The Texas A&M Aggies emptied another SEC stadium when they obliterated the Missouri Tigers 38-17 at Faurot Field in Week 11 of college football action. The win continued the Aggies’ flawless start to the season (9-0) and cemented their place at the top of the Southeastern Conference standings.
Coach Mike Elko’s team is No. 3 in both the AP Top 25 Poll and the College Football Playoff rankings, just behind the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers and the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes. Their current ranking would guarantee them a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff.
Texas A&M Aggies’ Claim to NO. 1 Defended by Rival SEC Coach
The Aggies are one of only three undefeated teams in the FBS, including the Hoosiers and Buckeyes, both of whom are ranked higher, causing widespread debate about why Elko’s team is not ranked No. 1.
During his weekly news conference, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, whose Rebels team is ranked No. 6, made a case for Elko’s team to be ranked No. 1 in the country above the two Big Ten teams.
“Texas A&M being three. What more do you want them to do to be one?” Lane Kiffin said. He then argued that people want teams to make their schedules more difficult, but the committee isn’t responding to that with its rankings.
“Well, they went up to Notre Dame and won,” Kiffin said. “So those people that say, ‘Man, those schedules are worth it to play that.’ What if they didn’t play Notre Dame and just played whoever and just had an easy win? They’d be ranked in the same spot. So what good did that do if that’s not rewarded? So, they’ve got the highest metrics of everybody, and they’re not No. 1, so I don’t know.”
With three games remaining in the regular season, the Aggies still have a tricky home game against the South Carolina Gamecocks and a trip to Austin to face the No. 10 Texas Longhorns to navigate.
Committee Chair Explains Aggies’ Ranking
After the first College Football Playoff rankings dropped on Nov. 4, Committee chair Mack Rhoades explained the rationale behind ranking Texas A&M behind Indiana and Ohio State.
“We had robust discussions about Ohio State, Indiana and Texas A&M,” Rhoades said. “We felt like Ohio State and Indiana were close when you look at the statistical data. We felt Ohio State was a little bit better on the offensive line and defensively. When we included A&M as part of the discussion, we felt like the separator there was the defense.”
The ranking of the Aggies has reignited the age-old debate pitting the Southeastern Conference against the Big Ten, with the question of which conference is superior in college football.
