Over the course of the next several weeks, the SoBros Network crew will be going around the landscape of the SEC, team by team, previewing the upcoming American tackle football season. Up next, our 2021 Texas A&M preview!
2021 Texas A&M Preview
2020 was a hell of a season for the Texas A&M Aggies. You could’ve made an argument for them getting into the College Football Playoff, and I wouldn’t have batted an eye. Nonetheless, they finished the season at 9-1, won the Orange Bowl, and finished 4th in the final rankings. They were a plodding, chain-moving team that controlled time of possession and played elite defense in 2020. But, since they too fell victim to the unstoppable Alabama Crimson Tide early on in the season, they didn’t win the SEC, or even the SEC West for that matter. The committee just wasn’t going to put Texas A&M in that 4th spot in a rematch against a team that whooped their tails earlier on in the season. So yeah – I think they can take all that “four best teams, period” talk and stick it where the sun don’t shine. That’s an entirely different discussion, though. The Aggies were definitely worthy in 2020, but there is a massive question mark looming as the 2021 season approaches – can they take the next step as a program with questions at the quarterback position?
The loss of Kellen Mond on offense will be difficult to overcome. He had a spectacular season, and seemed to get better and better as he progressed throughout his career. Now, he’s with the Minnesota Vikings, where he’ll get a chance to play in the NFL. That leaves the Aggies with a competition between Haynes King and Zach Calzada (though King seems to be the favorite to land the starting job). But, if Jimbo Fisher can sort it all out at quarterback, the rest of the offense is comprised of promising skill position players. The Aggies may have the best backfield in the country with Isaiah Spiller, Devon Achane, and Ainias Smith, Jr. making a diverse and formidable unit. Jalen Wydermyer may be the best tight end in the country. There’s going to be a lot of pressure on the offensive line NOT to regress even though they lost four starters. But, all in all, the pieces are there for a special offensive season for the Aggies.
The defense was the real strength of the 2020 Aggies, and that unit will return nine starters. So, it stands to reason that it should once again be among the SEC’s elite. Defensive end DeMarvin Leal will be a high draft pick. Aaron Hansford returns for his senior season. McKinnley Jackson may have some enormous shoes to fill with Bobby Brown III heading on to the NFL. But, this Aggies defense is absolutely loaded with talent, and SEC aside, should be among all of college football’s best yet again. It all comes down to whether or not the Aggies can beat Alabama and win the SEC West. The ingredients are there for a special season if they can.
2021 Aggies Schedule
Saturday, 9/4: vs. Kent State – Ah, yes – the veritable preseason game. Do we even need to talk about this one?
Saturday, 9/11: @ Colorado – Now, I know what you’re thinking….easy W for A&M, right? But, let’s not sleep on these Buffaloes, who were among the Pac 12’s best a season ago. The fact that this one is going down in Colorado gives me a bit of an uneasy feeling about it. As long as they don’t sleepwalk through this one, they’ll be fine.
Saturday, 9/18: vs. New Mexico – Another opportunity to fine-tune things as they Aggies host a 2-5 MWC team that they should handle easily.
Saturday, 9/25: vs. Arkansas (AT&T Stadium in Arlington) – I like the spectacle of this one going down in Jerry World, and I liked what Sam Pittman was able to do with Arkansas, but they’re just not ready to take on a team the caliber of the Aggies in 2021.
Saturday, 10/2: vs. Mississippi State – Mike Leach has made Mississippi State an interesting team in the SEC, but like Arkansas before them, I don’t know that they’re ready to win a game like this.
Saturday, 10/9: vs. Alabama – This could be the game that makes or breaks the Aggies’ National Championship hopes, and it’s in their own house. I think it probably benefits the Aggies to play them in early October – we’ve seen some magic from ’em in that spot, and who knows? Maybe Alabama still won’t have had much of a chance to jell on offense just yet.
Saturday, 10/16: @ Missouri – A week after a big game…on the road against and up and coming coach…this one has trap game written all over it if the Aggies aren’t careful.
Saturday, 10/23: vs. South Carolina – Boy, how much did Texas A&M luck out by not drawing Georgia or Florida from the SEC East in 2021?
Saturday, 10/30: BYE
Saturday, 11/6: vs. Auburn – I have no idea what to make of this Tigers team in the first year under a new regime, but I definitely don’t think they’re winning this game.
Saturday, 11/13: @ Ole Miss – This one’s a little hard to call because Lane Kiffin is such a wild card. I could see Ole Miss taking a huge leap in 2021, while simultaneously see them taking a huge step back. As it stands now, I call this one in favor of the Aggies, but I might flip flop on that several thousand times before November.
Saturday, 11/20: vs. Prairie View A&M – I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Aggies hit this point in the season at 10-0. I wouldn’t be surprised to see ’em enter at 8-2 either. Regardless, this is little more than a “get healthy” game before the season finale – and easy win.
Saturday, 11/27: @ LSU – I’m not as high on LSU as everyone else seems to be. I highly doubt they can recreate the magic of that special 2019 season. Though this is an experienced bunch, I just don’t think they’ll be able to score on this defense with the talent they have in place.
Prediction
To say this is a favorable schedule would be an understatement. If they get the quarterback position right and the offensive line plays well enough, this is a National Championship contender considering their skill position talent and what figures to be another elite defense. But, when it comes to Fisher beating Nick Saban? I’ll believe it when I see it. That may mean 11-1, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see that, but I just don’t see this being the year they get over the ‘Bama-sized hump with that game coming in October.
Other SEC 2021 Season Previews
- Coming soon
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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