Texas A&M Aggies vs. Arkansas Razorbacks: Ryan Tannehill and Offense Fall Apart

Over the course of the offseason for the Texas A&M Aggies, we all worried about our defense. What are we going to do without Von Miller? Who's going to step up and make the big plays? It made sense. Sherman had lost two of his most productive senior linebackers this school has ever seen. 

We kindly glanced over the offense, choosing to ignore their one lone loss to graduation. Ryan Tannehill, the superstar of last year's six game winning streak, combined with the one two punch of Christine Michael and Cyrus Gray, was supposed to be one of the most potent backfields in the nation. Additionally, we returned big-play receivers like Jeff Fuller, Ryan Swope and Uzoma Nwachukwu. This was an offense that we weren't supposed to be worrying about.

Turns out that we were wrong.

For the Aggies, their offense came out firing on all cylinders. They exploded for 35 points in the first half and totaled 424 yards of offense.

The Razorbacks were struggling to keep up, scoring 17 points and finishing the half with 274 yards of offense.

Then the second half came around. Tannehill and the offense acted like they were a deer caught in headlights.

After a prolific first half, they managed to score a lousy three points. Their yardage also suffered, cut in half to 204 total offense.

The defense, who we all seem to look to as the culprit of our downfall in Arlington Saturday, actually performed very similar to the first half, allowing Arkansas just 30 more yards of offense and eight more points than before.

How can an offense that's so unstoppable in one half fall apart so easily in the second? We can't blame the defense for this one because that honestly just wouldn't be fair.

Arkansas' defense was no powerhouse. There is no excuse for performing so poorly after such a relentless attack just a half ago. 

If A&M wants to get back on track to a big-time bowl game, the offense needs to start showing up for both halves. We saw what they can do to such an amazing "SEC defense," so the Big 12 should be a cinch, right?

Their potential far outreaches their play for the time being, and if the win column wants to start filling up, that potential needs to be met. A&M still isn't out of the running for the Big 12 Title, but a tough loss in Arlington won't help matters.

You know what will? A little more of that first half magic and lot less of the second half woes.