The Texas A&M Aggies lost to the Alabama Crimson Tide 20-24. The Aggies put up an impressive fight in Tuscaloosa, but they now fall to 3-3. Texas A&M will now have its bye week before going on the road to face South Carolina. Jimbo Fisher‘s squad still is capable of turning this ship around, but it will take quite an effort. Here’s a quick recap of Texas A&M’s close loss to Alabama.
Alabama’s Offensive Mistakes Kept the Game Close
Jalen Milroe starting instead of Bryce Young was a key factor for the Aggies nearly pulling off the upset. Milroe had two lost fumbles and an interception, and Texas A&M came up with two touchdowns from those possessions. Jase McClellan also had a last fumble, and the Aggies were able to secure a field goal off of that mistake.
Jahmyr Gibbs and Milroe combined for nearly 240 rushing yards. Texas A&M does not have a bad defensive line by any means. However, Alabama’s offensive line has significantly improved in every game. Lest we forget it was the defensive linemen for the Aggies who forced the fumbles.
Alabama’s receivers were sometimes running open on the field, but Milroe did tend to struggle to get them the ball. Honestly, it’s fair to say that Young would’ve torn up this secondary. Mistakes on special teams, especially in the fourth quarter, contributed to A&M’s inability to put more points on the board.
Texas A&M’s Offense Nearly Played Its Best
It’s clear that Texas A&M is more than capable of beating any team in the country. The offense does not have much of a different feel with either Haynes King or Max Johnson at the helm, but the receivers really make or break the offensive production. Evan Stewart and Moose Muhammad III had decent performances and shined in one-on-one matchups.
Devon Achane had a decent game with 16 carries for 62 yards, but the offensive line for the Aggies could not create enough holes for him. In fact, it was clear that Will Reichard chose to kick off away from Achane to avoid any chances of a big return. Donovan Green also had a touchdown in this game, and he continues to improve as a blocker.
There were some nice deep shots in this game from King to the likes of Stewart, Muhammad, Chris Marshall, and even Green. Fisher and Darrell Dickey simply need to do a better job of incorporating those plays at the right times in the offense. On the other hand, it would be nice for Texas A&M to stop with the passes in the backfield and unnecessary screen action plays.
Concluding Thoughts
Although this was a loss for Texas A&M, the team should be proud of its effort against the best team in the country. There is still a chance that the Aggies could go 9-3 and make a great bowl game. However, the SEC is a gauntlet, and the Aggies need to find their identity and execute at a high level on a weekly basis. If Fisher can regroup his squad once again, A&M will start to win these close games and make a statement to the country. Everyone doubted the Aggies in this game, but they showed grit.
