Texas A&M football is headed to the Rose Bowl to play the UCLA Bruins. Can the Aggies put Hurricane Harvey behind them and focus on getting the win?
The Texas A&M football season is getting closer and closer. The Aggies are excited to get back on the field and play some football. First up: UCLA. The Aggies will battle the Bruins in the California heat on Sep. 3.
With this being the season opener for both teams, neither the Bruins nor Aggies are coming in to the game having any game experience as a team. The Fightin’ Texas A&M Aggies lost more than 10 players from last year’s squad, a lot of whom were key pieces on both sides of the ball. The Bruins on the other hand have a lot of players returning on the offensive side of the ball. They lost six players to the NFL Draft.
In addition to the Aggies having to replace so many key players, they are going to have to find a way to remain focused. While the team is trying to prepare for the game against UCLA, Hurricane Harvey is wreaking havoc in Texas. The Aggies have many Texans on the team. Watching from afar as this hurricane impacts their families and friends makes it all the more difficult to concentrate on football preparations.
Kevin Sumlin on his radio show on Harvey: It's been a nightmare ... A lot of our guys are dealing with things bigger than football.
— Brent Zwerneman (@BrentZwerneman) August 29, 2017
Setting the stage for a game of massive importance
The first game for the Aggies is a must win, just like it should be every year. It’s always bet to get started off on the right foot. Kevin Sumlin and the rest of the Aggies are ready to give it all they’ve got for the first week of the season against the UCLA Bruins. A win or a loss will generate two totally different story lines for the Ags.
A loss will end the four year streak of starting victories on opening weekend. It will also end the three year streak of starting off the season 5-0. A win, could be and would be great for the Aggies. It would keep the College Football Playoff hopes alive and give the Aggie team something to build upon. Here are a few names to know and a bold prediction or two.