< Back | Home

Texas A&M has had an inconsistent season and they face a challenge in Oklahoma. The Sooners will be attempting to improve their Big 12 standings and the Aggies will be holding onto their No. 4 rank in the conference.

Lack of consistency

Rekindled Aggies travel to Oklahoma

By: Bryan McAnally

Posted: 2/29/08

Wednesday night's 44-point blowout against Texas Tech accomplished several things for Texas A&M. It ended a three-game losing streak, put a much needed spark back into the struggling Aggies and proved that they deserve the title of Most Inconsistent Team in the Big 12 South.

In fact, according to http://www.vegaswatch.com, a website that gives insider information to those planning on gambling on sports in Las Vegas, A&M is the sixth most inconsistent team in the nation. By measuring how a team does against the spread for every game, vegaswatch.com was able to determine this ranking. For example, Thursday, A&M was 8.5 point favorites. By winning by 44 points, they more than covered the spread.

In 2008, the Aggies have shown their inconsistency almost every game. On Jan. 19 against Kansas State, A&M was one point favorites, but they lost by 21. On Feb. 16 against Oklahoma State, the Aggies were picked to win by 12.5 points. They lost by five.

Twice this year, the Aggies have been predicted to be underdogs. Against Arizona, they were predicted to lose by 2.5 points, but lost by 11. When visiting Texas on Feb. 18, Las Vegas predicted the game to be decided by 5 points, not the 27 point loss that occured.

Looking at the win-loss column backs up this claim of the Aggies' inconsistency. A&M is 3-2 against Big 12 North teams and, with No. 7 Kansas being the final North team left to play, a loss means that the Aggies would split the series with the North, 3-3.

Even more sporadic is the Aggies' record against Big 12 South teams. Every year, A&M plays each South team twice. In 2008, the Aggies have split each series with Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and Texas.

One thing that is for certain: The Aggies will have their hands full with the Oklahoma Sooners this Saturday in Norman, Okla.

Oklahoma is 4-2 at home during conference play, and the first matchup between the two teams was much closer than the 60-52 final score reveals. With one minute to go in Feb. 2's game, it was a two-point game and without a six-point run by the Aggies, the result may have gone another way.

The Sooners are returning home to the Lloyd Noble Center after a two-game road trip that resulted in two losses to Texas and Nebraska. With three other teams in a four-way tie for sixth place in the Big 12, the Sooners will certainly push to break free of the pack and move up.

The Sooners will try to stop the Aggies before A&M gains enough momentum to improve on their No. 4 rank in the conference.