“Lightning in a bottle” was the phrase Dave South used to describe the Aggies win in Tuscaloosa two years ago. After after another magical performance in the “Heart of Dixie,” a season that seemed lost is well on the way to being salvaged, should A&M keep its late-season momentum rolling. However, unlike lightning, the Aggies can’t afford to strike just once.
A&M has found new life offensively under Kyle Allen, and for the first time since the season opener, the Aggies looked like they could compete with anyone in the country in their upset over Auburn. The four and five wide receiver sets, the play action, the simple yet highly effective running game — finally the offense we had been accustomed to under Kevin Sumlin resurrected itself.
Calling this season a rollercoaster seems tame. We started with the highest of highs in a record-setting 52-point performance in Columbia, where in the aftermath, the Aggies were dubbed College Football Playoff contenders. Then came the lowest of lows, a goose egg on the road against Alabama where many questioned if A&M could muster another win. It seems as though there’s been two or three years worth of drama packed into these 10 games.
“Carolina seems like last year at this point for this team,” Sumlin said.
I can’t think of a better way to sum up what has been an interesting ride.
We’ve seen strides the last couple of weeks from A&M’s young crop of players, more and more of whom are seeing the field, which is both refreshing and encouraging. Now, it’s time to take the biggest step left for this program to take — protecting our football cathedral and its hallowed turf. It’s time to own Kyle Field.
As remarkable as Kevin Sumlin has been on the road, it’s time to win big games at home. These last two games are the time to reestablish what used to be accepted — winning at Kyle Field should be near impossible for the enemy. This will be Missouri’s fourth trip to Kyle Field in five years, and the Tigers are is 2-1 in Aggieland in that span. That needs to change, starting Saturday.
The good news is that the coaching staff knows who this team is and has brought them out of the deepest of holes to pull off its biggest win in two years. The infusion of young defensive talents has played a big role, in particular linebackers Otaro Alaka and Josh Walker, safety Donovan Wilson and defensive lineman Zaycoven Henderson. They’ve raised A&M’s talent level and athleticism on the field and they should only continue to improve as they adjust to the speed of the college game and become more comfortable on a big stage.
Should A&M finish this season with a 2-0 run at home, an embarrassing October may be all but forgotten. With two night games left at Kyle Field, there’s plenty of chance left for this team to make a statement.
Patrick Crank is a telecommunication media studies senior and football editor for The Battalion.