12th Man Productions' Will Johnson goes inside the numbers of the Texas Bowl with the season's final edition of After Math.
Texas A&M entered the Texas Bowl hoping to cleanse itself of a nauseating November. And, actually, stay among an elite group.
A victory would provide the prescription for the final-month flu that had plagued the Aggies and give them their ninth win of the year. It would mean they were averaging nine wins per season in the Kevin Sumlin, and SEC, eras (the last 5 years). After this college football campaign, only about 15 FBS teams would be able to claim the same.
A&M fell short.
Much of what hampered the Aggies in November reared its head again. The program now has 44 wins in the past 5 years (8.8 per season), just shy of the mark to stay among the lofty grouping.
In NRG Stadium versus Kansas State on Wednesday, A&M put forth a solid effort. But mistakes held them back.
For example, in the first half, The Aggies and Wildcats were statistically even. K-State had the total yardage edge but only 234-215, A&M had one more first down. But A&M was making the mistakes, notching 7 penalties for 70 yards and committing 2 turnovers – one of which came on a center to quarterback exchange. The miscues helped to put the Aggies in a nine-point hole at half.
Much of the game was even. The numbers didn't show any separation between the two teams. So what was the difference? Finishing -- or the lack of it.
In the crucial second half, A&M had no trouble moving the ball on KSU. With only four offensive possessions over the final 20 minutes, the Aggies crossed the Wildcat 35-yard line on all of them…but scored points on just two.
Daniel LaCamera was short on a 52-yard field goal attempt, and K-State held the Aggies on downs on the final drive.
As is often the case, the difference between winning and losing was paper-thin.
Defensively, A&M's problems continued. Having trouble stopping foes since mid-October, the trend was prevalent on this December night.
Not known for striking the big play, the Wildcats had registered just two touchdowns of 50 or more yards all season. They did it twice against the Aggies.
K-State notched one of their highest total yardage figures of the year.
Go back to the stat that's been out there for a while. All of last season, and for the first five games of this one, no opponent reached 30 offensive points on the Aggies. Eighteen games in a row of clamping down on the opposition. Four of the last six Power-Five foes have surpassed the mark.
What does it all add up to?
A closing number the Aggies hoped had been higher.
A&M's stock was soaring to start November, ranked No. 4 in the initial College Football Playoff poll.
The rest of the season left the Aggies scratching their heads, still in search of answers.
It starts with how to finish.
There's no secret formulas or magic potions on how to do it. It may be the hardest answer to find in college football. Finishing strong must become an everyday thing. A strong close begins in January in the weight room, working towards it continues in spring ball. The summer allows for no time off, and August marks the beginning of preseason camp. All-out effort and attentiveness, through all of it, is how you finish strong in the fall.
Finishing strong doesn't happen in the fourth quarter in front of 100,000 in November. It happens in the weight room, film room, classroom and locker room in front of only a few. It happens on the practice fields in preparation. From now 'til September, the Aggies have to finish strong every day. It has to become a habit.
By the time the calendar turns to September, and when the leaves fall shortly after, it has to be second nature.
Indeed, the Aggies have to learn to finish strong. And it starts today.