To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #23 Texas A&M.
2013 Review
2013 was another solid season for the Aggies. Their entire season was hyped up for the return of Johnny Manziel for one last year. They would start the year with back to back easy wins before losing the most hyped up game of the season against Alabama. They would then win three straight games, two of which were on the road in conference play, before losing to Auburn. Following the loss to Auburn, the Aggies would win another three games in a row, before losing their last two games of the regular season, finishing with a record of 8-4. Manziel would end the year with a brilliant performance in their 52-48 win over Duke in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
Season Outlook
Texas A&M could be in for a rude awakening in 2014. With so many inexperienced starters, and a defense that hasn't improved much from last season, the Aggies will have a tough time getting wins against the strong SEC West. The gauntlet starts on Thursday night, when A&M sets foot in Columbia to face South Carolina. This could easily start the Aggies in the wrong direction at 0-1. After week one, Texas A&M has a very winnable first half of the season, with five straight games they should win, with home games against Lamar, Rice, and Arkansas, and road games against SMU and Mississippi State. After a likely 5-1 start, the Aggies have a very loaded back half of the schedule, with five of their last six games coming against teams ranked in the AP's preseason top 25. They should lose a home game to Ole Miss, before likely getting killed on the road against Alabama. This leads into the last easy game of the season at home against UL-Monroe. They end the season with games against Auburn, Missouri, and LSU, which they could lose all three. Kevin Sumlin had a very good start to his career at Texas A&M, but now that Manziel is gone, he may face a few rough seasons.
Season Prediction
7-5 (3-5) 5th in SEC West
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