The attention of the college football universe was supposed to be in Tuscaloosa this weekend. Alabama–Texas A&M is both a rematch and a payoff of a preseason war of words. CBS will use its once-a-season doubleheader on the Aggies vs. Crimson Tide, but the network’s suits are no doubt experiencing buyer’s remorse. ESPN’s College GameDay is spiritually as far away as humanly possible, at a Kansas game instead. There is only one reason why: The Aggies did not hold up their end of this supposedly big-game bargain. What attention remains on this SEC West matchup is pointed at A&M—for what the folks in maroon and white would say are the wrong reasons.
Texas A&M’s offense currently stinks. It’s 63rd in offensive SP+ rating, 95th in standard down success rate, 63rd in yards per play, 95th in third-down conversion rate, 89th in red zone touchdown percentage and 90th in offensive available yards gained (on non-garbage-time possessions vs. FBS opponents). In four games against FBS teams, Texas A&M’s offense has only scored more than 17 points once (a garbage-time touchdown in the loss to Mississippi State made the score 42–24). In their other three games the Aggies scored:
- 14 points in a loss to App State, seven of which came via a kick return.
- 17 points against Miami, seven of which came on a 28-yard drive after the Canes muffed a punt.
- 23 points against Arkansas, seven of which came on a defensive score.
