Texas A&M Football: 3 takeaways from a wild win over the Arkansas Razorbacks

Texas A&M football’s defense gets it done

There were times, especially early on, when I was thinking bad thoughts about the defense. It seemed like Briles had Durkin’s number once again, as Arkansas connected on two deep passes to go up 14-0.

But from there, the defense made clutch play after clutch play, stonewalling Arkansas right up until the final two drives— and even then, they did just enough to keep the Hogs off the board, because if that field goal was even a yard closer, it would’ve been good, and this article could look very different. That’s just how the ball bounces, right?

And okay, let’s talk about that fumble return. That, along with that doink, is a first for me, in all my (admittedly, in the grand scheme of things, not very many) years of watching football. The only thing I can compare it to is Caleb Williams’s play to seal the game against Kansas last year for the Sooners. The situational awareness by both Chappell and Richardson in that situation was amazing, and it, in retrospect, might’ve won us the game.

If I’m not mistaken, that’s the first turnover forced by the defense since Sam Houston, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Going down 21-7 right there would’ve been very dire. That play re-energized the whole team, deflated Arkansas, and ended up as a 13-point swing. I cannot overstate how massive that was for the team.

It wasn’t a dominant performance, but it was what the Aggies needed for the win, just as it was last week. Now they turn their attention to Mike Leach’s air raid and his stellar QB, Will Rogers.  Durkin shined against Mississippi State in his time at Ole Miss, and every Aggie fan is hoping that trend will continue next week.

Get that one, and you’re 4-1 and likely top-15 if not top-10 headed into a showdown in Tuscaloosa. It’s like I mentioned in my writeup after the App State debacle, and like Jimbo and the team have said several times: everything is still in front of you. The Aggies’ goals are still achievable. Tonight could be a huge turning point in the journey towards accomplishing them.