Texas A&M Loss Last Season Leaves 'Bad Taste' in Mouths of Alabama Players

The players haven't forgotten how the loss made them feel as they prepare for the Aggies this week.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. —When Seth Small kicked a last-second field goal to lift the Aggies to a 41-38 victory over the Crimson Tide, it snapped several streaks for Texas A&M against Alabama.

It ended the Crimson Tide's streak of over 100 straight wins against unranked opponents and handed Nick Saban his first ever loss against a former assistant. The loss also stopped Alabama's overall winning streak at 19 games dating back to the 2020 Citrus Bowl.

For the Alabama players on the field that day, they haven't forgotten the feeling of that loss when thousands of Texas A&M  flooded the field, including senior safety DeMarcco Hellams. 

"That was a hard fought game," Hellams said during Tuesday's media availability. "We lost it. It left a really bad taste in my mouth and other guys on the roster's mouths. It’s something we definitely remember from last year, and it’s definitely helped our preparation for those guys this year."

Not only was it a big game for the team as a whole, but also personally for outside linebacker Dallas Turner. With Drew Sanders and Christopher Allen out with injuries at the position, it forced Turner into a starting role as a true freshman. 

"When we went to Texas A&M last year, that was my first start as a freshman," Turner said. "So I feel like it was a game that we just had to learn from, and just coincidentally it was my first game as a starter. So it was kind of rough at first, but it was just a learning point for the team, and I feel like we grew from that experience as well."

Even though it might be viewed as revenge game, it's not something the players have been ruminating on leading up to this week. 

"We try to approach each game the same, no game is bigger than any other one," Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. said on Monday. "Texas A&M is up next on the schedule, so now we will be talking about this game. And in previous games, we talked about our other opponents. Texas A&M has a really good team, a really good offensive line, good quarterback. It's going to be a great challenge for us."