Behind Enemy Lines: Aggies Wire previews SEC showdown between Alabama and Texas A&M

So far, so good. As the son of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Brad Johnson, the gene pool is strong. Johnson’s SEC experience with two solid seasons at LSU already made him the best backup in college football. Still, even before Jimbo Fisher named Weigman as the starter in August, he was more than confident that Max was ready if Weigman were to miss time. In his first full start against Arkansas, three turnovers, including a pick-six, barely fazed Johnson, who continuously led the offense down the field throughout the afternoon. While Weigman is still the program’s future, Max Johnson has the traits and toughness to get the job done, and the fans are more than behind him.

I’m not someone who believes that bulletin board material really works within this specific rivalry, but I will say that Smith has a personal bone to pick with the program regarding his brother’s departure that goes all the way back to his sophomore year in high school. While bygones will be bygones from our collective point of view, I’ll never discount Smith’s passion for his brother, which involves Alabama and Nick Saban. Moreso, missing last season’s matchup, a game that the Aggies lost 24-20, still bugs Smith, who had to endure loss after loss while trying to support his team from the sidelines. While Saban might call this “rat poison,” this Aggie squad doesn’t need to be fired up to face the Crimson Tide, especially with the stakes that exist between the lines.

While some may disagree, I believe this is a must-win in a season when the SEC West is there for the taking. Based on the Aggie’s collective performance in the last two weeks, they must prove that the tides have turned while hosting an Alabama team that, on paper, is equal in talent to Maroon & White in front of 100,000 plus fans on Saturday afternoon.

While the offense has certainly improved in the passing game from the point of explosive plays and general consistency, I feel the Aggies offense under Petrino is still adjusting to the sudden shift to Max Johnson after Conner Weigman’s season-ending injury. While the explosive down-field plays may increase due to Johnson’s proven arm strength, Petrino, like Fisher, is trying to play with a more balanced attack, starting with the ascending sophomore running back Le’Veon Moss, as the O-line continues to improve in run blocking.

Well, this is a tough one after what the Aggies have shown me since the start of SEC play, and even though Alabama’s slow start to the season has only provided more talking points for the doubters, that team in Tuscaloosa looks like they’ve found something on both sides of the ball. It could result in an unsatisfying ending if the Aggies don’t start fast and play top-tier defense. Final score prediction: Alabama 28, Texas A&M 24.