Football 2019: Rankings

It doesn't seem so long ago that Texas A&M was wrapping up the 2018 football season with a reasonably impressive 52-13 win over N.C. State in the Gator Bowl and a 9-4 record overall. Still, the first A&M game of the 2019 season kicks off on 29 August, only two weeks from today. The big question is whether Jimbo Fisher can improve on the 9-4 record or not.

The good news is that the college football preview magazines I've been reading this summer all have the Aggies ranked in the top twenty. The bad news is that A&M will be playing four teams ranked in the top ten, plus top 20 nemesis Auburn.

Here's how the media rankings stack up:

•  Amway Coaches Poll/USA Today: Clemson (1), Alabama (2), Georgia (3), LSU (6), Texas A&M (11), Auburn (16)
• Athlon Sports: Alabama (1), Clemson (2), Georgia (3), LSU (7), Texas A&M (10), Auburn (20)
• Lindy's Sports: Clemson (1), Alabama (2), Georgia (3), LSU (8), Texas A&M (13), Auburn (15)
• Street & Smith's: Alabama (1), Clemson (2), Georgia (3), LSU (6), Texas A&M (13), Auburn (14) 
• Average rankings: Alabama (1.5), Clemson (1.5), Georgia (3.0), LSU (6.75), Texas A&M (11.75), Auburn (16.25)

The bottom line is that the Aggies could be better this year than they were last year, and still finish up 9-4 or worse. Improving to 10-3 will require a major upset (beating Clemson, Alabama, Georgia or LSU), plus running the table against the rest of the schedule, then winning a bowl game. That's a tall order, especially after losing RB Trayveon Williams and TE Jace Sternberger to the NFL.