Each Monday, 12th Man Productions' Will Johnson goes inside the numbers of the latest game with "After Math".
The here and now was all that mattered to the Aggies Saturday.
They were coming off two difficult-to-take defeats, and awaiting them was a high-stakes matchup on a short week.
When UTSA came to town, A&M needn't worry about the past nor future. The present was the focus.
"You have to live in the now," says head coach Kevin Sumlin.
"To a guy like Clifford Chattman or Charles Oliver, they're not thinking about LSU," he continues with a nod to some youngsters that had to play in an injury-depleted secondary. "They're worried about playing well, and not getting beat deep."
Justin Evans was the only mainstay that started in the back end versus the Roadrunners.
The Aggies handled their business in workman-like fashion. There were flaws, but the labor produced results.
Two individuals clocked in to help the effort.
Josh Reynolds hauled in seven passes for 93 yards and scored the game's first touchdown. When he pushed his way into the end zone in the opening quarter, he crossed a threshold into elite status. He surpassed 2,500 career receiving yards, becoming just the fourth player in school history to do so.
"He's a run after the catch guy, he's a deep threat," says the head coach with high praise. "What people don't see is how much more of a physical player he's become."
The others on the lofty list are Ryan Swope, Jeff Fuller and Terrence Murphy. They all played four years for A&M. Reynolds hit the mark in three.
Defensively, Myles Garrett tallied 4.5 sacks. You can't get any more menacing than that. Garrett has now issued 32.5 career sacks. SEC pass rushers to previously accomplish the feat include Derrick Thomas (Alabama), David Pollock (Georgia) and Reggie White (Tennessee). Simply put, Garrett joined a list of legends.
"We kind of knew in the middle of the week, because he was running around, yelling and screaming," says Sumlin. "He's finally healthy and in a good place right now."
With Reynolds and Garrett making career statements, A&M got the job done on Saturday.
It didn't classify as a blowout, but the Aggies were in control from start to finish.
Now, what does it all add up to?
That future, the one the Aggies didn't need to think about on Saturday, is now the present.
A&M stares into the eye of the Tiger, as LSU comes in on Thanksgiving for the regular-season finale.
The result decides if the November feast tastes sweet or sour. A loss brings the bitterness of a 1-3 final month after sitting at No. 4 nationally when the calendar turned. A victory means sugar could be on the palate in the postseason.
A date in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on January 2nd is still possible for the Aggies. Yes, this team can still earn New Year's Six status. They'll need to win, then wait. Other SEC teams are charging hard for the Big Easy as well.
There are four teams that could be 9-3 on bowl selection Sunday (December 4th) – A&M, Florida, Tennessee and Auburn. Those latter three play on Saturday. Essentially the highest ranked team, regardless of record, will head to the Bayou.
So, the Tigers are coming for Thanksgiving dinner.
The Aggies will look to polish them off – and hope dessert is sugary sweet.