Underachievers? Why ESPN Thinks Aggies Are Destined to Disappoint

The Aggies have loads of preseason hype with the start of the season less than three weeks aways.

The hype that's been building in College Station officially received verification Monday, as the Texas A&M Aggies were ranked No. 6 in the first release of the AP Poll Top 25 rankings. 

A&M's elite 2022 recruiting class is now closer than ever to stepping on the field to show the country what all the talk has been about. 

But if ESPN's latest installment of the annual college football underachievers list is any indication, the Aggies, who finished last season with an underwhelming 8-4 record, could be in for a disappointment-filled year. 

Texas A&M sits alone in the top tier of college football underachievers. Here's what ESPN had to say about A&M being in "Tier I: Angst in Aggieland."

A year ago, Texas A&M shared the second tier with UCLA and Texas, but in terms of long-term underachievement, the Aggies were closer to Georgia. The 2021 season didn't help the team's reputation. Coming off a No. 4 finish in 2020, Texas A&M entered the fall ranked No. 6 but ended up 8-4, an all-too familiar result. Other than an upset of No. 1 Alabama -- Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher became the first ex-Nick Saban assistant to beat Saban -- Texas A&M had a largely forgettable season. The biggest mark against the Texas A&M program is a lack of championships -- none in the SEC (league or division) and only one in the Big 12, coming nearly a quarter century ago in 1998, when R.C. Slocum still coached the Aggies.

In arguably the toughest conference and deepest division in college football, the Aggies will have to overcome numerous obstacles in the SEC West. 

No game is a given and a few slip-ups could be the difference between a potential College Football Playoff berth and a measly bowl appearance. 

The Aggies will begin their highly-anticipated season at home against the Sam Houston State Bearkats on Saturday, Sept. 3.

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You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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