Aggies' top-ranked dreams could become reality with win over Tide

Images of glory and grandeur have invaded your subconscious.

Deep in the night you’ve seen Knight throw deep. In REM RSJ has made clutch catches. In various stages of sleep the Aggies have won on the big stage.

You’ve been in an oneiric state. Or perhaps it’s a “We’re No. 1-iric” state.

But that magical feeling always disappears upon awakening.

That might not happen this Sunday morning, though. You just may awake to find that bliss is still there, though it will take a Texas A&M victory over Alabama.

That’s not a pipe dream.

Forget past results. Ignore point spreads. Dismiss the theories of transitive properties.

This sixth-ranked Texas A&M football team is talented and tough enough to beat No. 1 Alabama. And if the Aggies beat the No. 1 team, then perhaps they should become No. 1 themselves.

“I don’t have any control over that,” A&M sophomore receiver Christian Kirk said of that prospect. “I think we could put forth a strong argument if we did.”

Some have argued that Texas A&M poses no real threat to Nick Saban’s dynasty. The Aggies, it has been said, are a team to be respected, but not strong or talented enough to stem the Crimson Tide.

That’s why Las Vegas has established Alabama as much as a 19.5-point favorite. That’s why talking heads on national television networks have rated LSU or Auburn as greater threats for Alabama.

Never mind that A&M beat Auburn by two touchdowns. In Auburn.

The dismissal of A&M appears to stem from the fact that Alabama blew out Tennessee while A&M needed overtime to dispense of the Volunteers.

No doubt, the Aggies must play better against Alabama than they did against Tennesee. They will.

A&M has great talent. It is common knowledge that defensive end Myles Garrett could be the first player taken in next year’s NFL draft.

Defensive end Daeshon Hall is playing like a first round pick, too.

Safety Justin Evans, like Garrett, was named to Sports Illustrated’s Midseason All-American team. 
Evans, safety Armani Watts and nickel back Donovan Wilson are future NFL players. Linebackers Shaan Washington and Otaro Alaka and defensive linemen Zaycoven Henderson, Kingsley Keke and Daylon Mack have NFL potential, too.

A&M freshman running back Trayveon Williams is the most explosive runner Alabama has faced.

The vaunted Alabama defense has twice allowed 400 passing yards, but hasn’t faced a group of receivers better than Kirk, Josh Reynolds and Ricky Seals-Jones, who figures to be back from injury.

A&M’s offensive line faces an enormous challenge against the celebrated Crimson Tide defensive front, which has allowed just one opponent to exceed 100 rushing yards.

However, the Aggies line fared well against UCLA, Auburn, Arkansas and Tennessee, all of which counted their defensive fronts as a point of strength.

Alabama has the remarkable ability to score non-offensive touchdowns. The Tide has returned four interceptions, four fumbles and three punts for scores.

Though A&M quarterback Trevor Knight has had issues with turnovers, I’d still rather have a mature 23-year-old quarterback playing against such an opportunistic defense.

Perhaps most important, A&M has demonstrated a mental toughness that was lacking in recent seasons.

True, the Aggies allowed UCLA back into contention after leading by 15 points. But when UCLA had a chance to win in regulation, the Aggies made the plays necessary to stay tied at the end of regulation and then won in overtime.

They made two clutch goal line stands against Arkansas. They squelched comeback bids by Auburn and South Carolina. They overcame their own mistakes to rebound from Tennessee’s rally and vanquish the Volunteers in overtime.

They’re also healthy after an open week.

“We've been good enough to win every game so far,” coach Kevin Sumlin said. "We just have to be the best team on Saturday. It's nothing more than that. We've been working on that for the last week.”

Beating Alabama is never easy, but this A&M team has a realistic chance.

“We're looking forward to the opportunity to play the No. 1 team in the country,” Chavis said. “We're trying to build to be the No. 1 team in the country. It'll happen eventually. I'm not saying it'll happen this year, but we're building toward it”

With a win at Alabama, that could be this year.

That’s the stuff dreams are made of.