Just three seconds separated Texas A&M from making it two straight wins over Nick Saban and Alabama in 2022. As the Aggies prepare for their rematch on Saturday, they should look to their performance from a season ago as a catalyst.
When brushing up on the box score between these two teams when they last met, four Crimson Tide turnovers (3 fumbles, one interception) jump off the page. Revisionist history would assume that Alabama played a sloppy game. But that only paints one half of the picture.
In reality, an emerging A&M defense took the ball away from Alabama four times on the day. The Maroon and White held the Crimson Tide to seven points on a total of three trips to the red zone. When the dust settled, the Aggies tallied ten tackles for loss, with Fadil Diggs (3), Edgerrin Cooper (2), and Chris Russell Jr. (2) logging multiple.
Those truths were the reason why the Aggies were able to stay competitive in that football game despite playing with a backup quarterback in Haynes King.
Even if Jalen Milroe was starting in place of the injured Bryce Young, the Aggies’ defensive effort must be commended in a hostile Bryant-Denny Stadium. Their ability to stay poised on the road remains one of the essential takeaways from the close loss. Furthermore, it should be used as a spark for their rematch on Saturday.
Fast forward roughly 365 days later, and A&M’s defense is beginning to turn a corner at the most opportune time. D.J. Durkin’s unit ranks at or near the top of every statistical category heading into Week 6. Those accolades are largely due to the emerging play of more than a few players from that vaunted 2022 recruiting class.
If last year showed what the Aggies were capable of, then Saturday’s bout with Alabama is about cashing in on that potential. As veteran leader Ainias Smith echoed earlier this week, “Let’s go ahead and show what we’re really capable of.”
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