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Texas A&M Football: 3 reasons Aggies could make playoff in 2021

By Connor Muldowney

Nov 2, 2019; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal (8) celebrates after a sack against the UTSA Roadrunners during the first quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: John Glaser-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 2, 2019; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal (8) celebrates after a sack against the UTSA Roadrunners during the first quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: John Glaser-USA TODAY Sports /
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The fact that Texas A&M football didn’t make the playoff despite going 8-1 in the regular season including 7-1 in the SEC was slightly shocking.

Many, including myself, believed that Jimbo Fisher and Co. did enough to prove that they belonged in the playoff field over a team like Notre Dame, beating No. 4 Florida and winning each of their last six regular-season games by double digits. Apparently, that wasn’t enough as they finished the season ranked No. 5 which was on the outside of the playoff field looking in.

Texas A&M then waxed North Carolina in the Orange Bowl to finish 9-1 and now expectations for Fisher and Co. are at an all-time high after nearly tasting glory a season ago.

Here’s why Texas A&M could actually make the playoff in 2021.

3. Momentum carrying over from 2020

There’s a palpable buzz in College Station carried over from the finish to the Aggies’ 2020 season.

Why? Because after a 1-1 start and blowout loss to Alabama, the Aggies won eight straight games and nearly made the College Football Playoff but settled for a two-touchdown Orange Bowl victory over North Carolina.

Finishing with eight consecutive wins and the most successful season in the Jimbo Fisher era was cause for excitement and returning 15 starters to that type of team is going to pay off big-time.

It may not seem like momentum carries over usually, but when a program takes that next step under a coach, confidence shines through and players start to believe. Texas A&M saw last season that a playoff berth is possible and if they played a full 12-game season in 2020, there’s a good chance they would have accompanied Alabama in the playoff.