The Texas A&M football team enters this week with a challenging matchup against No. 15 Mississippi State in what will be one of the most evenly matched teams that the No. 16 Aggies will go against all season.
For as prolific as the Aggie offense has looked this year, most of those on the coaching staff and the lineup feel that this team has not yet peaked offensively.
“We’re not at peak efficiently,” head coach Kevin Sumlin said. “We have a lot of room for improvement. We’ve got a lot of young guys out there.”
The Aggies managed to pu up 63 points, the most allowed by Auburn since 1917, with 42 of those points coming before halftime.
The fact that Johnny Football was able to light up the scoreboard with 350 total yards, five touchdowns, in only one half, is a scary thought of what the true potential of the Aggie offense is.
“We haven’t come close to what I think we can become offensively with this group,” offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said. “It’s still just a bunch of young guys out there playing.”
As the Aggies put the win against Auburn behind them, the focus now shifts to their opponent this weekend. The Aggies are in the middle of their three game road swing, and with no byes left on the schedule, the second half break for starters is the opportunity for players to rest and heal.
“It’s a reward,” Sumlin said. “I think at this time of the year can be difficult. Nobody is 100% particularly in the [SEC].
A&M will have the challenge of shutting down the Bulldog’s offense that seems to manage the clock well and takes care of the football.
“They are gelling pretty well and there’s a reason why they’ve only lost one game,” defensive coordinator Mark Snyder said. “We’ve got a challenge ahead of us on Saturday.”
With the season marching on and as the competition becomes more fierce, the Aggies have prepared themselves to not only play well but to also compete with the best that the SEC and the nation can offer.
“Our goal is to stop [the Bulldogs] just like Alabama did,” senior linebacker Johnathan Stewart said. “If we prepare how we need to prepare and play how we need to play, then we can compete with anybody in the nation.”