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Texas A&M football: Ranking the 5 toughest games on the schedule

By Jeff Shull

TUSCALOOSA, AL - SEPTEMBER 22: Kellen Mond #11 of the Texas A&M Aggies walks to the sidelines during a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Crimson Tide defeated the Aggies 45-23. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, AL - SEPTEMBER 22: Kellen Mond #11 of the Texas A&M Aggies walks to the sidelines during a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Crimson Tide defeated the Aggies 45-23. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

Texas A&M football has one of the most difficult schedules in the country in 2019, but just how tough is each game? Let’s look.

You’d be hard pressed to find a tougher schedule than Texas A&M football‘s in the 2019 season. From top to bottom, week in and week out maybe you’ll find a school who technically has it more difficult when the season is over, but there definitely is no team with as top heavy a schedule as the Ags. It’s going to be a rough go for Jimbo Fisher and Co. in 2019.

If you’ve read anything 2019 schedule related about the Aggies, you no doubt know by now most of the team on this list. They have Alabama, Clemson, and Georgia, arguably the best three teams in the country and probably will the top three teams ranked in the preseason AP and Coaches Poll, and also LSU on the road who will most likely be a Top 10 team in the preseason polls.

But the question is, which of those games is the most difficult? There are definitely nuances to it. So let’s take a look at the five toughest games on the Texas A&M football 2019 schedule.

5. South Carolina Gamecocks — November 16, 2019

It was tough parsing out a winner from Auburn-South Carolina-Mississippi State tier for this fifth spot. All three games are winnable and all three are at home, but you could also envision a scenario in which the Aggies lose to all three of these teams. Such is life in the SEC, where conference play brings a tough opponent basically every week.

To break the tie, check out SB Nation writer Bill Barnwell’s article on returning production for the 2019 season. Barnwell is known for his advanced S&P+ ranking system and he similarly tried to make the “returning starters” formula more advanced by analyzing a team’s returning production.

Long story short, South Carolina has by far the most returning production from the 2018 season. Considering each of these teams finished no better than 8-5 and no worse than 7-6, this was enough to break the difficulty tie. The Gamecocks are ranked No. 45 in overall returning production with Auburn at No. 84 and Mississippi State at No. 92.

The Gamecocks also return quarterback Jake Bentley who could be a top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft if things go right for him this season.