3 people most to blame for Texas A&M getting upset by Arkansas

Here are three people most to blame for Texas A&M’s upset loss against Arkansas in the Southwest Classic.

The Texas A&M Aggies walked into AT&T Stadium as the seventh-ranked football program in the nation. However, they had themselves quite the formidable foe in the form of the No. 16 Arkansas Razorbacks, who earlier this year pulled off a colossal win over the Texas Longhorns. Given the talent on the Aggies, they would surely walk away with their fourth win of the season, right?

Wrong.

The Aggies were upset by the Razoracks by the score of 20-10. With this loss, Texas A&M are bound to slide down the AP Top-25 rankings. With this loss fresh in everyone’s minds, here are three people most to blame for the loss.

3. The Texas A&M secondary

The Aggies defense did not do well on Saturday afternoon. But if there was one position group that definitely did not play up to par, it was their secondary group. The tone was set for Texas A&M’s day once quarterback K.J. Jefferson hit a wide open Treylon Burkes, who easily broke away from his defender, for an effortless 85-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

Overall, Texas A&M allowed nine receptions for 246 yards and two touchdowns on the day. An average of 27.3 yards per catch. That’s not going to help you win football games.

2. Head coach Jimbo Fisher

The Aggies were no match for the Razorbacks, despite their late comeback attempt that did not occur until Isaiah Spiller’s touchdown run in the third quarter. Head coach Jimbo Fisher is to blame for the team being upset.

Texas A&M’s defense could not make tackles, as evidenced by running back A.J. Green’s 48-yard catch-and-run touchdown. The offense felt lifeless and was ineffective on third-down situations (4-for-14). It was an overall bad game for the Aggies.

Fisher will have to build off this loss before burning the tape for good.

1. Quarterback Zach Calzada

After Haynes King fractured his leg during the second game of the season against Colorado, Zach Calzada stepped in as the starter. He had the chance to help lead the Aggies to a huge win over an Arkansas team that has looked dominant throughout the early portion of the season.

Calzada had a miserable experience facing off against the Razorbacks. He completed 20-of-36 of his passes for just 151 yards and one interception. That interception was tipped at the line of scrimmage, but not due to a defensive lineman’s hand. Rather, because Calzada hit his offensive lineman in the back of the helmet, allowing defensive back Montaric Brown to pick off the football.

The Aggies and Calzada will look to bounce back next week when they play Mississippi State.

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