Meat of the schedule: Texas A&M Aggies edition

By foxsports
Published

The Texas A&M Aggies look to rebound from a tough 8-5 season that opened so promising as the nation witnessed the team destroy South Carolina 52-28, and in Columbia no less. The Aggies would rank as high as number six overall before losing to Mississippi State by 17 points following a 5-0 start to their 2014 campaign.

Following the 3-5 finish, A&M fired defensive coordinator Mark Snyder and stole away arguably the nation's best coordinator in John Chavis from division rival LSU. How quickly Chavis can turn around the defense in College Station will be the major question heading into the season. 

A&M will find out much earlier this season if they are contenders in the SEC, as their most challenging four game stretch comes early in the season. If they can navigate this stretch without a loss, they may prove to be the front-runners for the West division.

vs. Arkansas Razorbacks on Sept. 26 *neutral site of AT&T Stadium in Dallas, TX

Texas A&M won an instant classic against the Hogs last season in a 35-28 overtime win in Dallas. With both teams expected to improve this season and entering the season with hopes of competing for the SEC title, the winner of this game will get a huge boost early in the schedule. This game will surely test the Aggies run defense that finished ranked number 111 in run defense last season. Will the defense be ready for such a challenge by week four of the season?

vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs on Oct. 3

The Bulldogs ruined the Aggies dream season a year ago and very well could this season as well if A&M cannot slow down Dak Prescott for a second year in a row. The Bulldogs will be coming off a road game at Auburn in this game, so their defense could be worn down entering this contest. Look for the Aggies to spread out and throw early and often against a pass defense that finished ranked number 117 last season. This game may be a shootout, as two of the most talented quarterbacks in the league face off in this West showdown.

vs. Alabama Crimson Tide on Oct. 17

The Aggies have never beaten the Tide in College Station but this could be the year they pull it off. A&M will have two weeks to prepare for this game and have notoriously given Nick Saban's defenses issues in the past. The key to this game may come down to the Aggies rushing attack against Bama's defensive front, a unit some are anticipating to be the most dominant defensive front heading into the season. Can the Aggies get the tough yards when necessary against Alabama? On the other side of the ball, can A&M slow down a potential Heisman candidate in Derrick Henry?

@ Ole Miss Rebels on Oct. 24

Ole Miss expects to compete for the SEC title this season, if they can get solid quarterback play from one of the three players vying for the job this offseason. The talent is in place across the board for the Rebels to have another terrific season and after defeating the Aggies for the first time in 2014, the Rebs will most likely be favored at home against A&M this season. The best chance the Aggies have may be to put the game in the hands of their talented receivers, as the Rebels lost two former All-Americans in their secondary this offseason.