Texas A&M Collapses Late Against Alabama Crimson Tide: Aggies Notebook
The Texas A&M Aggies went into Saturday feeling pretty good about their season. Regardless of the loss to Miami, they held a share of the SEC West lead at 4-1 overall and a 2-0 record in the conference. Unfortunately, it wouldn't last til Sunday.
The Alabama Crimson Tide held the same exact record and also felt pretty good. Both teams had been written off after early season losses - the Aggies to Miami and the Tide to Texas. But one team would come out on top of the West on Saturday and put itself right back into the discussion for the College Football Playoff.
Spoiler alert: It's not the Aggies. The loss to Alabama is a tale of two halfs. And the second half was as ugly as they come.
Although there are many reasons that A&M fell at home on Saturday, let's look at three specific.
AGGIES OFFENSIVE LINE
The play of the offensive line was almost solely responsible for a 17-10 Aggies halftime lead. Quarterback Max Johnson barely found the turf in the first half, and the A&M offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage. A&M had 52 yards rushing at the break and 151 yards passing. The Aggies' ground game kept the Tide offense off the field too, with almost a five-minute advantage in time of possession. But that changed dramatically in the second half. Johnson was constantly on his rear end and never had time to throw the ball. A holding call in the end zone late gave away two points that changed the outcome of the game for the Aggies by putting the Tide up by nine instead of seven.
AGGIES DEFENSIVE LINE
Everything that was true about the offensive line could also be said of the defensive line. Domination in the first half, keeping Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe on the ground and keeping him uncomfortable. The Tide had a total of -13 rushing yards in the first half. Yes, that's a negative number and not a mistake. But in the second half adjustments were clearly made by Alabama that defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin and his staff could not adjust to, and Milroe and Co. did whatever they wanted after.
Aggies QB Max Johnson
USA TODAY
JERMAINE BURTON
Sometimes it just takes one guy to beat you, and that's what happened on Saturday to the Aggies. Alabama wideout Jermaine Burton had the career day of all career days with nine catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Four of those catches and 92 of those yards came in the second half, along with one of the scores. The Milroe-to-Burton connection baffled the A&M secondary all day, and it became too much in the second half.
