Playing with the big boys The Aggies are returning a ton of kids next year and are projected to be the only obstacle between Oklahoma and another Big X (or whatever) championship. A win against LSU in the new Cotton Bowl was going to propel them as a top 10 team in the pre-season.
LSU, too, is returning a bunch of kids and are considered favorites in the mighty SEC.
LSU's statement rang true. They beat A&M 41-24 the other night at JerryWorld.
A&M's defense looked like it hadn't seen a monster like that in a long time and they all played like they hadn't seen a big game in 10 years.
Truth is, they hadn't. LSU's offense and defense had been honed over 10 games in the SEC, where teams either sink or swim. You down dawdle in the SEC like A&M kind of did in the Big XII, where they were able to lose a handful of games in the middle of the season and still figure into the Big XII South title.
In the SEC, three losses kill you. LSU was molded and set amidst the fire and brimstone of Florida, Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina, Ole Miss and others.
LSU looked hungry. They looked like they knew they were title favorites next season and they looked like they were in big games all the time.
They totaled 446 total yards, 288 on the ground. The 10-0 lead the Aggies had built to open the game was long forgotten when LSU scored two quick touchdowns within four minutes of each other to end the first half. And that was all she wrote. You knew the tide was turning and that A&M would need to fight for pride and start thinking of 2011. Or, the 2011 of the spring, summer and fall.
The Big XII, in its final weeks as the Big XII, went a very disappointing 3-5 in their bowl games.
