The Eight Things That Need to Happen for A&M to Make the Playoffs

After starting the season 2-2, the Aggies are in a difficult place. Their two losses are to the best two teams in the nation. However, in reality, no team has gone to the College Football Playoffs (CFP) with two losses.

Students are expressing disdain for both referees and players. Coach Jimbo Fisher’s cult of personality is wavering.  Seasoned TexAgs posters are fearful that they’ll pass away before seeing a CFP appearance.

Despite the tension, the Ags are not finished yet. Although their schedule through November has challenges, only a few conditions need to be met for the Aggies to reach the CFP.

 

The Aggies Must Win Out

While Aggies have the two best losses any team is going to get this season, a third would eliminate them from CFP contention entirely. This is no easy feat with Mississippi State, Auburn, and LSU still on the schedule.

 

CFP Rankings Have to Give A&M Respect

Being ranked in the Top Four by the CFP board may be the easiest feat to achieve. The Aggies have been in the CFP picture as recently as 2016, when we were given the final spot after starting the season 7-1. Finishing 8-0 could grant the Aggies enough favor to be ranked #4 or higher at the end of the season.

Note: The CFP playoffs are decided by neither the AP or Coaches Poll Voters.

 

Kellen Mond Needs to Play Even Better

Kellen Mond has been one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC this season. His rushing improves every game and he’s got superb field vision. He’s throwing 255 yards per game and has a Completion Percentage of 59%. But what if he were throwing 2550 yards per game, and had a completion percentage of 95%? If Kellen Mond can average those numbers for the rest of the season, A&M will not only win out, but Mond would also take every QB record in the book and likely win the Heisman trophy.

 

The Clemson D-Line Must Get Stuck on a Spelunking Trip

The Clemson D-Line needs to become stranded in a cave—this is a must. Clemson donors will immediately start to throw money into saving the four projected first-rounders. The response will be delayed as the billionaire philanthropist Elon Musk designs a new cave submarine, big enough to transport players like 6’4, 340-pound Dexter Lawrence through the rock tunnel. Missing one of the greatest Defensive Lines in NCAA history, Clemson would be crippled against rushing and likely fall out of contention.

 

The Entire Georgia Team Has to Watch Will Smith’s Concussion

The film, about Dr. Bennet Omalu’s fight to publicize research on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), will frighten Dawgs players into quitting football. With Georgia poised to make another playoff run, losing their entire team would be a devastating blow and open up another spot in the CFP.

 

Tua Tagovailoa Must Become a Devout Jew

This Alabama quarterback and Heisman hopeful is arguably the best QB in college football. This year he is expected to start every game for the Tide, an expectation which would not be met if he began to observe Shabbat, or Sabbath, every Saturday. This would completely remove him from any daytime games. Night games would also be a challenge, as he could only play after three stars are visible in the sky. This Bama team may be deeper than the pockets of The 12th Man Foundation, but missing their pious quarterback would still be a significant blow.

 

OU Has to Beat t.u. 112-0, Stop Finding Joy in Football, and Quit

Despite their recent anomaly victory over TCU, football at texas university is a dying industry. It’s entirely feasible for OU to score 16 touchdowns on the t-sips and decide there is no joy left in the game. QB Kyler Murray has done something similar before, so it won’t be hard for him to show the rest of the Sooners how to quit on their team before the season ends.

 

Ohio State’s Band Needs to Play a 90 Minute Show

Famous for their marching performances, The Ohio State University’s band could choose to close halftime with a 90-minute marathon performance that culminates in their world-renowned Script Ohio routine. If the sousaphone responsible for dotting the I hasn’t passed out from exhaustion, it’s bound to be a great ending. The Buckeye football team would be forced to forfeit the game to make room for the show. If done against one of their weaker opponents like Maryland, OSU could lose a winnable game and fall out of the playoff picture entirely.

As long as the team plays hard on the field, the Aggies have a real shot of going to the playoffs this season. Fans, it’s time for you to step up. Turn Kyle Field into the Hate Barn it was back when that term was coined in 2011. Cheer loud. Send a copy of the Torah to Tuscaloosa. Fans in the Athens area, you can offer to host a Will Smith movie night for the Dawgs.

Finally, remember that being the 12th Man is about more than standing at football games, it’s about doing everything you can to bring victory to Texas A&M.

 

—12th Man Card