Texas A&M is walking into Tuscaloosa with one clear offensive priority: make the run game matter.
That’s the path if the Aggies want to keep things manageable against No. 13 Alabama, a major leap in difficulty after last week’s 41-0 win over The Citadel.
Texas A&M flashed what its ground attack can be in that game, piling up 264 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Freshman KJ Edwards led the charge with 116 yards, and he became the first Aggie this season to top 100 rushing yards in a game.
Repeating that kind of day against Alabama will be a far tougher assignment. Still, the ground game may be Texas A&M’s best shot at staying in the fight.
The formula is straightforward: if the Aggies can get yards on early downs, they can avoid putting themselves in obvious passing situations. That would help keep Alabama from controlling the tempo, give the defense something to respect, and make life easier for quarterback Marcel Reed.
But the challenge is real. Texas A&M’s offensive line is heading into a matchup with an Alabama front that can cause issues right at the line of scrimmage. The clean running lanes the Aggies found against The Citadel probably won’t be there in Tuscaloosa, which means execution and consistency have to go up.
There is also at least some evidence Alabama can be pushed on the ground. Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop ran for 159 yards against the Crimson Tide last week. That doesn’t mean Texas A&M can copy that performance, but it does show the door is open if the Aggies win enough battles up front.
What Texas A&M really needs is balance. Edwards and the rest of the backs have to create enough on first and second down to keep the offense from going stale, while Reed has to make smart decisions when the run game creates chances.
The Aggies do not need another 200-yard rushing outing just to be competitive. They need to stay out of long-yardage situations, cut down on negative plays and prevent Alabama from teeing off on every passing snap.
Texas A&M has had trouble finding that kind of offensive rhythm during SEC play. If the run game can become a stable foundation, it could change the look of this offense at the right time. And if the Aggies can move the ball on the ground and control the pace, they give themselves a much better chance to make this a real game in Tuscaloosa.
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