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Texas A&M Football: Breaking down ESPN’s SP+ rating for the Aggies

By Graham Harmon

Seth Small, Texas A&M football (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Seth Small, Texas A&M football (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /
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Nov 20, 2021; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies place kicker Seth Small (47) kicks the extra point at the end of the second quarter against the Prairie View Am Panthers at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 20, 2021; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies place kicker Seth Small (47) kicks the extra point at the end of the second quarter against the Prairie View Am Panthers at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Special teams will boost Texas A&M football’s rating

You’ve probably noticed that A&M regressed in the rating from the end of last year to this year’s preseason projection.  This was spurred on, primarily, by taking out the special teams rating.

Due to Achane and Smith’s influence and Seth Small’s accuracy last year, not to mention Caden Davis’s ability to boot touchbacks on almost every kickoff and Nik Constantinou’s punting skills, A&M had a very high mark in the ST ratings, boosting their overall rating by 2.4 points (good for 4th in the country by that mark).

If Davis is as good as we think he is at kicking FGs, I don’t doubt that we’ll rank similarly highly in the ST department once that piece of things gets worked into the rankings – but that won’t be for a few weeks.