'Best Game Is Next Game': Texas A&M Aggies Key In On Alabama Crimson Tide

Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman McKinnley Jackson made sure not to play into the hype that this weekend against Alabama is more important than any other game.

This weekend at in College Station is like any other weekend. Everything is all normal.

Well, not exactly. The No. 11 Alabama Crimson Tide — which has been arguably the most successful dynasty in college football history under head coach Nick Saban — is coming to town, presenting a huge opportunity for the Texas A&M Aggies to pull off an upset.

But from listening to defensive lineman McKinnley Jackson's approach to this weekend's heavyweight bout, it sounds like just about any team could be strolling in to Kyle Field.

"I don't know where everyone's getting that from," Jackson said when asked if there's extra excitement facing Alabama. "I've been hearing that a lot lately. I don't know why. This game is the game we love. We've been playing since we were 4 or 5 years old, so the best game is the next game. I'm excited for this one just like I was excited last week. I could say the same thing three Mondays ago."

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban jogs on the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama / © Marvin Gentry, USA TODAY

Credit to Jackson for not giving the Crimson Tide any bulletin-board material because they certainly won't need more fuel than they'll already have, but this weekend's game doesn't hold the same weight as playing Vanderbilt.

Playing Alabama and having the chance to go toe-to-toe with one of the best programs and head coaches of all time is why you go to a place like Texas A&M — one of the few programs that can say it has had recent success against the Crimson Tide.

Each of the last two meetings, the Aggies have figured out something against Alabama. They won in 2021 41-38 — as head coach Jimbo Fisher become the first former Saban assistant to beat him head to head — but lost 24-20 last year in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Texas A&M is gunning for its second-consecutive victory in College Station, and the Aggie faithful certainly wouldn't mind rushing the field after an upset.

Oh, and the winner takes sole possession of first place in the SEC West. So yeah, this weekend really means something.