LSU 2020 Schedule Preview: Texas A&M

You know, part of me feels bad for the Texas A&M Aggies. Last year the Aggies had one of the hardest schedules in all of football. They had to play the No. 1 team three different times (at Clemson in week two, home against Alabama week seven, and at LSU to close out the regular season) and lost all three by a combined 121-45. If all that wasn’t enough, the Georgia Bulldogs rotated onto A&M’s schedule and the Aggies came up short in Athens.

The 2020 schedule is much more manageable for A&M. The toughest non-conference game is a home date with Fresno State, the Aggies get Vanderbilt as its rotating opponent and LSU has to go to College Station to close out the year. Now, the Aggies do have to go to both Auburn and Alabama but the other Tigers are losing a lot from last year’s formidable defense. There’s a very real chance A&M can roll into Tuscaloosa 10-0 with two games against the West’s best, Alabama and LSU, to win the division and finally make it to Atlanta.

So of course when the Aggies bring back a senior quarterback and finally have a manageable schedule, a global pandemic hits putting college football in jeopardy.

Texas A&M Aggies

2019: 8-5 (4-4), 21st S&P+

2020 Recruiting Class: 6th

Head Coach: Jimbo Fisher

Offensive Coordinator: Darrell Dickey

Defensive Coordinator: Mike Elko

Quarterback play is everything in football and Texas A&M has the most experienced guy in the conference, Kellen Mond, Kellen Mond has started 34 games for the Aggies, but has yet to score a truly signature win. A&M’s 2-10 against ranked opponents over the last three years, the two wins being the fluky 74-72 game against LSU and a 20-14 win over Kentucky during the 2018 season. Mond has got to get a skin on the wall. He hasn’t beaten Auburn, he hasn’t beaten Alabama and he’s lost two of three against LSU, with the one win being a fluke at best.

Mond will have stud sophomore running back Isaiah Spiller alongside him in the backfield. Spiller was named to the conference All-Freshman team after rushing for 946 yards and 10 touchdowns. Mond also gets back his leading receiver from last season, senior Jhamon Ausbon who had 66 catches for 872 yards and five touchdowns, as well as five-star freshman receiver Demond Demas, the No. 25 overall player to throw to. Demas’ 247 comparison is former LSU Tiger D.J. Chark.

Defensively the Aggies were a good, if not great unit last year. A&M finished as a top-30 unit and the only significant loss is defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, who was taken in the third round of the NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. Look for defensive end Donell Harris, a top-50 overall prospect in the 2020 recruiting class, to help fortify the A&M pass rush.

A&M brings back a lot at the second and third levels of the defense. Linebackers Buddy Johnson and Anthony Hines return with a combined 150 tackles and 20 tackles for loss between them. And in the secondary, the Aggies bring back four starters and bring in three freshmen including five-star Jaylon Jones the No. 1 safety in America per the 247 composite.

Texas A&M 2020 Schedule

September 5: vs. Abilene Christian

September 12: vs. North Texas

September 19: BYE

September 26: vs. Arkansas (@ AT&T Stadium)

October 3: @ Mississippi State

October 10: vs. Fresno State

October 17: @ Auburn

October 24: @ South Carolina

October 31: BYE

November 7: vs. Ole Miss

November 14: vs. Vanderbilt

November 21: @ Alabama

November 28: vs. LSU