The Texas A&M Aggies are favored to win 11 out of their 12 games in the 2021 college football regular season. Last year, the Aggies were only favored in seven out of their 10 matchups, but they managed to finish 9-1. While Texas A&M won the games they were favored in last year, that trend may not carry over to this season. Note that Alabama is not included as a slip-up game for Texas A&M, for the Crimson Tide are favored in the matchup against Texas A&M. Check out the potential games where the Aggies could get upset and hurt their chances of returning to a New Years Six Bowl.
Game 4: vs. Arkansas (Neutral site game)
Last year, Arkansas finished with a record of 3-7 after ending the season with a four-game losing streak. The Aggies beat the Razorbacks by 11 points last season at Kyle Field. Sam Pittman has his team in the right direction, and KJ Jefferson is the expected starter at quarterback; he is a dual-threat who might cause problems for the Aggies’ defense.
The only worry for the Aggies in this matchup is whether their offense can manage to put up enough points. In last year’s game, they put up 42 on the Razorbacks. Ultimately, this was due to Kellen Mond‘s outstanding performance. If Haynes King can efficiently throw the ball in this matchup, the Aggies will come out on top. However, the Aggies’ defense will also have to step up in their first SEC game.
Game 5: vs. Mississippi State
Mike Leach‘s air raid offense will travel to Kyle Field to face the Aggies on October 2nd. Last season, Texas A&M beat Mississippi State 28-14, but Will Rogers came in late at quarterback and put up an impressive performance. He is the expected starter for the Bulldogs this season, so the Aggies’ defense will need to perform better. Since Texas A&M plays at home in this matchup, the 12th man should also help in limiting the Bulldogs’ offense.
Haynes King will have to play well in back-to-back games for the Aggies to win against Arkansas and Mississippi State. In the new era of prolific offenses, Jimbo Fisher must adjust the Aggies’ offense to Haynes King’s strengths; this will help the Aggies to put up points at will. Moreover, Isaiah Spiller and Ainias Smith will have to be effective early in the season against these SEC teams.
Game 7: @ Missouri
The first SEC East team that the Aggies will play in the 2021 season is the Missouri Tigers. Connor Bazelak has cemented himself as the starting quarterback for the Tigers, and his progression thus far is similar to that of Drew Lock. Again, the Texas A&M defense will have to step up for the Aggies to leave Faurot Field with a victory. Missouri is expected to have the biggest improvement in their offense from last season.
In fact, this is the first of SEC road games for the Aggies, so the Tigers could get an upset. The Aggies play Alabama before Missouri, which could lead to Texas A&M underrating the Missouri team’s potential. If this is the case, the Aggies could be in for a long day.
Game 10: @ Ole Miss
The Ole Miss Rebels enter the season with perhaps the best quarterback in the SEC: Matt Corral. He is a Heisman sleeper for 2021, and Lane Kiffin‘s offense should be in full throttle just like last season. The Aggies will likely have to score at least 40 points in Oxford to win this game. Unfortunately, this matchup was canceled last season due to positive COVID-19 tests, so Texas A&M’s defense does not have a great feel for the Rebels’ offense yet.
Jimbo Fisher knows that Lane Kiffin will come out firing from the start of the game. The Aggies’ offense will have to be aggressive, but careful to win this game. Outside of their game against Alabama, this is probably the toughest matchup for the Aggies.
Game 12: @ LSU
The LSU Tigers will be looking for revenge this season after the Aggies beat LSU 20-7 last year. Honestly, that game featured the worst offensive performances by both quarterbacks in a while; granted, the field was a hindering factor for both teams. Baton Rouge is one of the toughest places to play, and the Aggies lost 50-7 in their last game in Death Valley when they faced Joe Burrow.
Usually, Texas A&M is known for finishing the regular season strong, but the Aggies have only won two of their last 10 matchups against LSU. Texas A&M is yet to win in Baton Rouge since 1994, but that will have to change for the Aggies to reach their first SEC Championship.
[pickup_prop id=”9206″]
Concluding Thoughts
The Aggies had a strong season last year, so fans now have higher expectations for Texas A&M to compete in the SEC West. The Aggies are expected to finish 11-1 or 12-0, but this is tough to accomplish in the SEC West. Even one upset in any of these five games could jeopardize the Aggies’ chances for an appearance in the playoffs or another NY6 Bowl. Nonetheless, Jimbo Fisher is confident in this year’s team, and his Aggies are bound for another great run. Texas A&M must approach the season one game at a time.
