Texas A&M Should Have Alabama On Upset Alert In College Football Week 7

Week 7 promises to be a clash of the titans in all the conferences, but the SEC in particular will be shaken up this weekend depending on the outcome of Saturday’s two massive matchups. Texas A&M has only been a member of the vaunted SEC for three years, but they have already brought the drama. In 2012 the Aggies shocked a top-rated Alabama team at home with a 29-24 upset. The following year they lost at home, and in 2014 the Crimson Tide shut them out 59-0. This weekend’s upcoming matchup against Alabama will be must-see TV. Will the Aggies be able to exact revenge for last year’s fiasco against Nick Saban’s wobbly Alabama offense? I think they just might.

Alabama’s offense continues to have issues with turnovers—they have chalked up 12 in the last five games. Crimson Tide QB Jake Coker has improved, but he continues to play inconsistently and Alabama tends to have trouble with up-tempo offenses. After a definitive win over Georgia, Coker threw couple of passes that were picked off and was sacked twice. In addition, Alabama has given up 6.5 tackles for a loss each game. Compare that to Aggie QB Kyle Allen, who has had two straight turnover-free games and seems to improve each week. They are no longer an inexorable force in offense. If the Aggies exploit these failings they can easily stop Alabama’s offense from scoring big plays.

A&M coach Kevin Sumlin hired brilliant DC John Chavis this year. He has turned the Aggie defense into an efficient, speedy juggernaut. When Chavis was at LSU, his defense held the Tide to 4.2 yards per play—he knows how Alabama operates and he knows how to stop them. Texas does have difficulty stopping the run, but they also come into this game well-rested as they are fresh off a bye week. Alabama spent last week fending off a physical Arkansas team.

In short, what this Saturday will show is which team may be legitimate championship contenders. Will Sumlin and company pull off an upset? I think it may be time to stock in the champagne at Kyle Field; the Aggies are back.