Texas A&M opener postponed due to Hurricane Isaac

Hurricane Isaac has already taken with it one SEC casualty – Texas A&M’s first game as a SEC school – on the road at Louisiana Tech on Thursday night. The game has been rescheduled for October 13th. And while this gives Texas A&M another week to prepare for the visit of the Florida Gators to Kyle Field, it also means that Kevin Sumlin’s first game as the Aggies’ head coach is against one of the best defenses in the SEC and possibly in college football.  Usually ‘big-time’ schools will schedule a smaller program to give themselves match fitness before the all-important conference season. Louisiana Tech said that this was due to fan safety rather than a worry about weather conditions,

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Aggies News: Brandon Williams will not play for Texas A&M this year

Incoming backfield transfer Brandon Williams will not play for Texas A&M this year, the NCAA has ruled. On Wednesday night the powers-that-be at the NCAA ruled that sophomore full-back Brandon Williams, who transferred over from Oklahoma to College Station in an effort to see more playing time (and play in the SEC, obviously!), will not play in 2012, despite a waiver application being sent to the ruling authority. That’s a blow to an Aggies offense that’s hoping that Christine Michael – who was a top tandem player with Cyrus Gray last season before he got injured – can stay healthy for 12 games. BOTTOM LINE: This isn’t a major blow for Aggies Athletics, but it’s a blow nevertheless. In the

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SEC Preseason Preview: Can Auburn roar in the SEC West?

There is no school out there that could have had a more horrible off-season than the Auburn Tigers. And only one incident capped it: Two former Auburn Tigers – Ladarious Phillips and Ed Christian – and sophomore offensive linesman Eric Mack were shot at a pool party in mid-June. Phillips and Christian lost their lives. The news rocked the University to the core – and it’ll be interesting to see what effect – if any – it has on the Tigers are the start of the year. In less important news, brilliant running back Michael Dyer was dismissed from the team and is now playing FCS football, and Auburn can still roll the Toomer’s Oaks for the 2012 season (although

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SEC Preseason Preview: Can Dan Mullen continue to take Mississippi State out of the doldrums?

When people think of the words: “Mississippi State”, they think of the word “Cowbell” rather than “Good football team”. This is rather harsh, bearing in mind the turnaround that Dan Mullen has put into Starkville in his last three years. The fanbase now EXPECTS to go bowling, because they’ve been to one for the last two years (which, for a team that had only been to one over the course of 2002-2009, it’s a miracle!), and high times are now behind the former University of Florida’s former offensive co-ordinator. They are going to tempt recruits with a $75m stadium expansion, which should see the sound of cowbells ring even louder across the State of Mississippi. LAST YEAR Was last year

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Quick reflection on SEC Media Days: Why didn’t people mention soft scheduling?

This is going to sound really nasty bearing in mind that this is a blog on the SEC and the fact that we are read by SEC fans, but we’ve been looking for the ‘juiciest’ (trust me, there aren’t very many) quotes from the SEC Media Days, and we struggled to get anything that kept us particularly awake. However, like the ghost that haunts us and never seems to give up, we couldn’t help but think: Why on earth did NO-ONE ask either Commissioner Slive or any of the SEC head coaches about Non-Conference scheduling? Here is why: When the 2014 play-offs come along and the Committee -whoever they might be – are deciding ‘strength of schedule’, they hopefully will

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Feeling the loss: Key players out on each SEC team

Big-time players have gone from SEC schools around the country. The SEC Football Blog outlines which players are going to be missed the most…. SEC West Alabama Let’s get this straight first and foremost, the loss of most of their defense isn’t going to make life as easy for the Crimson Tide in 2012 and it was in 2011, but the big loss is running back, Heisman contender and bulldozer Trent Richardson, who destroyed the opposition week in, week out. Sure, Ed Lacy’s going to be good – but we’re going to give him a year to be Trent-good, if that’s at all possible. Arkansas  First of all, let us say that the biggest loss isn’t going to be on

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Sumlin suspends two A&M players

Kevin Sumlin, the new Texas A&M coach, has wasted no time as a disciplinarian, suspending two starters for the first game of the season. Junior linebacker Steven Jenkins and defensive back Howard Matthews  were each given a one game ban for violating team policy. What they did is not quite clear. Matthews had 28 tackles and two sacks in his first season for the Aggies, while Jenkins had 61 tackles and 1 sacks in 2011. One A&M fan tweeted: “Well, that was quick. Two difference makers on the defense out for a game. I would say Sumlin has sent a message.” BOTTOM LINE: Texas A&M had one of the Big XII’s worst defenses last year (which was saying something) and this news – if

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Recruiting: Top CB commits to Texas A&M

Top Texas cornerback Tavares Garner has committed to Texas A&M, it has been widely reported. Garner, who is a four-star cornerback according to Rivals, spurned offers from a number of Big XII schools as well as Mississippi State, de-committed from Texas Tech prior to his decision to move to College Station. According to ESPN Insider, Garner decided not to play for Tech on Friday. It’s been a big week for the Aggies, who saw linebacker Reggie Chavis decide to play SEC football at Kyle Field on Tuesday. Texas A&M now has 19 commitments.

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Note to SEC: Texas A&M needs another Thanksgiving Rival

As y’all know by this blog, we love the SEC and we’re really happy that two teams have been added to the SEC schedule. Missouri’s going to be a  cold and difficult place for rivals to play in the East, and Texas A&M’s going to be a deafening place to play in the West. But let’s be honest – when it became known that Texas A&M was not going to play Texas anymore, it ripped a lot out of college football’s soul. For over 118 years, Texas and Texas A&M beat the crap out of each other. Even if both sides weren’t good, they were got off the turf for The Thanksgiving Game of All Thanksgiving Games. Fanbases may not

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