BYB Top 25 Countdown - #8 Texas A&M Aggies



Aggie tackle Jake Matthews


Look, I could use this preview as another opportunity to blast college football’s favorite celebrity clown as I love to do but that isn’t fair. It’s too easy. So here’s a Manziel free preview.

A&M did what everyone outside of Bryan/College Station thought was impossible going into the 2012 season – the Aggies competed for the SEC West Division title. The Ags beat college football’s best in Tuscaloosa. Years down the road when we look back and assess Alabama’s dynasty Texas A&M will be discussed just as Texas is whenever USC’s Pete Carroll era dynasty is brought up.

That said, the season wasn’t perfect as A&M was beat twice at home, by Florida and LSU. While Florida is gone from the 2013 schedule, LSU remains and this year the game is in Death Valley. That trip will likely be just as daunting as hosting the revenge showdown with Alabama.

Offensively the Aggies bring back the team’s top two backs, Ben Malena and Trey Williams, who should help lead a rushing attack that finished 11th in the country in 2012. Mike Evans is back at receiver and his tall frame ensures that no ball is out of reach.

The line is without Luke Joeckel, the #2 pick in the 2012 NFL draft, but Jake Matthews will shift over to the left side to guard the blind side and two other starters return from last year’s great line.

The Aggies will have to rebound on defense as the team returns only four starters from a year ago. The team will be relying on players like Kirby Ennis and Steven Jenkins to have strong returns from injury and for instant contributions from new additions like JUCO linebacker Tommy Sanders.

A&M was torched in pass defense last year and corners Deshazor Everett and De’Vante Harris will be needed to pull together an experienced group that will have to be the strength of the defense.

Assuming the QB Who Shall Not Be Named rises from the ashes of his Summer of Goon and is available to lead the team, I see the Aggies with no definite losses but with torturous push games against LSU and Alabama and the potential for failure in a trap game at Ole Miss.

If he isn’t around all bets are off as Arkansas, Auburn, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State immediately get upgraded to push games and LSU and Alabama become definite losses. With Manziel I have the Ags 9-1-2, without him it’s more like 5-2-5.

It's Nick Saban, Marty! Something Has To Be Done About Nick Saban!

Has anyone seen these future ranking for college football and the NFL on espn.com. I'd put a link to them but they're on Insider. Apparently, the only things ESPN produces that are actually readable or watchable should cost extra but the never ending supply of Skip Bayless and Steven A. Smith (it might be spelled Stephen but I'm not checking because frankly, he doesn't matter as a person) is as accessible as sorority chicks are to Johnny Football.

Anywho, Nebraska came in at a strong, nothing. Nada. Didn't move the needle. Its not discernible what turned ESPN off more - having a 1940's drill sergeant as a coach, playing in a state with more cows than people or recruiting classes with a veritable who's who of Iowa, Kansas and Indiana prep stars.

That said, Nebraska had won nine games or more every year during the Pelini era so saying it won't be in the Top 30 in four years might be a bit of a stretch. And the Huskers' Title Path isn't exactly daunting. The likes of the Leaders Big Ten West include Minnesota, Iowa and Indiana, not LSU, Bama and the Aggies.

Texas Tech was also absent from the list, which after a horrendous few years isn't shocking. But if this is a list based on prognosis then you would have thought the Red Raiders would have received some more love. I'm just excited Business Insider is now saying I didn't piss $80K away entirely. Suns Up, Guns Up!

No reason to go in depth on the NFL future rankings. Everything was pretty much status quo. The Bills were the third lowest ranked team in the NFL. No surprise there. Especially since Buffalo's first round pick this year got this reaction from me.

The one shocker was Dallas coming in at #24. Inept ownership, coaching, scouting and general scheme aside, the Cowboys usually stay in the middle of the pack. Maybe ESPN isn't enthused with the plan to allow this character to call the plays. Understandable.