Does the sound of “Texas A&M, your 2023 SEC Football Champion” feel a bit far-fetched? According to one outlet, it may not be that improbable so long as you buy in for the right reasons.
USA Today recently compiled its list of favorites and dark horse candidates for every college football conference in 2023. For the SEC, Georgia led the way as the consensus favorite, which is no slight to Alabama, as the two-time defending champion warrants confidence even if they have holes to plug in.
As for their dark horse candidate next season? None other than Texas A&M, who despite the amount of pressure placed on them, boast a level of talent that surely has them headed in the right trajectory.
Here’s what USA Today had to say regarding the Aggies’ SEC title chances:
“After one of the most disappointing seasons in program history, can Texas A&M rebound and reclaim a seat in the playoff race? There’s enormous pressure on coach Jimbo Fisher, who hired longtime FBS coach Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator after ending last season tied for 61st nationally in yards per play. But there is no questioning the Aggies’ talent level and motivation. If pointed in the right direction, A&M could surge back into contention.”
The pressure surrounding this team heading into next season is warranted as they come off a 5-7 campaign in 2022. But amid the inexperience and lack of depth last year, the Aggies still finished 25th in the nation in defensive scoring (21.2 PPG allowed), which is a testament to the talent level on the roster.
Great news, much of that defensive core is returning to College Station in the fall. That means that a unit that was thrust into the fire early on should only get better with a year’s worth of experience under its belt. There are still some depth issues to address, but key transfer additions at linebacker and cornerback have the group on a promising course.
The real x-factor will be how much of a leap forward this offense takes under new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. And the truth is that there is nowhere to go but up after they averaged just 22.8 PPG a year ago (101st in the country). With even just a hint of creative playcalling, this unit should look drastically different compared to 2022, and for the better.
No one is crowning the Aggies as SEC champs, even the greatest cynics can’t deny the talent on the current roster, nor the ability of Jimbo Fisher to add depth via the transfer portal. So long as they shore up their playcalling woes from a season ago, don’t be surprised if A&M makes noise this coming season.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Pete on Twitter: @PeteThreee
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=5]
[mm-video type=playlist id=01fvdd4pnb49trk727 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]