Texas A&M Is Not The Most Underachieving Program In Its Conference, Division, or State

Colin Cowherd called Texas A&M the nation’s most underachieving football program. That premise is great radio fodder. It’s “interesting.” But, it does not hold up to much scrutiny. Texas A&M without question disappoints. They start hot, convince folks this is the year, then go all Icarus when they start playing actual football teams.

The Aggies are not the most underachieving program in their own conference. Georgia, the one major in-state program in perhaps the nation’s best recruiting state, could take that mantle. The Bulldogs have finished in the Top 25 in just three of the past eight seasons and last reached a “BCS” bowl in 2007. The 2007 season is the one time in the last 12 years Tennessee has finished ranked in the Top 20.

Texas A&M isn’t the most underachieving program in its own SEC division. Here are the average win totals in the SEC West since A&M joined. Being neck-and-neck with LSU for second best in the division over the first five years would have been viewed as a very successful, maybe even a best-case transition in 2012. Most thought the Aggies would get curb-stomped. Instead, they have averaged three more wins per season than Arkansas.

Alabama: 12.8
LSU: 9.0
Texas A&M: 8.8
Mississippi State: 8.0
Ole Miss: 7.8
Auburn: 7.6
Arkansas: 5.8

The Aggies aren’t the most disappointing program in their own state. That would be Texas, perhaps the biggest program in the country. The Longhorns have four losing seasons in their last seven attempts and have finished the season ranked in the Top 25 once.

Texas A&M caught lightning once with a Heisman-caliber quarterback and an NFL-caliber offensive line. Beyond that, the Aggies have been in the mediocre to good range, respectable but not commendable. That’s what Texas A&M football is.