College Football: Texas A&M Aggies 2020 Schedule Analysis
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
There are great reasons for Texas A&M fans to be excited about the 2020 college football season. In his third go in College Station, head coach Jimbo Fisher returns perhaps his most complete and seasoned roster with momentum to be had off an 8-5 campaign in 2019. Furthermore, the schedule over the past two seasons had been unkind to the Aggies with nonconference games against Clemson and an SEC East pickup against Georgia, those two giant killers have been traded for more favorable matchups eagerly awaiting to pad the win-loss column.
On paper, the 2019 season may have appeared ho-hum to the rest of college football, but the No. 11 preseason ranked Aggies (Athlon Sports) were better than advertised taking on an unforgiving lineup. The five losses incurred all came against top-8 ranked teams, twice playing the then- No. 1 ranked team in the country, Clemson and Alabama, and yet another against the eventual national champions LSU, with three of those games on the road (Clemson, No. 4 Georgia, and No. 2 LSU). The 2020 season will have its challenges facing off against Auburn, Alabama, and LSU, but the bulk of the schedule should be easy to navigate.
If the Aggies can get the run game going to compliment the talents of third-year starter Kellen Mond in the pocket, SEC West teams are on notice. Under defensive coordinator Mike Elko, the Aggies’ defense has been stout, especially considering the competition. In 2019, A&M’s defense was one of the best in the nation limiting teams to 340 yards per game on average. The returning talent, 16 starters back, consistency in schemes, and favorable schedule aligns for a breakthrough year for Fisher and company.
2020 Texas A&M Schedule Analysis
Bye – Week 9
Week 1 – Sept. 5 vs. Abilene Christian (College Station)
When fans of other Power 5 Conference football teams try to knock nonconference games SEC teams schedule, this is why. The Wildcats turned in a 5-7 season in 2019 against Southland Conference teams at the FCS classification. The Wildcats took “money games” against North Texas and Mississippi State last season losing 51-31 and 45-7 respectively.
Week 2 – Sept 12 vs. North Texas (College Station)
In 2018, head coach Seth Littrell was getting a lot of ink for his skills on the sideline propped up with wins over SMU, Arkansas, and Florida Atlantic. Jump to the 2019 season, there was a drop from 9-4 to 4-8 coming out of Conference USA. Another warm-up contest before seeing P5 teams.
Week 3 – Sept. 19 vs. Colorado (College Station)
From 1995 to 2009, these teams were foes in the Big 8/Big 12. After the Aggies owned the series 6-3 as conference rivals, this is their first meeting since each went their own way. The Buffaloes are seeking consistency at the top experiencing five head coaching changes since the 2010 schedule. The 2019 team posted a 5-7 record under then head coach Mel Tucker but must reassemble under new head coach Karl Dorrell (UCLA) in 2020.
Week 4 – Sept. 26 vs. Arkansas (Arlington, TX) AT&T Stadium
What was once a balanced series has turned into a counted upon victory for the Aggies seeing A&M win eight consecutive dating back to the 2012 season. Arkansas is yet again in transition with new head coach Sam Pittman. The Razorbacks have not won a conference game in two years, A&M will not aid in their rebound here.
Week 5 – Oct. 3 at Mississippi State (Starkville)
For college football fans who love offenses, this is a dream matchup seeing the game’s top offensive minds battle it out but in opposing schemes. Fisher runs a pro-style set while new Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach (Washington State) executes his version of the Air Raid but each push the pigskin down the field with tempo. If the Bulldogs get enough time to install Leach’s offense before the season begins, this could be a contest between undefeated teams bringing added national attention.
Week 6 – Oct. 10 vs. Fresno State (College Station)
After two big seasons in head coach Jeff Tedford’s offense, the Bulldogs fell from a 12-2 team to 4-8 in 2019. The record is not appealing for Fresno State, but they were a tough out. They lost their final four games, but by a total of 20 points. Worth noting, they took Minnesota into double-overtime in Week 2 of the 2019 season before accepting a 38-35 defeat. The Bulldogs will have a different look this season after Tedford resigned with former Indiana offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer taking over.
Week 7 – Oct. 17 at Auburn (Auburn)
The No. 13 ranked Auburn Tigers got some preseason love in the rankings, but this team has a lot of work that needs to be done on both sides of the ball if they wish to compete for an SEC West title. Due to graduation and early NFL entrants, the Tigers defense has been dismantled, especially on defense and ditto for the offensive line. A&M catches a break meeting Auburn on The Plains after the Tigers have traveled to Athens.
Week 8 – Oct. 24 at South Carolina (Columbia)
Fortunately for Coach Fisher, A&M does not face their first true test of the season until eight games into the schedule with back-to-back road games. The Aggies own this series winning all six meetings dating back to the 2014 season. While most of the meetings have been competitive, last year A&M put it away with a 30-6 victory.
Week 9 – Bye
Week 10 – Nov. 7 vs. Ole Miss (College Station)
He may not admit it, but deep down one has to guess that Coach Fisher is loving taking on new Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin. Kiffin was a media darling early in his career but fizzled out at USC before rebounding at Florida Atlantic with an 11-win 2017 run and a 10-win season in 2019. The Rebels’ schedule to this point will have Kiffin rethinking the job taken with games against Baylor, Auburn, LSU, Alabama, and Florida before seeing the Aggies.
Week 11 – Nov. 14 vs. Vanderbilt (College Station)
Vanderbilt represents the last of the counted upon wins on the schedule for A&M. The two squads have only met twice on the field (2013 and 2015) with both games won by the Aggies. Since James Franklin posted consecutive nine-win seasons in 2012-13, the Commodores have struggled to be a six-win team accomplishing the goal just twice in six campaigns under head coach Derek Mason.
Week 12 – Nov. 21 at Alabama (Tuscaloosa)
Fitting that the No. 2 ranked Crimson Tide mascot is Big Al the elephant because it seems head coach Nick Saban never forgets. Saban will be out for blood in 2020 looking to regain his perch atop the SEC, but doing so against what could be a very challenging schedule. The Tide will have already faced Georgia and LSU giving this meeting potential SEC West title implications. Since A&M beat Alabama in 2012 (29-24), when given a chance Saban appears to lay it on the Aggies. This has been highlighted the last two seasons with a 20.5 margin of victory against Fisher and the Aggies.
Week 13 – Nov. 28 vs. LSU (College Station)
If A&M is in it to win it with No. 8 LSU in the mix for a SEC Championship Game berth as well, be ready to hear all about the 2018 seven-overtime win the Aggies wrapped up (74-72) the last time the Tigers were in College Station. The Tigers are going through a big roster overhaul after their 15-0 national championship run a year ago and have key changes on the staff adding to the adjustments. LSU’s schedule lends itself to a possible run to a conference title again if all the pieces on the roster fall into place; but that is a big IF. The last two games of the season could prop Fisher up as a hero or just another high-paid SEC head coach.
Photo credit: WLUK; Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies celebrating a win