KEEP HOPE ALIVE
Here's why Aggies season is still alive despite catastrophic setback
Sep 14, 2022, 9:41 am
The Aggies will try to right the ship against Miami. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.
Jimbo Fisher: Culture is the number one thing in an organization
In a shocking, unexpected, and flat-out unacceptable turn of events, the Texas A&M Aggies of the SEC lost to Appalachian State of the Sun Belt Conference 17-14 at Kyle Field last Saturday. It had been 15 years since the Mountaineers shocked the college football world in 2007 by upsetting the Michigan Wolverines at The Big House. Even though App State did not pull off any upset since that win in 2007, the small school in North Carolina has developed a reputation for being David, always ready to knock off Goliath. We saw it come true on Saturday at Kyle Field once again.
Early in the season, I wanted to focus on the three things that I thought would be most important to the Ags’ success in 2022. That being quarterback play, freshman impact, and DJ Durkin's first year as Defensive Coordinator. All three of those things failed the Aggies Saturday as well as many other factors.
Trends and storylines for the Aggies be damned for the 2022 season, no one saw this one coming. The Aggies were less than impressive against Sam Houston in week one but still took care of business handly with a 31-0 win. The Aggies had a prime-time matchup on the horizon against Miami in week three to look forward to, but it was up to Coach Jimbo Fisher to get his men ready for a scrappy and experienced Appalachian State team. He did not succeed as the Mountaineers were more physical, more energized, and just flat-out more determined than the Aggies last Saturday and the scoreboard reflects that.
For a program trying to reach the levels of Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and Clemson, something like this cannot happen. Teams with superior talent and skill do not lose to lower levels of competition. These seem like obvious statements but it all comes into play when a program wanting to become a powerhouse loses to a group of five opponents. As a graduate of Texas A&M writing this article is not fun, plenty of jokes have been made, and lots of ridicule from family and friends, but the eternal optimist in me says that the season is far from lost, and here’s why.
Texas A&M welcomes the 13th-ranked Miami Hurricanes to town this Saturday for a prime-time matchup at Kyle Field. The Aggies are a 5.5-point favorite at the time of writing this and will have a packed stadium of anxious fans behind them. If the Maroon and White can flip the script and pull off the big win, it will not only completely rebuild the teams’ confidence heading into SEC play, but it will reinstill confidence in Jimbo Fisher. Fisher has had plenty of big wins in his time at A&M to earn some grace, even after such an embarrassing defeat. Beating Miami would tally another win of that caliber on his resume and set up the Aggies well heading into their first SEC matchup against Arkansas in Dallas.
Make no mistake, Jimbo Fisher and his Aggies took an uppercut to the jaw from App State last Saturday, they are dazed but it's still early in the fight. If the Ags’ can get up off of the mat this Saturday and fight angry against the Hurricanes, then the season might not be lost just yet… The Aggies win 28-24.
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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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