JessN: Texas A&M preview: Bama will see a familiar face in battle for SEC West

JessN · Oct 19, 2016

Texas A&M preview: Bama will see a familiar face in battle for SEC West
by Jess Nicholas
TideFans Editor-In-Chief
October 19th, 2016 12:00 AM

If this turns out to be yet another national championship year for Alabama, fans and sportswriters alike have a game they like to play: Find the one or two teams Alabama will struggle with on its way to the playoffs. In 2009, it was Auburn and Tennessee. […]

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JBama_in_PCOLA · Oct 19, 2016

This will be a game where we will have to hang on for a while. A&M will come in fired up, tired of all the talk. Bama is just too good and focused. Glad this one is at home.

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CrimsonEyeshade · Oct 19, 2016

Rarely disagree with you, Jess, but will this time. Not going to be this close.

Relayer · Oct 19, 2016

Gotta give Knight kudos for being the team's second-leading tackler. Kid can do it all.

BamaGreek · Oct 19, 2016

Good read but I also don't think it's this close at the end. Aggies defense allows too many yards and when they can't stop our run game it will be a long day for them. I do expect a tough rather close first half. Just my two cents.

OakMtn4Bama · Oct 19, 2016

We will probably give up some points. Hope we can power run on them all day.

skrayper77 · Oct 19, 2016

I have to disagree on a couple of points.

Nearly all of A&M's success at punt returning has come in their scrub games. Against P5 opponents, they have 4 returns (in 5 games) for 5.75 yards per return and no TDs.
Alabama, vs P5 opponents, has 12 returns for a 20.92 average and 2 TDs.

A&M's return game isn't very dangerous vs solid offenses because of the "between the 20s" defense you mentioned already. All Scott has to do is reach Alabama's 40, and returns become non-existent as teams will try and keep us from downing it rather than making huge returns. It gets even worse for them against ranked foes, as they have 1 return for -14 yards in those games (3). A&M owes over 75% of their return yardage to Prairie View.

JBama_in_PCOLA · Oct 19, 2016

I hope he's the second leading tackler come Saturday too. TURNOVER!

Relayer said:
Gotta give Knight kudos for being the team's second-leading tackler. Kid can do it all.

crimsonaudio · Oct 19, 2016

I'm not sure why people keep bringing up TK having a great game against Bama last time - that was a very different Bama defense and a far more talented OU offense.

He's a good QB, he'll get some yards, but he'll look very mortal on Saturday.

TideEngineer08 · Oct 19, 2016

crimsonaudio said:
I'm not sure why people keep bringing up TK having a great game against Bama last time - that was a very different Bama defense and a far more talented OU offense.

He's a good QB, he'll get some yards, but he'll look very mortal on Saturday.

Agreed. He has actually not proven he can withstand the pressure of an Alabama defense as we simply did not pressure the QB back then like we do now.

B1GTide · Oct 19, 2016

I think that an Alabama WR did something to upset Jess. Two weeks in a row inferior receiving groups are ranked ahead of Alabama's. I think it is just Jess trying not to give everything to Alabama. In this game, the edge at every position group and matchup belongs to Alabama. Some may be close, but the edge is still Alabama's.

JBama_in_PCOLA · Oct 19, 2016

You may be on to something there. lol

B1GTide said:
I think that an Alabama WR did something to upset Jess. Two weeks in a row inferior receiving groups are ranked ahead of Alabama's. I think it is just Jess trying not to give everything to Alabama. In this game, the edge at every position group and matchup belongs to Alabama. Some may be close, but the edge is still Alabama's.

JBama_in_PCOLA · Oct 19, 2016

Also, Bama had a turnover problem that game too that helped him out.

crimsonaudio said:
I'm not sure why people keep bringing up TK having a great game against Bama last time - that was a very different Bama defense and a far more talented OU offense.

He's a good QB, he'll get some yards, but he'll look very mortal on Saturday.

Ole Man Dan · Oct 19, 2016

JBama_in_PCOLA said:
Also, Bama had a turnover problem that game too that helped him out.

I'm not sold on TAMU.
A lot of their fundamentals are shaky.
Trevor is a great QB if you don't pressure him. BUT... Under pressure things can unravel.
Against Tennessee TAMU had a problem tackling. Was it because they were looking ahead at us?
TAMU stats were inflated playing a weak sister team, and leaving in the starters to run up the score.
If we play our game, and come out strong we win.
If we come out and drag around and miss tackles, we loose.
I THINK THIS IS OUR GAME TO WIN OR LOSE. UP TO US.

JBama_in_PCOLA · Oct 19, 2016

Ole Man Dan said:
I THINK THIS IS OUR GAME TO WIN OR LOSE. UP TO US.

This!! It's on what Bama does, not what they or any team does.

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Bazza · Oct 19, 2016

Thanks for the in-depth analysis, Jess. Good read. I think it will be a great game to watch - glad the Gators are off this week so I can relax a little.

I'll peek into the game thread likely too this week.

I think the game will come down to which QB runs his offense the best, under the circumstances.

I agree being played at BDS is a big plus for Bama.

Good luck!

CaliforniaTide · Oct 19, 2016

The "stats" and info tell me that Alabama should win big. But, this is the eighth game for Alabama before the bye week, and that has meant that Alabama struggles quite a bit against the opponent. I'm leaning towards a close, close game like JessN, but I certainly hope that I'm wrong.

crimsonbleeder · Oct 19, 2016

Trevor knight is NOT as good a QB as Hurts. Even at this stage of Hurts' young career, it is clear he's the MUCH better QB of the two. The QB cat should have been tipped to Bama, in a landslide. That OU game in the Sugar Bowl means absolutely NOTHING to this game.

JBama_in_PCOLA · Oct 19, 2016

CaliforniaTide said:
The "stats" and info tell me that Alabama should win big. But, this is the eighth game for Alabama before the bye week, and that has meant that Alabama struggles quite a bit against the opponent. I'm leaning towards a close, close game like JessN, but I certainly hope that I'm wrong.

Team is really fresher than any year I've seen under CNS.

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Hoot30 · Oct 19, 2016

^^^ This ^^^

Beat me to it.

I think it also has to be factored in that 'Bama has not had to play the starters a full game since Ole Miss. It obviously helps Texas A&M that they had a bye week. But, the last four games that 'Bama has played have been blowouts in which the starters have gotten to rest in the 4th quarter. I think 'Bama is somewhat fresher than compared to going in to the game against UT last year. I hope I'm right.

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