Finebaum: Loss to Alabama is 'not armageddon' for Texas A&M

Texas A&M faltered in many phases of the game in Saturday's 26-20 loss to No. 11 Alabama. SEC Network's Paul Finebaum joined Monday morning edition of TexAgs Radio to discuss those issues and what is come for the Aggies in 2023.

Key notes from Paul Finebaum interview

• I favored Alabama, and not for a specific reason. Rather just because they were on a roll. They were beatable. Watching from an Aggie perspective, it had to be exasperating. If you move things around, it could have been a breakthrough win. There are more questionable decisions that bother me. I don't think this is armageddon. This is a bad loss, but you can get it back. I think that Knoxville is so imperative. Tennessee is a mystery. The only way to make up for Saturday is to win in Knoxville.
   
• Texas A&M will have to be better this week, but the opportunity is easier. Alabama's defense has been amazing so far. Kirby Smart was on our set, and he asked about the A&M-Alabama game. He said he hadn't seen something like that. I'm sure he had two years ago. He recruited every one of those players. Alabama is a good team.
   
• Joe Milton is a mystery. He makes big plays, just like Jalen Milroe. Maybe better in decision-making.
   
• I felt better about Jimbo Fisher talking to everyone on the A&M campus. A win in Knoxville pushes this program forward, and that has been the problem. It's one thing to win at Kentucky or South Carolina. Winning at Tennessee would be a big win. Fisher needs big wins. He needs to take the program back to where it was a couple of weeks ago.
   
• The last couple of years have been Alabama and Georgia. Alabama could lose a couple of games. They have won two that they could have lost. We don't know if Tennessee is elite yet. Florida is a show of itself. Kentucky will suprise you, then disappoint you. The middle is impossible.
   
• I came away somewhat underwhelmed by Max Johnson on Saturday. A lot of what I saw was not his fault. Could Conner Weigman have won that game? I think he could have. I did not see a lot of great decision-making from him. I wanted to see a more aggressive performance, and some of that is the calls by Fisher and Bobby Petrino.
   
• I did not understand the field goal at the end of the game. You have to try to win the game. You get a first down, and you will probably win. That was the wrong game to play the game of chances.
   
• You have the momentum and lead and throw it all away on the first drive in the second half. They gave Milroe too much freedom. They shut the run down, but Alabama doesn't have that great of a rushing attack anyway.
   
• I was shocked Oklahoma pulled that one off. Texas was more physical. That was such a blown opportunity for the Longhorns. As bad as it was for the Aggies, it could have been worse. It was a bad loss for Texas.
   
• I learned the most about LSU because of what would have been lost in that game. If they lost that game, the season would have been over. They could manufacture, maybe, another run. That game against A&M could be large. The Tigers could save the season for now.
   
• I didn't learn that much about Alabama. You are never surprised when Alabama wins, but it's also not hard to imagine a scenario where A&M is 3-0 in the last three years against Alabama.
   
• I literally make a living picking Alabama. If I am ever in doubt, you got with them. It is highly unlikely that Arkansas or Kentucky could beat them, but they could get sloppy. I think LSU is the toughest game. Tennessee remains the biggest mystery in the SEC. I dont think Auburn can beat them. If LSU can't show up on the defense side of the ball, we will see Alabama in Atlanta.