A week from today, the Aggies play Georgia in the Independence Bowl. The last time TAMU went to Shreveport to play an SEC team, the weather was a mess. As I recall, the entire game was played in a snowstorm and Jackie Sherrill, then coaching Mississippi State, got payback with a 43-41 overtime win. That was in December 2000 and was a sign of things to come for the Aggies in the 21st century.
TAMU has had mixed results against SEC teams since 1980, when Georgia gave the Aggies a 42-0 stomping. Sherrill had a memorable win against Auburn in the Cotton Bowl, but his final game at TAMU was a 30-10 loss to Alabama. Slocum got his tenure off to a good start with a 28-16 win against LSU, and had a productive run against them while they were rebuilding (1989-1995).
Since A&M has been a Big 12 member, its games against SEC teams have been rare and not pretty to watch. After the 2000 Independence Bowl, there was the Cotton Bowl game against Tennessee following the 2004 season (a 38-7 blowout), and this year's debacle against Arkansas.
Georgia (7-5) had a disappointing season by their standards. From what I've seen on TV this year, the SEC is tougher top-to-bottom than the Big 12, so Georgia at 7-5 may be significantly stronger than TAMU at 6-6. The oddsmakers have the Bulldogs as a TD favorite, so they seem to think that's the case.
By the time the game is played, the Christmas dog-and-pony show will be finished and I'll be ready to watch football. Although recent history argues against it, maybe this game will be worth seeing.
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