Around CFB: Aggies taking business-like approach to their Austin visit

Click HERE to view Texas A&M’s Tuesday press conference.

After the seventh touchdown in a blowout victory over arch-rival Michigan, Ohio State coach Woody Hayes instructed the Buckeyes to attempt a two-point conversion.

It was successful. The Buckeyes prevailed, 50-14.

In the postgame press conference, Hayes was asked why he’d go for two with an insurmountable lead.

Hayes famously responded: “Because I couldn’t go for three.”

That legendary hatred is a prime example of what makes college football rivalries so special.

This is “Rivalry Weekend.”

Rivalries like Ohio State-Michigan, Alabama-Auburn, Ole Miss-Mississippi State, Georgia-Georgia Tech and, of course, Texas A&M-Texas are on the schedule.

Therefore, expect a little more passion, a little more emotion and little more intensity than in most other games.

Managing that extra passion, emotion and intensity is often the key to winning.

“You know the emotions are going to be high,” Texas A&M coach Mike Elko said this week. “You know the energy is going to be high. Through all of that, you’ve got to find a laser focus to do the things that you have to do to go out and be successful, play in and play out.

“Sometimes you could want something so bad it almost blinds you. You’ve got to be really careful with that, and I think that’s always the thing that comes up in these rivalry games when you talk about how bad each team wants to be successful.

"It’s really the team that can really kind of rise above the moment a little bit and maintain that focus and maintain the composure that they need to go out and be successful.”

Apparently, that’s the message Elko has been sending this team this week.

Apparently, they’ve gotten the message.

“Honestly, a lot of the guys here … we’re not really overdoing it,” A&M cornerback Will Lee III said. “We’re just taking it as another game, and we’ve got to do what we’re supposed, do and we’re going to get the outcome we want.

“It’s just like regular practice. We’re not overemphasizing anything. We’re just doing what we need to do, and we’re going to get the outcome.”

Sara Diggins/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Will Lee III returned an interception for Texas A&M’s only touchdown of last year’s 17-7 loss to Texas.

Maybe Lee’s business-like approach is understandable. A native of St. Louis, he’s one of a dozen projected A&M starters who are not from the state of Texas.

They may not fully comprehend the bitter feud between the Aggies and Longhorns.

But even guard Ar’maj Reed-Adams, who is from DeSoto near Dallas, indicated he’s trying to approach the game like any other.

A berth in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game is at stake for the 11-0 Aggies. So is more advantageous seeding in the College Football Playoff.

The rivalry, it seems, is of secondary importance.

“It’s the biggest game of the season because it’s the next game of the season,” Reed-Adams said. “So we’re going to be doing everything we’ve been doing the same. You know, no real added pressure to us.”

Reed-Adams acknowledged there would be more emotion and attitude.

However, in his next breath, he repeated Elko’s message of managing emotions.

Zoe Kelton, TexAgs

Ar’maj Reed-Adams played in the Lone Star Showdown last season and then was asked leading questions from a Texas beat writer at SEC Media Days this July.

“We just have to try to control that and do what we’re supposed to do,” he said. “We might have to calm people down instead of picking people up this week. Just do a good job reminding people. Don’t get to high. Don’t get too low. Stay level-headed until it’s all zeros on the clock, and we’re up by 100.”

That’s about as close as the Aggies got to talking trash for the rivalry.

Well, until Reed-Adams was asked about Texas players coming out of the locker room to plant their flag on the A&M logo after the Longhorns' 17-7 win last year at Kyle Field.

“Cowards do what cowards do,” he said.

Now that’s a quote for a rivalry. Woody Hayes would’ve approved.

Heisman watch (If my ballot was due today)

1. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M, QB: He played just barely over a quarter in the Aggies’ 48-0 victory over Samford last week. Reed passed for 120 yards and three touchdowns in that game. That raised his passing totals to 2,752 yards and 25 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 395 yards and six scores. Reed is tied for 19th in the nation in total offense with 3,147 yards.

Will Huffman, TexAgs

Marcel Mode. Chills.

2. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana, QB: The Hoosiers were idle last week. Mendoza is 37th in the nation in passing. He has thrown for 2,641 yards and 30 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 216 yards and five touchdowns.

3. Julian Sayin, Ohio State, QB: Last week, Sayin passed for 157 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-9 victory over Rutgers. On the season, he has passed for 2,832 yards and 27 touchdowns.

4. Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame, RB: A strong finish has catapulted Love to third in the nation in rushing with 1,306 yards and 17 touchdowns. In the last five games, Love has rushed for 776 yards and nine touchdowns.

5. Haynes King, Georgia Tech, QB: He passed for 257 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-28 loss to Pitt. Alas, he also threw two interceptions, including a devastating pick-six. King is second in the nation in total offense. He has passed for 2,516 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has rushed for 883 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Predicted playoff participants (In alphabetical order)

Alabama (9-2): The Tide has to get by Auburn at Jordan-Hare. That’s never easy.
Georgia (10-1): This Bulldogs’ outlook could get dicey if they lose to Georgia Tech (9-2).
Indiana (11-0): The Hoosiers close with Purdue (2-9). They’re a lock.
Notre Dame (9-2): Irish close against Stanford. Right or wrong, no committee will leave out a 10-win Notre Dame.
Ohio State (11-0): The Buckeyes are in. Michigan may squeeze with an upset of Ohio State.
Oklahoma (9-2): A victory over LSU, which appears to have quit, should clinch a berth for the Sooners.
Ole Miss (10-1): An Egg Bowl loss to Mississippi State could knock the Rebels out.
Oregon (10-1): A victory at Washington would nail down a playoff spot. A loss might knock out the Ducks.
SMU (8-3): The bet here is the Mustangs win the ACC championship.
Texas A&M (11-0): The Aggies are in. They’re now playing for the best seed possible.
Texas Tech (10-1): Red Raiders are the favorite to win the Big 12 championship.
Tulane (9-2): The “Group of Five” berth likely goes to the American Conference championship. The pick is Tulane over North Texas.

Games to watch

No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 16 Texas: Arch rivals have so much at stake. A win puts A&M in the SEC Championship Game. Texas needs to keep its fading playoff hopes on life support.

No. 1 Ohio State at No. 15 Michigan: A fifth consecutive victory over the Buckeyes could vault the Wolverines into the playoff field.

No. 10 Alabama vs. Auburn: An Iron Bowl loss would knock Alabama out of the playoff discussion. A win would make Auburn’s season.

No. 4 Georgia at No. 23 Georgia Tech: What if Georgia Tech upsets Georgia and both teams finish 10-2? Could the committee justify taking Georgia over Georgia Tech?

No. 5 Oregon at Washington: A loss could push the Ducks out of playoff consideration. Washington is no pushover.

Editor’s note: This story was written and published before Tuesday night’s release of the second College Football Playoff rankings. Rankings in this story are from the latest AP Poll.