Opinion

Harvey: Aggieland getting primed for momentous gig

Recommended Video:

COLLEGE STATION - Less than a week before its first game in the Southeastern Conference here Saturday, Texas A&M already has shocked the college football world.

The Aggies opened as a 21/2–point favorite over Florida.

Although few prognosticators predicted the Aggies would go winless in the SEC, fewer forecast they had much of a shot this season against their best conference opponents - Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, Auburn and Florida.

The Gators no doubt contributed to their underdog status. Florida wasn't trying to impress anyone in its season opener last Saturday and didn't. There isn't going to be a lot of money backing a team that struggled so much offensively in a 27-14 victory over Bowling Green that Gators offensive coordinator Brent Pease felt compelled to apologize to his mother for his crude language.

But that wasn't the whole story. Chris David, sports editorial director of VegasInsider.com, said Tuesday the Aggies also are favored because of Kyle Field.

You wouldn't think the Gators would be intimidated by playing in College Station. This is a team that regularly travels to LSU, Auburn, Tennessee and Florida State and plays annually against Georgia in the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party."

Doesn't matter, David said. The Gators have never played in front of the 12th Man.

A billboard in Gainesville, Fla., made the Aggies appear to be rude newcomers to the SEC, but it wasn't put up by the school and was quickly taken down. A billboard in Gainesville, Fla., made the Aggies appear to be rude newcomers to the SEC, but it wasn't put up by the school and was quickly taken down. Photo: Handout Photo: Handout Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Harvey: Aggieland getting primed for momentous gig 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

The question since the Aggies announced they were switching conferences has been how they will adjust to the SEC. Shouldn't the question also be how the SEC will adjust to the Aggies?

The folks of Gainesville, Fla., the home of the University of Florida, got a little taste of what they're in for Tuesday when a billboard appeared there informing them they had been "Annexed by Aggie Nation."

It also proclaimed Texas A&M has the "Best Academic and Cleanest Program in the SEC.''

As the sign on the billboard was being removed later in the day, Texas A&M officials said they were not responsible for the message and apologized, like they would for a rowdy relative visiting the new in-laws for the first time and slurping his soup.

Florida coach Will Muschamp, formerly the Texas defensive coordinator, might have started it all when he reacted to the Aggies' admission to the SEC by asking attendees at the Polk County Gator Club, "You ever been to College Station? It'll be the only time you go."

You might expect that from someone who grew up in Rome … but not Rome, Ga.

College Station's Nancy Berry was more than gracious, sending Muschamp a gift basket.

West of Gainesville, all was quiet Tuesday. On the day after Labor Day, the school year still young, A&M students appeared more interested in getting from class to class than annexing anyone. In the book store, they were buying books, although T-shirts inscribed with "We Are SEC Football'' or "College GameDay'' were available.

'GameDay' is coming

The latter referred to the visit of ESPN's college football pregame show to College Station on Saturday morning, which is more significant to the Aggies, who haven't had enough national attention in recent years to expect it, than to the Gators. They have been featured on "College GameDay" so often that most of their players think Lee Corso is the crazy uncle who keeps showing up at the door. What's he going to do this time?

Texas A&M coaches and players, however, seem very excited about the game. There might not have been much to see outside the large picture windows with a view of Kyle Field on Tuesday, but they know the campus will be rocking by Friday night.

None of the coaches thought it was an advantage that their scheduled game last Thursday night in Shreveport against Louisiana Tech was postponed until next month because of Hurricane Isaac. It's primarily a new coaching staff, with an entirely new offense, and they said they would like to have seen their players in game action at least once before playing Florida.

Yet it does add to the experience that the Aggies' season opener also is the SEC opener.

'A lot of firsts'

"I'm really honored to be head coach at Texas A&M in this situation,'' said Kevin Sumlin, who left Houston for this opportunity. "There are going to be a lot of historical moments in this football program, a lot of great moments, and this is going to be one of them. It's our first game, our first game in the SEC … a lot of firsts on Saturday.''

Asked if he was surprised the Aggies are favored, Sumlin said he doesn't pay attention to point spreads.

"You sound surprised,'' he said.

He's right.

But that's the reason I don't bet on sports. Nothing would shock me Saturday.

randy.harvey@chron.com