SEC INSIDER

Aggies welcome the spotlight versus Tide

The Sports Xchange

October 14, 2015 at 8:23 pm.

Sep 19, 2015; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Myles Garrett (15) in action during the game against the Nevada Wolf Pack at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Sep 19, 2015; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Myles Garrett (15) in action during the game against the Nevada Wolf Pack at Kyle Field.  Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

When Texas A&M departed the Big 12 for the SEC in 2012, many football fans in Texas doubted how well the Aggies would fare in a much different football environment.

Texas A&M hadn’t excelled in the Big 12 and they were bringing on a new coach to go try their luck in the biggest, toughest league in college football.

Now a little more than three years later and those Texas fans can say what they will about the Aggies, but Texas A&M versus Alabama has become an annual marquee game.

On Saturday, ninth-ranked Texas A&M (5-0, 2-0 SEC) will host 10th-ranked Alabama (5-1, 2-1). Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin knows plenty of football fans will be tuned in and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“That 2:30 spot is all over the world,” Sumlin said. “It’s the marquee game. First of all, you like to be in that game and, second of all, you want to play at 2:30 as many times as you can. That means the game’s important and there’s a lot of people watching.”

Part of the reason Texas A&M is playing the Crimson Tide in that coveted time slot is the Aggies’ improvement on defense. After being consistently gouged by opponents’ rushing attacks last season, new defensive coordinator John Chavis has turned around Texas A&M’s defensive front. The Aggies limited strong running games of Arkansas and Mississippi State on the way to a pair of SEC wins.

But the challenge steepens this week as Texas A&M will face Alabama running back duo Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake.

Sumlin said it will provide some answers.

“Are we more physical? Yes,” Sumlin said. “Are we better? Yes. How much? I guess we’re going to find out Saturday.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Sumlin press conference without a little dodging, juking and contradicting of the media. The Texas A&M coach said the Alabama game is just this week’s “biggest game.”

“As you win, every week I come up here and this game is the biggest game,” Sumlin said. “This game is a big game because we’re 5-0 and it’s Alabama and we’re trying to win a division championship.”

NOTES, QUOTES

PLAYERS TO WATCH

–QB Kyle Allen seems comfortable and in command as a playmaker. He passed for 322 yards and rushed for 65 more in the Aggies’ 30-17 victory over Mississippi State. Allen is finding a balance between established Texas A&M passing targets and up-and-comers that is making the Aggies very difficult to defend.

–WR Damion Ratley was the other guy in the Texas A&M receiving corps to come up with big plays against Mississippi State. With much attention being paid to Josh Reynolds and Christian Kirk, Ratley caught 2 passes for 45 yards, including a key 29-yard TD in the second quarter.

–DE Myles Garrett came up with big numbers against Mississippi State as he had a sack for 7 yards, another tackle for a loss of 1 and 7 total stops in the contest. He added a forced fumble and a pass break-up to those stats for the kind of game that has his name being mentioned in Heisman Trophy talk.

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