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COLLEGE STATION, Texas- A team is only as strong as its weakest link. That could be the case for Texas A&M after the struggle that was their 2019 season. 

The Aggies (7-5, 4-4 SEC) became the first team in history to face three No.1 opponents in a single season. Throw in a pair of close losses to then-top 10 ranked opponents, perhaps a slightly above .500 record was all the team could produce. It was a learning lesson for the team on the 'do's' and 'don't's' that work under Jimbo Fisher's direction. 

Even with a compliment from Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy, the Aggies ball coach won't allow his team to wallow in their struggles. Instead, the second-year head coach hopes to find a positive moving into the final game of the year that will be played in their near backyard.

"We had a very tough schedule, but you are what your record is and we've got to find a way to win those games, but I do think we have a good football team and I appreciate Mike saying that but at the same time we have to win those and get over those," Fisher said Sunday at his press conference. 

A majority of a team's success begins in recruiting. Bowl season can be a perfect time to have commits visit the program while seeing the roster in place make strides on the field. Since A&M is a skip away from NRG Stadium, Houston should be packed with potential Aggies come December 27th at the Texas Bowl. 

Known for its historical background and top-caliber talent, the state of Texas has transformed into a recruiting waterhole for coaches across the college world. It's always important to win your state, but A&M could be at a disadvantage due to the success of the conference. While they'll be looking for homegrown talent, so will other programs such as Alabama, Georgia and LSU. 

“There’s a huge Aggie fan base, a lot of our players are from down there, and we’re recruiting constantly in that area,” Fisher said. “It’s going to be big for us, and we’re going to need to play well and do well. Houston is one of the biggest cities in the country, and everybody in the world comes in to recruit there. 

“We need to make sure we get our share of guys out of there. That’s for sure.”

Stillwater, home of the 'Pokes,' is only a 500-mile drive from downtown Houston. A recruiting hub for the Big 12, expect Gundy and his staff to be using their spare time enticing the local products. Following an 8-4 season, the Cowboys could look to take the next jump in the Big 12 with an active offseason. 

"We’ve had a great tradition down there,” Gundy said on recruiting in Texas. “We don’t have as many players as we used to, based on A&M’s departure to the SEC. That changed recruiting down there a little bit. It drew more SEC teams into that part of Texas. We don’t go down there as much, but we still get really quality players from there."

The Cowboys roster features 47 players from the Lone Star State — six from the Greater Houston area. Known for their recruiting near the border, such as Dallas, the Cowboys still could pull a sneak attack and swipe a potential SEC standout to turn into a Big 12 star. 

For Fisher, the team will focus on winning against a top 25 opponent. That includes on the recruiting trail during the coming week in the nation's fourth-largest city. 

“We better be (ready),” Fisher said. “Because it’s going to be a heck of a challenge.”

The Aggies and Cowboys will kick off at 5:45 p.m. CT at NRG Stadium in Houston on Dec 27. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.