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Texas A&M Football: Aggies must not overlook UAB Blazers

By Matthew Bartlett

(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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Texas A&M football hosts a feisty UAB squad in Week 12. With a game against LSU on the horizon, the Aggies must take care of business at home first.

Texas A&M is nearing the end of their seventh season in the SEC. The Aggies haven’t won a division title yet, but they’ve managed to make history along the way. Johnny Manziel‘s heroics will never be forgotten but there was one team even Manziel never beat: LSU.

As has become the new tradition, the Aggies play the Tigers on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. This year Texas A&M has the hopes of upsetting a probable Top 10 squad at Kyle Field under the lights. With four losses already under their belts, beating LSU and stopping the losing streak to the Tigers has taken on added importance in Jimbo Fisher’s first season. There’s another game to play first.

It’s easy enough for fans to write off UAB as a lowly Conference USA team and move on. They’ll listen to the cliched messaging of the Texas A&M coaches and their staff about “respecting every opponent” and “focusing on the next game” as they circle the LSU game on their calendars and prep their tailgates for Baton Rouge, LA.

You can’t overlook UAB. Not this year.

Bill Clark’s Blazers are ranked 25th in the USA Today Coaches Poll and checked in just outside the AP Poll, finishing 27th in the voting this week. This veteran-laden team has a host of seniors starting on both sides of the ball and frankly, many of them have more college football experience than the Texas A&M player they’ll be lining up across from on Saturday.

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The talent gap won’t go away. Trayveon Williams, Kellen Mond, Tyrel Dodson and Daylon Mack are going to be every bit as physically dominant as they’ve been all season. But if Texas A&M team gets caught looking ahead they’ll be in for a rough evening. UAB is going to fight for four quarters and has the discipline and tenacity to beat even the better SEC squads on any given Saturday. Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M had best not get caught looking ahead.