Second verse, same as the first.
It’s another bye week for No. 15 Texas A&M football, and it’s a much-needed one after the Aggies’ 44-20 loss on the road to South Carolina last Saturday.
But as A&M regroups ahead of its next matchup against New Mexico State, that doesn’t mean you, good reader, have to go without your weekly dose of college football. There are plenty of games within driving distance from Aggieland perfect for an impromptu adventure — and you know you’re just begging for a reason to avoid studying or visiting your parents like you know you probably should with your free time.
Here’s a trio of games that can scratch that itch.
No. 18 Army at North Texas
Saturday, Nov. 9 — DATCU Stadium — Denton
2:30 p.m. CT
All hail the triple-option offense.
Army sits at 8-0 and 6-0 in American Athletic Conference play, good for No. 18 in the country in the AP Poll. And you guessed it, it’s because of the same offense the three service academies have run for decades — a run-heavy triple option that senior quarterback Bryson Daily has turned from a relic from a bygone era to the nation’s best rushing offense, all while turning himself into a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate.
But to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Black Knights have to get past the Mean Green and junior QB Chandler Morris — the man with the nation’s fourth-most passing yards this season. Morris is the reason North Texas is averaging just under 41 points a game, a mark good for sixth in the country in scoring offense.
It’s a showdown between an old-school pound-it-out-and-run-through-your-foe’s-face offense vs. a new-school throw-it-deep-and-throw-it-often air raid offense. It’s a chance to see what might just be the best service academy football team the nation has seen in decades all but secure its spot in the AAC championship game — or watch its Playoff hopes die on the DATCU Stadium turf.
And it’s a chance to spend some time in a rather underrated college town. Denton is pretty sweet, y’all.
Lamar at Incarnate Word
Saturday, Nov. 9 — Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium — San Antonio
2 p.m. CT
Guess who’s back, back again. It’s senior QB Zach Calzada — and this time, he’s got a friend.
The former A&M QB may be leading the Southland Conference and rank seventh in the FCS in passing yards, but it was junior wide receiver Jalen Walthall who’s taken the football world by storm this week after his viral celebration garnered NFL attention — and imitation.
After taking a pass from Calzada 50 yards for a touchdown during the Cardinals’ game against Houston Christian last week, Walthall promptly debuted a simple headstand celebration and was immediately flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct.
That didn’t stop the celebration going viral, though. The next day, Atlanta Falcons WR Drake London and Detroit Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown each tried their own versions of the move after scoring in their own NFL games.
This week, Walthall, Calzada and the rest of conference-leading Incarnate Word host Lamar in a game that would pull the Cardinals ever so closer to their third conference title in four years.
It’s a chance for A&M students to give back to Calzada, the player who led the Aggies to a 2021 upset over No. 1 Alabama, and a chance to possibly witness another viral moment from Walthall, the man of the hour in the world of football celebrations. Who’d want to miss it?
Oklahoma State at TCU
Saturday, Nov. 9 — Amon G. Carter Stadium — Fort Worth
6 p.m. CT
Sometimes, it’s nice to detox.
There’s no thought of the College Football Playoff or the Big 12 Championship game here. This season is one Horned Frogs and Cowboys fans will not look on with nostalgia — especially for the Pokes, who started the year ranked in the preseason poll and sit at 0-6 in Big 12 play.
Still, the game must go on. Both these teams are fighting like hell for a chance at six wins and a bowl game to end the year. And in a sport currently consumed with playoff narratives, Heisman discussion and NFL Draft talk, it’s a healthy reminder that as long as two schools bring 22 players together to chase a ball around, every single game matters to somebody.
So go have an adventure. Buy that cheap ticket, have a drink and a bite to eat and meet some of the fans who decided to spend their Saturday night with their teams despite their records. That’s what college football is all about.
