November looms like a schoolyard bully.
It waits threateningly to steal lunch money and beat up Texas A&M. Seriously, in recent years, turkeys have had better Novembers than A&M.
In 10 out of the last 12 college football seasons, the Aggies have gone 1-2 or worse vs. Southeastern Conference opponents in November.
Such history lessons make coach Mike Elko bristle. He encourages long-suffering Aggies to stay focused on the present after A&M closed October with a 49-25 victory over LSU.
“It’s not about the past,” Elko said in a postgame press conference. “We’ve got to stop worrying about the past, thinking about the past, talking about the past. I’m excited for what this team is doing right now. This team is doing some really special things. I think we should enjoy it. We should enjoy what’s happening. We’re an 8-0 football team.”
A valid point. Yet, the Aggies have been here before.
• In 2016, they went into November ranked No. 4 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings. They promptly lost to Mississippi State, Ole Miss and LSU.
• In 2021, they started November with a 20-3 victory over Auburn. They moved up to No. 11 in the nation. They had a shot to win the SEC West Division. They then lost to Ole Miss and LSU.
• As recently as last year, A&M entered November ranked No. 15 in the nation and the only team not to lose in SEC play. The Aggies then lost to South Carolina, Auburn and Texas.
Now ranked No. 3, the Aggies enter November with an open date. In previous years, that would’ve been viewed as a stay of execution.
Not this year. Bullies eventually get their comeuppance. This could be the year A&M knocks out November like George McFly punching out Biff.
These Aggies have already overcome past obstacles.
They’ve ended a long streak of road losses vs. SEC rivals.
They’ve ended a longer streak of road losses vs. top-10 ranked non-conference opponents.
They won in Baton Rouge for the first time since 1994.
They won a 41-40 shootout at Notre Dame. They beat Auburn, 16-10, in a defensive struggle. They scored the most points that Notre Dame, LSU and Florida have allowed an opponent this season.
They’re 14th in the nation in scoring offense. They’re seventh in the nation in big plays. They’re 30th in scoring defense. They lead the nation in sacks. They are second in the nation in third-down defense. Quarterback Marcel Reed is a legitimate Heisman candidate.
These Aggies appear more equipped to face November than perhaps any A&M team since Johnny Manziel, Mike Evans, Ryan Swope & Co. put a 4-0 beatdown on November in 2012.
Knocking out November again won’t be easy, though. Some of the toughest defensive units A&M will face await.
Missouri is No. 7 in the nation in total defense. Texas is No. 19. South Carolina is 39th.
Offensive coordinator Collin Klein said the Aggies are ready.
“I’ve been so proud of our guys… their ability to not flinch or not get rattled if things aren’t going well,” he said. “If there’s a bad play or a bad series (they) just stay the course, keep repeating, not even worrying about what the score is or what’s going on.
“I think that’s really stood out to me in games — whether we’ve been up or down — their ability to just to sustain and continue to repeat, continue to play, believing that good things will happen if we do that.”
Do that, and good things may indeed continue. Even in November.
Heisman watch (If my ballot was due today)
1. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M, QB: Reed’s running ability sets him apart from most contenders. Last week, he ran for 108 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-25 victory over LSU. He also passed for 202 yards and two touchdowns. He’s 19th in the nation in total offense with 2,321 yards. He has thrown for 1,972 yards and 17 touchdowns and has rushed for 349 yards and six touchdowns.
2. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana, QB: Last week, Mendoza passed for 168 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for 45 yards and a score in a 56-6 victory over UCLA. Mendoza has passed for 1,923 yards and 24 touchdowns. He’s also rushed for 196 yards and three touchdowns.
3. Ty Simpson, Alabama, QB: Simpson had another solid performance in a 29-22 come-from-behind victory over South Carolina. He passed for 253 yards and two touchdowns. That raised his season total to 2,184 passing yards and 20 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 79 yards and two scores.
4. Haynes King, Georgia Tech, QB: No team is more dependent on an individual for its success than Georgia Tech is on King. Last week, King passed for a season-high 304 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-16 victory over Syracuse. He also rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns. King is 13th nationally in total offense with 2,131 yards in seven games. He has passed for 1,480 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s rushed for 651 yards and 12 touchdowns.
5. Julian Sayin, Ohio State, QB: Sayin directs the No. 1 team in the nation. He has passed for 1,872 yards and 19 touchdowns. He has exceeded 300 passing yards in four games (vs. Grambling, Ohio, Minnesota and Wisconsin).
Predicted playoff participants (Alphabetical order)
Alabama: The Crimson Tide has victories over four teams that are currently ranked in the top 20.
Georgia: Their only loss is by three points to Alabama, boasting wins over nationally ranked Tennessee and Ole Miss.
Georgia Tech: Tough games remain — especially vs. Georgia on Nov. 28 — but at least an 11-win season is extremely attainable.
Indiana: The Hoosiers are third in the nation in scoring offense and in scoring defense.
Memphis: By scoring 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to defeat South Florida last week, the Tigers have the inside track for the Group of Five bid. But Tulane and Navy — yes, Navy — could be spoilers.
Miami: Despite an upset loss to Louisville two weeks ago, the Hurricanes still seem to be the ACC’s best.
Notre Dame: Don’t be surprised if the No. 12 Fighting Irish are in the Top Ten within two weeks.
Ohio State: The Buckeyes have won each of their last seven games by at least 18 points.
Oregon: The Ducks are in good shape, but four good opponents remain.
Ole Miss: The one-loss Rebels have no remaining opponents with a winning record. Three of their remaining games are in Oxford.
Texas A&M: The Aggies rank among the nation’s top 30 in total offense and total defense.
Texas Tech: The bet here is the one-loss Red Raiders rally to win the Big 12 championship.
Games to watch
No. 9 Vanderbilt at No. 20 Texas: Both remain in the race for the SEC championship game. One will be eliminated.
No. 5 Georgia vs. Florida: A great rivalry. Georgia is vulnerable, and Florida is more dangerous than its modest record indicates.
No. 15 Virginia at California: Unbeaten in ACC play, Virginia is riding a six-game winning streak but must cross the country to face a solid Cal team.
No. 18 Oklahoma at No. 14 Tennessee: Both teams are 6-2. Playoff hopes continue for one and will end for the other.
No. 17 Cincinnati at No. 24 Utah: The Bearcats are unbeaten in Big 12 play, but a long road trip to Salt Lake City could be treacherous.
