How Important is Texas A&M Aggies' Week 6 Matchup Against Alabama?
For the Texas A&M Aggies, a matchup against Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide is a date circled in red marker nothing short of 15 times.
Facing what is usually the No. 1 team in the nation has that effect, especially when the Aggies want to be among the teams considered for the CFP. Beating Alabama is a top priority in that pursuit, though this season looks a little bit different.
With Alabama in a down year — that is, No. 11 in the nation — the literal matchup won't hold as much weight as normal, but for the Aggies specifically, the stakes are even higher. Not winning this season might just be the end of the road for their SEC West hopes.
But at the same time, a loss for the Tide would mean the same thing.
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"A loss would mean two losses by the end of October for the first time since his [Nick Saban's first [college] season," FOX Sports' Chris Fallica wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "[The Tide's] national title hopes would be all but dashed, as [would be their] SEC West title chances."
Fallica's latter point is in fact true. If the Tide were to lose and fall to 4-2 on their season, they'd need a miracle to make it back into CFP contention, as no two-loss team has ever made the playoff since its 2014 inception.
Winning the SEC West would likely also be out of the question, but apart from that, what other impact would Alabama's loss hold?
"Would [this] loss signify the key Bama rivals in the SEC have arrived and closed the gap, with NIL meaning they are going nowhere?" Fallica continued. "Or is it just a blip?"
For it to be considered a blip, Alabama would need to conduct business as usual next season and beyond, which considering that means topping weekly rankings week in and week out, won't easy. But it's doable.
Multiple Aggie stars have expressed their excitement ahead of facing the Tide this week, so it's safe to say that stakes will be high and tension even higher.
And given the two schools' long history, Texas A&M wouldn't blink at the opportunity of sending the Tide down a road of necessary redemption, doubt and questioning.
Saturday's game is the Aggies' chance to do that. Kickoff from Kyle Field is set for 2:30 p.m. CST.
