Texas A&M had itself in position to do something rare in Tuscaloosa before Alabama slammed the door in the fourth quarter. The Aggies carried a 20-17 lead into the final period against the No. 13 team in the country, and for a while it looked like they had more than just a puncher’s chance. Then the Tide scored twice over the last 15 minutes and walked away with the win.
Even in defeat, Texas A&M found a real bright spot early: the run game, and specifically KJ Edwards. The true freshman was the engine for much of the Aggies’ early success, finishing with more than 5 yards per carry against Alabama. That made his disappearance in the second half all the more noticeable.
The obvious question after the game was why Edwards barely touched the ball after being such a clear difference-maker early. Mike Elko addressed it in his press conference, and the answer at least explained the quiet stretch - even if it didn’t exactly calm anybody down.
Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko on RB KJ Edwards: "Yeah, he got banged up. He was trying to fight through it. We got him back a little bit in the second half, but he had a deep contusion."
That takes the mystery out of the workload split. This was not a case of the staff ignoring the hot hand, and it’s not hard to see why Edwards was so important in the first place. He’s now the starter over senior Rueben Owens, and he’s been one of the best pieces of this offense so far this season.
That’s also what makes the injury news uneasy for Texas A&M. Elko called it a contusion, which is better than something more severe, but the Aggies need Edwards on the field. They’ve leaned on him more and more each week, and his ability to create with the ball in his hands has become a major part of what gives this offense life.
There is at least some timing help here. Texas A&M has a bye coming up, which gives Edwards a chance to recover before the Aggies head back on the road to South Carolina.
The Alabama loss stings, but it still left Texas A&M with some hope for the final four games. That hope gets a lot thinner if Edwards can’t stay healthy. The Aggies will be counting on him to get back to full strength and keep carrying the load down the stretch.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Collapse Turns On One Snap That Shouldn't Have Happened
Texas A&M had Alabama where it wanted heading into the fourth quarter, but the game turned sharply in the final period and the Aggies were left with an 11-point loss. For much of the night, the kind of result that can reshape an SEC race seemed within reach, before one sequence changed the feel of everything.
Mike Elko said afterward the snap on a fourth-and-one should not have happened because no play was called, a breakdown that turned into a turnover and handed momentum to Alabama. For a team that had controlled the game into the fourth quarter, the frustration is obvious, and the bigger question now is how a miscommunication like that surfaced in such a pivotal moment. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Let A Winnable Game Slip When One Matchup Broke Down
Texas A&M had enough going early to make this one feel very much within reach. The Aggies picked off Alabama to open the door, and for much of the night their defense did a good job of taking away the Crimson Tides running game and keeping them out of the end zone.
By the fourth quarter, though, Alabama found a way to change the shape of the game. Different sets and personnel helped the Tide break through twice, and Keelon Russell finished 19 of 30 for three touchdown passes in a 31-20 Alabama win, including a late stretch in which he was perfect on seven throws for 106 yards and two scores. For Texas A&M, it was the kind of loss that stings because the answer was there for a while, until it wasnt. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Leaves Alabama With One Offensive Problem Looming
Texas A&M carried a lead into the fourth quarter at No. 13 Alabama, but the finish turned into a harsh reminder of how quickly a game can slip away when the offense stops staying on schedule. The Aggies were in position to control the night for three quarters before a string of costly mistakes changed the tone, and the 31-20 loss left Mike Elkos team with plenty to sort through on the way home.
Marcel Reed and Daymion Sanford both pointed to the offensive struggles after the game, with the turnover issues and a miscommunication on a critical fourth down standing out among the final-period breakdowns. For an Aggies team that had done enough early to put real pressure on Alabama, the concern now is less about what was working for most of the night and more about why it disappeared when the game got tight. [Read more 🡒]