SEC Round-Up: A&M's conference title hopes again depend on beating Texas
The old folks say the more things change, the more they remain the same.
Those old folks are wise.
They could offer reminders that in the Southwest Conference days, a Texas A&M championship was sometimes dependent on beating Texas.
Now in the Southeastern Conference, the No. 3 Aggies’ hopes of winning a championship are dependent on beating Texas.
It’s just in a different way.
Although the Aggies (11-0, 7-0) are unbeaten and Texas (8-3, 5-2) is out of the championship picture, A&M’s inclusion in the SEC Championship Game requires winning in Austin on Friday.
A loss could drop A&M into a potential tie situation with No. 4 Georgia (10-1, 7-1), No. 6 Ole Miss (10-1, 6-1) and No. 10 Alabama (9-2, 6-1).
The tiebreaker scenarios do not favor the Aggies.
A&M can only advance to the SEC title game in Atlanta by beating Texas OR with both Alabama losing to Auburn AND Ole Miss losing to Mississippi State.
- Alabama reaches the title game by beating Auburn.
- Georgia is in with either an A&M loss OR an Alabama loss.
- Ole Miss is in by beating Mississippi State and Alabama AND A&M losing.
“The way things broke this year with our schedule inhibited some of our tie-breaker abilities,” A&M coach Mike Elko said earlier this week. “So, it’s going to force us to go 8-0 to get to Atlanta.
“It is what it is. I think in another year — certainly last year — it wouldn’t have taken the same. That’s just how this conference goes.
“So you’ve got a lot of teams playing each other, battling it out. We’re just fortunate to still be in it going through the last weekend of the year again.”
Of course, the Aggies want to beat Texas. Teams always rejoice in defeating their nemesis.
But beyond the rivalry, one wonders how much A&M cares. The Aggies have already clinched a spot in the College Football Playoff. Do they really care that much about playing for or winning the SEC title?
That would be an emphatic yes.
“Like coach Elko said, every game from here is a championship,” A&M cornerback Will Lee III said. “You want to win this one so you can get to the SEC Championship and lock that spot in. Then, anything beyond that … we don’t get any more chances.
The Aggies haven’t had many chances to win a conference championship. A&M’s last one was the Big 12 crown in 1998.
Guard Ar’maj Reed-Adams said these Aggies don’t focus on that drought. They’re looking ahead to what can be rather than what hasn’t been.
“(Reaching SEC championship games) means a lot,” Reed-Adams said. “We don’t really talk about what A&M hasn’t done because we weren’t here or alive when they were doing it.
“We don’t really care. (It’s) this team, this season and what we’ve got ahead.”
Around the SEC
This week’s game: No. 3 Texas A&M at Texas (Friday); No. 7 Ole Miss at Mississippi State (Friday); No. 4 Georgia at No. 23 Georgia Tech (Friday); Kentucky at Louisville; Clemson at South Carolina; LSU at No. 8 Oklahoma; No. 14 Vanderbilt at No. 19 Tennessee; Missouri at Arkansas; Florida State at Florida; No. 10 Alabama at Auburn
Who’s hot: In the past three games, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia has accounted for 1,429 yards of total offense and 14 touchdowns. The competition level was uneven, but each of the three opponents is at least solid defensively (Texas, Auburn and Kentucky). That’s not necessarily the case with Tennessee, the Commodores’ opponent this week. The Vols’ pass defense is shaky. A big game from Pavia could propel Vandy to its first-ever 10-win season.
Who’s not: LSU is last in the league in rushing offense (108.2 yards per game). Four of the Tigers’ nine rushing touchdowns came in a blowout of FCS member Southeastern Louisiana. LSU has three rushing touchdowns in its seven SEC games and has been held under 100 yards in four conference matchups. That’s…not good...especially when Oklahoma is next on the schedule. The Sooners are third nationally in rush defense and are allowing just 2.4 yards per rush.
Keep an eye on: The Ole Miss Rebels, 10-1 and facing arch rival Mississippi State in the always-anticipated Egg Bowl, are on the cusp of a College Football Playoff berth. But all the oxygen about Ole Miss has been sucked out of the room by the Lane Kiffin coaching saga. Will the players be on point against their arch-rival? Or will all the Kiffin talk get to them? On paper, Ole Miss’ offense should go through the Bulldogs’ defense like a fat uncle goes through pie at Thanksgiving. But will that indeed occur?
The pressure is on: Remember all that “Ty Simpson for Heisman!” talk? It has mostly disappeared. He has just two touchdown passes and three picks in the past two games. One of those contests was against FCS member Eastern Illinois. He has received zero help from the Tide’s rushing attack in SEC games. Alabama has rushed for 208 combined yards against its past three SEC opponents and has gained more than 125 yards on the ground once in seven conference games. Once! Yes, the Tide has rushed for 20 touchdowns this season, but eight of those came last week against EIU. This week, of course, is the Iron Bowl. Auburn has a stout run defense. That means Simpson needs to be sharp.
Best matchup: Georgia linebackers vs. Georgia Tech QB Haynes King. Last year, King gave Georgia all kinds of problems. He rushed for 110 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 303 yards and two more scores. The Bulldogs still prevailed, 44-42. Georgia may not be able to escape Tech this season. King is second in the nation in total offense. Meanwhile, the Georgia defense is strong as usual. The Bulldogs are ranked 14th in the nation in total defense. However, Georgia is expected to be without star linebacker CJ Allen, who sustained a knee injury vs. Texas. He did not play last week vs. Charlotte. Allen leads Georgia in tackles and tackles for loss. Sophomore Chris Cole figures to take Allen’s place in the starting lineup.
