When last discussed on the Dallas Express, 5-2 Texas A&M Aggies had come off a solid road victory, gaining favor with National pollsters as the 17th ranked NCAA football squad. The wins continue to roll in, most recently in a decisive 44-14 victory over South Carolina’s Gamecocks.
Now 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the Southeast Conference, A&M climbed a few steps higher in the national rankings to find themselves voted at 14th in the Associated Press Top 25.
In their dominance over the Gamecocks, the Aggies found themselves with a 31-0 halftime lead in which the visitors were restricted to two first downs on 11 yards of offense.
Head Coach Jimbo Fisher addressed the team at halftime saying, “You’re winning the down and distance. You’re second or third-and-long so your secondary can play really loose. You can be more aggressive. And then you’re controlling field position.”
Contributing to A&M’s victory was another skillful outing from QB Zach Calzada. The redshirt Sophomore did throw one interception into an opponent’s hands, but apart from that miscue, he connected on 12 of 24 attempts, generating 187 yards, and a pair of touchdowns.
He distributed the ball wisely and well, as six different Aggies were on his receiving end. Junior wideout Jalen Wydermyer out of Dickinson, TX, hauled in four, resulting in 75 yards, and the two scoring strikes. The running game was not left behind, putting up 292 yards throughout the game.
Devon Achane and Isaiah Spiller led the way in rushing yards, each carrying the ball into the end zone once. The kicking game was markedly improved from the prior week. Seth Small split the uprights into four Field Goals, and Nik Constantinou averaged 51 yards on two punts.
This upcoming Bye week in the Aggie schedule will be followed by another visitor to Kyle Field when 18th ranked Auburn takes a sideline on Saturday, Nov 6. The kickoff time is not yet announced. The current three-game win streak and Coach Fisher’s always thorough preparation cause reason for optimism.
