home team.
Texas A&M’s hype wasn’t based on potential. They had an incredibly solid team last year, and they returned many key contributors. They have NFL Draft prospects at key positions, and many thought they could build off of last year’s success despite losing their starting quarterback. So, what happened to the Aggies?
Injuries played a role in Texas A&M’s demise. They lost their starting quarterback in the Colorado game, and that is why they almost lost. Haynes King went down with an injury, and Zach Calzada has not been able to be an adequate replacement. With their combined performances, Texas A&M has as many interceptions as passing touchdowns on the year. You can’t blame your quarterback for everything, but it certainly puts a low ceiling on the team.
The running game has been solid this season, but it also has its limits. While Isaiah Spiller is a great back, defenses are intentionally packing the box to stop him. Without a balance on offense, you can’t expect much.
Turnovers have also hurt Texas A&M. They’ve committed nine turnovers in five games. The lack of offensive execution has hurt them, and their defense hasn’t been put in a position to help them win the game. With short fields and stress to get a stop, the Aggies have crumbled.
This doesn’t mean they can’t turn their season around. However, Texas A&M should not expect a win against Alabama football. The Tide are playing their best ball of the season, and the opposite can be said for the unranked Aggies. We’ll see if they can keep it close, but a three-game losing streak feels imminent.