Conference Realignment: How Texas A&M Would Match Up Against the SEC

After the SEC and Texas A&M finally sealed the deal Sunday, the Aggie faithful will now have the luxury of looking forward to a season against the toughest football conference in the nation. 

Or will it be a nightmare that A&M is stumbling into? In September of 2012, the nation will find out. 

The SEC has contained 12 members since 1991 when Arkansas left the Southwest Conference for the SEC West and South Carolina joined up in the SEC East. Just 20 years later, Mike Slive is running the most prolific football conference in America, but decides it's not enough and expands into Texas.

His decision to expand, along with the Aggies' decision to join, will affect conference play for years to come. How will A&M match up against some of the most storied programs in the nation?    

Arkansas

The Aggies are 24-40-3 against the Razorbacks overall.

That's a tough percentage to look at if you're from College Station.

Since Arkansas left for the SEC in 1991, they hadn't played the Aggies until just recently, beginning the Southwest Classic in Dallas two years ago. So far, A&M has fallen twice, but remains hopeful going into Jerryworld this weekend. 

This is a storied rivalry that will be exciting to watch every year. Expect the Aggies to come out swinging and looking to even their record with the Razorbacks to take home the Southwest Classic Trophy over the next couple of years.

LSU

Texas A&M is 20-27-3 against Louisiana State.

Another tough percentage, but it could certainly be worse.

After a grueling defeat in the Cotton Bowl at the hands of the Tigers last year, A&M will be looking for revenge. Death Valley and Kyle Field have an unspoken rivalry of who can be loudest, which should make one weekend of every year deafening at either College Station or Baton Rogue.

Beating such a talented program year in and year out will be one of the Aggies' most difficult tasks, seeing as how the Tigers are ranked No. 1 this year and have continuously been in national title contention the last couple of years.

Mississippi State

The series with the Bulldogs is tied at 2-2. After a disappointing 2000 Independence Bowl (AKA, the Snow Bowl) loss in overtime, the Aggies will look forward to playing one of their inter-divisional land-grant institutional brothers.

Both universities focus academically on engineering and agriculture, which creates a slight rivalry that could evolve into something much more exciting. They even sport the same colors.

Football-wise, both programs are on the rise. With relatively new coaches in Dan Mullen and Mike Sherman, the Bulldogs and the Aggies are on the same competitive plateau, both looking to reach a new level and play with the big boys in the SEC.

This is a game A&M can win every year if it wants. Going into Starkville will be difficult though, as the stadium looks toward expansion and cowbells aren't exactly every quarterback's dream.   

Ole Miss

The Rebels have never put up a W against A&M, losing the series by four games. Although the Aggies haven't seen Ole Miss since the 1980s, this should be an easy win on either field.

Mississippi has been declining ever since Mullen and company took over in Starkville. For now, this game can be won and should supply the Aggies with a division win every year. In comparison to the Big 12, this is A&M's Baylor for the time being. 

Old Army should never underestimate an SEC West opponent, but if anyone could be overlooked, it's Ole Miss. Oxford is the farthest Aggie fans could reasonably travel, and considering that it's just miles from Memphis, this could be a fun fall destination for the Kyle Field faithful. 

Alabama

The Crimson Tide and the Aggies haven't met many times, but 'Bama comes out on top at 3-1. Their last battle occurring in the late 1980s, this is one team that A&M should be scared of.

Nick Saban and the Tide are consistently in the Top Five, and they beat Texas in the National Championship just two years ago. A&M has also never visited Tuscaloosa, and Bryant-Denny Stadium is no picnic. This will be a game Aggie fans dread for years to come, and any win would be an upset.

Ironically, the Aggies have never won on Kyle Field, losing three games to Alabama on their own turf and beating them by a slim margin the 1968 Cotton Bowl. Don't expect to kiss your girl much during this game Aggies, because it's never going to be pretty.  

Auburn

The Aggies have the advantage on the War Eagles historically with two wins and no losses. Also a land-grant institution brother, Auburn is a team Texas A&M can compete with every year. 

Gene Chizik and company may be the reigning national champions, but without a playmaker like Cam Newton, the Tigers have had trouble. The Aggies have the talent and recruiting prowess to consistently line up and beat Auburn, especially when they visit College Station.

Of the two Alabama schools, Auburn is definitely the less feared. If the War Eagles end up staying in the SEC West, this division game every year could be an exciting one.  

Vanderbilt

The Aggies have never played the Commodores on the football field, but as the only university in the SEC that ranks above A&M academically, Vanderbilt should provide a great atmosphere for Old Army.

Vanderbilt has never been any kind of powerhouse in SEC football, but they have recently looked a lot better after acquiring a new coach. When the Aggies do play the Commodores, which will occur only a few times a decade, it should be a relatively easy conference game. Visiting Nashville won't be like any other SEC stadium as it holds only around 40,000 fans, but this isn't any team to overlook for the coming years. 

South Carolina

The Gamecocks have also never met the Aggies on the football field, but after winning the SEC East last season and holding a consistent Top 25 ranking, the Ol' Ball Coach and company are a tough match for anyone. 

South Carolina is one of the farthest universities away from College Station, making traveling difficult for the Kyle Field faithful. Away games will be tough for both schools, but the matchups produced should be exhilarating. Watch out for fierce clashes in Columbia and College Station.

Tennessee

The Volunteers are 2-0 against the Aggies, most recently destroying A&M in the 2005 Cotton Bowl 38-7. Tennessee has been considered a powerhouse in the SEC East for a long time, but they have been on the decline for a while now.

The Aggies can compete in Knoxville, but don't expect to even the series any time soon. Tennessee is a storied program with a lot of clout, especially in recruiting. The Volunteers can instantly be a top-notch team again in just a few years, and even though A&M will only play them sparingly, the Aggies need to watch out for Tennessee.    

Kentucky

The Aggies are 1-1 against the Wildcats and haven't played them in more than 50 years. One of the relatively weaker teams in the SEC, Kentucky has never been a football power. Although Kennedy and the A&M basketball program need to start preparing, Sherman doesn't need to sweat this one.

Kentucky and Texas A&M won't see much of each other over the years in football, but look for some great matchups in what could be a great conference game every few years, hopefully in basketball more than football. 

Georgia

The Bulldogs are just behind in the series two games to three, but both wins have come in their last two meetings. The 2009 Independence Bowl 44-20 thrashing hopefully won't be a sign of things to come, but as Georgia's Mark Richt looks like he might be out of a job by the end of the season, the Aggies might find room to sneak in a few victories. 

Playing Between the Hedges will not be an easy task for A&M, but thankfully the Aggies won't have to visit there often. Any SEC college town is no welcoming party, but Athens is unique, as almost its entire state supports the red and black. Wishful thinking might be the precedent for Georgia in the years to come, so taking advantage of the turmoil they could fall into soon would be A&M's best bet for wins against the Bulldogs.

Florida

Texas A&M and Florida are tied all time 1-1, with A&M winning the most recent 1977 meeting, 37-14.

Academically, the Aggies and the Gators are the only public institutions in the SEC to be a part of the AAU and are actually tied for 58th in the university rankings.

Florida is the SEC East powerhouse, thriving in The Swamp. The Aggies will have trouble playing in Gainesville, their only visit there a crushing loss.

This isn't a game A&M will win often, but seeing as they're a rare opponent, this is a good thing for Mike Sherman and company. A&M should look forward to when the Gators visit College Station, considering it will be their first time. The Swamp is a formidable venue, but perhaps the Aggies can show up their academic equals with their 12th Man power.