Texas A&M's home record could be ugly this season

Aggie football team will struggle at Kyle Field in 2008. Aggie fans should expect a 1-6 home record.

By: Brad Cox

Posted: 9/24/08

The Texas A&M football team has five home games left on the 2008 schedule. If the team does not improve from its current state, the Aggies could finish the season 1-6 at Kyle Field, a far cry from the stadium's reputation.

The Aggies have already lost their first two home games to Arkansas State (18-14) and Miami (41-23). A&M will finish its nonconference schedule Saturday ,with a home game against the Army Black Knights.

Though the Black Knight's triple option offense, which is not employed by any Big 12 conference opponents, could give the Aggies fits, the betting lines gave A&M a large margin of victory.

The Aggies started the week as 29 point favorites because of Army's 0-3 record, which they have earned entirely at home. However A&M fans will not soon forget the game the Aggies played against the Black Knights in 2006 at the Alamodome.

Army tied the game at 14-14 before halftime and was poised to take an upset victory. However, A&M sneaked away from San Antonio with a 28-24 victory. The Aggies needed a last second defensive stop at the goal line to clinch the victory over a team that finished the 2006 season with a 3-9 record.

A victory against the Black Knights Saturday is not guaranteed, but it is the safest of bets compared to the four home games remaining on the Aggies schedule after Saturday.

A&M's home conference schedule has Kansas State, Texas Tech, Colorado and Oklahoma.

The Kansas State Wildcats are 2-1 and are averaging 47.7 points per game, but have lost their only road game. However Kansas State has a prolific passer in junior quarterback Josh Freeman, who has thrown for 833 yards and eight touchdowns. Junior receiver Brandon Banks has caught five of those touchdowns.

Meanwhile the Aggies are ranked No. 6 in the Big 12 and No. 44 in the nation in pass defense. Even the friendly confines of Kyle Field will not save A&M from Kansas State's passing attack.

If the Wildcats look dangerous through the air, Texas Tech is downright vicious. The Red Raiders are leading the nation and the Big 12 in passing offense. Senior quarterback Graham Harrell has thrown for 1573 yards and 12 touchdowns in four games. Harrell is 3-0 against the Aggies and will finish his career at Tech 4-0 against A&M.

Colorado, which has not posted a winning record since 2005 and went 2-10 in 2006, is 3-0 for the first time since 2004. Sophomore quarterback Cody Hawkins has thrown for 654 yards and six touchdowns in 2008.

Last week the Buffaloes knocked off ranked West Virginia 17-14 at home. Hawkins threw for 179 yards and two touchdowns while freshman running back Rodney Stewart rushed for 166 yards. The Aggies are 2-5 against Colorado and needed overtime to win a home game against the Buffaloes in 2004. Colorado is poised to stretch that record to 2-6.

Mention Oklahoma to an Aggie fan and one of two games will come to mind. Either the Aggies 30-26 win over the No. 1 Sooners in 2002, or the 77-0 loss in Norman, Okla., in 2003.

The latter will be more likely to repeat itself 2008. The Sooners are No. 2 in the nation and have averaged 54.7 points per game. Sophomore quarterback Sam Bradford has thrown for 882 yards and 12 touchdowns. Oklahoma leads the nation in scoring offense and tackles for loss and leads the Big 12 in five other categories. The loss to Oklahoma would be the sixth straight loss to the Sooners for the Aggies.

The 2008 season's potential 1-6 home record will be the worst home record since the Aggies went 1-4 at home in 1972. That season, Head Coach Emory Bellard led the football team to a 3-8 overall record and 2-5 record in Southwest Conference play.