Could Aggies and Longhorns Face Off In Super Regional?
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After securing their spot in the Stanford regional final, the Texas A&M Aggies are set to play the biggest game of the season Sunday night.
All year, Texas A&M has gone back and forth between playing well and looking underwhelming on the field against tougher opponents — especially after starting the season ranked in the top five.
The Aggies were dropped midway through the season following a string of losses, which has since put them on an uphill climb back into the College World Series conversation. They have neared the summit of the hill, but find themselves needing just one more win at the regional level before moving on to the CWS-granting series.
The catch, however?
Texas A&M's bitter rival Texas Longhorns also find themselves in the same boat.
Texas knocked off its regional host, Miami, in the same game that the Aggies powered past Stanford, putting both schools in the regional final. Nothing is set in stone, but both the Longhorns and Aggies are in a good position, also having proved their ability to beat the regional host, so either team advancing is not out of the question.
In the case that one host advances instead, pulling off a regional record-based upset, should Texas or Texas A&M also advance, hosting privileges will not follow.
Both Miami and Stanford are national seeds, so they would earn the right to host if either makes it, but what if two No. 2 seeds advance?
Per the NCAA, a tiebreaker would be necessary and "the committee [would] review the hosting proposals according to the site selection criteria (e.g., quality and availability of the facility, revenue potential and other available accommodations) to determine the host. If only one of the teams has submitted a proposal, that team shall host if the proposal is acceptable.”
It's no secret that Austin is a bigger market than College Station, meaning some of the revenue potential and "other available accommodations" may swing in favor of the Longhorns. That's not to say there is no revenue potential in Aggieland, however.
If given the chance, Blue Bell Park would certainly be packed for a potential rivalry series. College Station plays host to over 100,000 people every Saturday in the Fall, as well, but revenue aside, the RPI may also play a factor.
To end the season, the Aggies dropped one spot below Texas in the final rankings. While it didn't mean too much in terms of matchup — only resulting in a No. 8 national seed instead of a No. 9 one — it could be a determining factor in hosting privileges.
The only way for Texas A&M to be a lock for hosting would be if Miami is upset by the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns — its regional No. 3 seed. If that's the case, Aggie fans would likely buy out the tickets before the official game time is even announced.
Regardless of the other regional, though, the Aggies simply need to win games to give themselves a chance to host. Texas A&M's next game will be against the winner of the Stanford and Cal State Fullerton matchup, where the Aggies will need to win just one game against either school to advance.
So, with a potential rivalry matchup on the line in the super regionals, the Aggies will be looking to keep their hot streak going as they aim to advance to the next round — and one step closer to another CWS berth.
First pitch for the Aggies against either the Titans or the Cardinal will be at 8 p.m. CST.
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