POST GAME THOUGHTS: A&M LOSES TO BAMA 26-20

Texas A&M squandered a huge opportunity today to take a step forward as a program...and instead of that big win we all hoped for, we instead got a close loss in a game marked by “what ifs” and blown changes.

Let’s break this down and move on quickly.

MARGIN OF ERROR

The most frustrating part of following this program under Jimbo Fisher is the razor-thin margin of error we tend to operate with. We try to protect a lead instead of extending it. We try to manage a game instead of going full tilt and looking for blood.

And in some cases, it works. But when you’re playing with a backup QB and you’re a team that’s had the tendency to shoot themselves in the foot walking that tightrope becomes incredibly dangerous as we saw today. Punting from the + side of the field, Missing field goals, going conservative to start the game, and settling for field goals. You live by the edge you die by the edge.

MAX

I appreciate Max and everything he’s done for us and he was put in an unenviable position this year. I don't want to say that Conner wins this game, but Max struggled. 14/25 for 1 TD/1 INT (a bad one at that), and then the safety...Max struggled this game.

BACK HALF OF THE DEFENSE

Front 6 is really good as we saw. You sack a QB 5 times and you expect to win. But we gave up 321 passing to Jalen Milroe. That back half needs work in a big way because it’s not holding up its end of the bargain.

OL/PROTECTION

Gave up 5 sacks. Rushed for 67 yards.

A TALE OF TWO HALVES

They made adjustments at the half and we didnt. We had 203 yards and 17 points going into halftime. We finished with 306 and 3 points. That’s getting outcoached at the half.

OVERALL

This game was there to be had and we didn’t get it done. Chance after chance afte chance...it was there to be had.

Tough one coming up. Time to regroup and focus on the next one.

BTHO tenn.