Texas A&M football has sky-high aspirations in year one under Jimbo Fisher. What are the best and worst case scenarios for the Aggies in 2018?
Jimbo Fisher was handed a hefty $75 Million contract to leave Tallahassee, FL for College Station, TX this offseason. Already making waves on the recruiting trail, Fisher will have his first opportunity to defend his decision on the field this fall.
The schedule doesn’t set up favorably for a first-year coach, even one who carries Fisher’s accolades and status. The Aggies play not one, but two of the four returning College Football Playoff teams from a season ago in their first four games. How Texas A&M fairs against Clemson and Alabama could go a long way to setting the tone for this season and determining which side of the spectrum the Aggies fall toward in 2018.
With that in mind, here are the best and worst case scenarios for Texas A&M football in 2018.
Best case scenario
- Aug 30 – vs Northwestern State – W
- Sep 8 – vs Clemson – W
- Sep 15 – vs Louisiana-Monroe – W
- Sep 22 – @ Alabama – L
- Sep 29 – vs (N) Arkansas – W
- Oct 6 – vs Kentucky – W
- Oct 13 – @ South Carolina – W
- Oct 27 – @ Mississippi State – W
- Nov 3 – @ Auburn – W
- Nov 10 – vs Ole Miss – W
- Nov 17 – vs UAB – W
- Nov 24 – vs LSU – W
Result: 11-1
An early season upset over Clemson in front of a ravenous fanbase at Kyle Field would redefine where Texas A&M fits in the national college football landscape. That would put the Aggies on the map, much like Johnny Manziel did in Tuscaloosa in 2012.
A win over Clemson and all bets are off. Outside of a trip to play Nick Saban on his home field, the Aggies don’t have a tougher game on the schedule. If those cards fall the right way the Aggies could finish in the top two in the SEC West with an outside shot at a trip to Atlanta and later the College Football Playoff.
Worst case scenario
- Aug 30 – vs Northwestern State – W
- Sep 8 – vs Clemson – L
- Sep 15 – vs Louisiana-Monroe – W
- Sep 22 – @ Alabama – L
- Sep 29 – vs (N) Arkansas – W
- Oct 6 – vs Kentucky – W
- Oct 13 – @ South Carolina – L
- Oct 27 – @ Mississippi State – L
- Nov 3 – @ Auburn – L
- Nov 10 – vs Ole Miss – W
- Nov 17 – vs UAB – W
- Nov 24 – vs LSU – L
Result: 6-6
As is common with the Aggies’ preseason expectations there are two sides to the coin. The instant success that Texas A&M fans hope for could be much more gradual than they can bear. Losses to SEC stalwarts like Alabama, Auburn and LSU are forseeable. So too are narrow defeats in tough road contests against South Carolina and Mississippi State.
The range of outcomes for this program are as wide as any team in the nation. A sub-.500 record in conference and a trip to the Playoff, although unlikely, seem equally plausible outcomes for the Aggies in 2018. That makes the middle-ground (8-5), a more likely, yet still bitter pill for the Aggies to swallow in year one under Fisher.