TEXAS A&M VS. ARKANSAS
Aggies look to keep rolling against Arkansas after bounce-back performance versus Miami
Sep 21, 2022, 11:08 am
Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies face Arkansas this weekend. Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images.
The Aggies showed a lot of grit last Saturday as they followed up a monumental loss with a big-time win over the 13th-ranked Miami Hurricanes. One of Head Coach Jimbo Fisher’s core values is grit. It's written in the weight room, in the tunnels at Kyle Field as the players run out. The messaging paid off as the Maroon and White bounced back in a big way after the loss to Appalachian State. Defense and special teams stepped up in a 17-9 victory, as well as a new quarterback at the helm for the Aggies, Max Johnson.
The Aggies allowed almost 400 total yards but kept the Hurricanes out of the end zone, only allowing 3 field goals. They seemed to adopt the bend don't break mentality, and they might have needed to as they were severely shorthanded. Lacking nearly a half dozen defenders, as well as losing 2 key starters early in the ballgame. Safety Demani Richardson and corner Brian George were both ejected due to targeting penalties. Regardless of the circumstances, A&M rallied around the 107,000 gathered at Kyle to bounce back and possibly right the ship heading into SEC play.
Offensively, things were better, but far from where they need to be if they intend to be competitive in the SEC. The Ags’ mustered 17 points and 264 total yards all led by new starting QB, Max Johnson. Johnson, who took over for Haynes King, went 10-20 and threw for 140 yards and a touchdown. He and the offense weren't spectacular by any means, but he seemed to have something that was missing for the Ags’. He plays with a level of confidence and decisiveness I would argue Texas A&M hasn't seen at the QB position since Trevor Knight. He made smart decisions, took care of the football and ran the offense with confidence and composure. Texas A&M’s season was riding on this game and Max Johnson's performance, and he delivered. However, Jimbo Fisher and the Aggie fan base hope to see more from him in the coming weeks, as the Ags' are entering the toughest stretch of the season.
#9 Arkansas awaits the Aggies in Arlington, Texas. Then a trip to Starkville to take on Mississippi State, then the much-anticipated matchup against #2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. That is what awaits Jimbo Fisher and his Aggies over the next three weeks, so the offense needs to figure things out fast. Just like the team, we’ll only focus on the upcoming game with Arkansas as A&M looks to avenge the beatdown they received from the Hogs last season. Arkansas is vulnerable, with one of the worst passing defenses in the nation but one of the more impressive offenses in the SEC. I see this one possibly turning into a shootout if the Maroon and White can get the passing game firing on all cylinders. Every game for the Aggies from here on out is a must-win to keep their playoff chances alive, and I see them keeping things going. Texas A&M wins a slugfest 38-35 to improve to 3-1.
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Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.
The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.
For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.
“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”
As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.
Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.
He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.
Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.
It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.
You can watch the full interview in the video below.
And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.
I’ve seen some speculation indicating that Joe Mixon may not be happy the Texans signed Nick Chubb. If that is what you believe, watch this clip from an interview with @greenlight pod last year & get back to me. pic.twitter.com/3vaip85esj
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 11, 2025
*ChatGPT assisted.
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