What’s wrong with Texas A&M? What’s holding them back?

[Rsbrsb1010]

Cole Cubelic got started on this topic on the radio, but didn’t really offer any good explanations.

No other program in America that has all that money, all those resources, huge alumni/fanbase (largest university in the country by enrollment), those facilities 100k+ regularly sold out stadium, has failed to win a national championship or even compete for one in the modern era.

LSU, Bama, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Michigan, USC, Miami, Notre Dame, Penn State. Maybe Nebraska, Tennessee.

These are the only places that have the fanbase/alumni, money, huge stadium, etc as Texas A&M. ALL of them have won except A&M.

To be honest, with the way they are talked about as an elite program, I just assumed they had won a couple in the 80’s or something. I was shocked win I looked at the wiki page and saw they haven’t won one in modern times.

It’s almost unfathomable to me they haven’t won one ever. Name me a place that has what they have and has never won. They do less with more consistently decade after decade.

 

[40 acres and a mule]

It's their weird cheerleaders.

 

[Howiefeltersnstch]

Yup. God doesn't like the gey cheerleader stuff. Too weird.

 

[MagnoliaHunter]

Too many big boosters want to have a to big of a say in how things are done. Glad we don't have that problem.*******************

 

[8dog]

They went to the playoff last year and played for a natty in baseball a couple of years ago So they must be figuring something out.

 

[Rsbrsb1010]

Too many big boosters want to have a to big of a say in how things are done. Glad we don't have that problem.*******************

I mean Texas, Ohio State, LSU, Michigan, USC, etc probably all have a similar booster dynamic. I just am baffled that they haven’t won a single one ever. You’d think they could just almost have fallen into winning one over the years.

I seriously thought until I looked it up they had won a couple at some point in like the 70’s, 80’s.

 

[TheBannerM]

It's their weird cheerleaders.

We all joke about it, but they are kind of a weird, insular fan base. They're stuck in the 60's with all their traditions. They're like BYU or Liberty, but their religion is the Texas Aggies and their hatred for UT.

 

[Rsbrsb1010]

They went to the playoff last year and played for a natty in baseball a couple of years ago So they must be figuring something out.

They’ve never won a natty in the big three sports. That is absolutely shocking, especially football. There is quite literally no one that does less with more resources than Texas A&M.

I’m trying to think of another university in the U.S. that has the money, facilities, massive stadium, huge fanbase and still has never won. I honestly can’t.

 

[MagnoliaHunter]

I mean Texas, Ohio State, LSU, Michigan, USC, etc probably all have a similar booster dynamic. I just am baffled that they haven’t won a single one ever. You’d think they could just almost have fallen into winning one over the years.

I seriously thought until I looked it up they had won a couple at some point in like the 70’s, 80’s.

I would guess that those teams have had stronger athletic directors and coaches who could stand up to the boosters. I agree with you that they should have been able to buy at least one over the years.

 

[ZombieKissinger]

It’s their culture, but I also think Elko is the right fit for them and will have them good

 

[johnson86-1]

They went to the playoff last year and played for a natty in baseball a couple of years ago So they must be figuring something out.

I think they really just haven't had the advantages people think for long. Certainly competing in football has been about money for a long time, but they were always the second fiddle in their own state. How many states have had multiple national championship winners in football in the modern era? Alabama. Florida. I guess Georgia although Ga Tech's 1990 championship is pretty old. Back when money mattered, but other things mattered more, they were second fiddle. When it became more about money, they really just didn't hire well. I think now that it is really, really, all about the money, you will see them winning more.

 

[GloryDawg]

Money doesn't make you smart. Most of their money is old money earned by men who are no longer alive.

 

[thekimmer]

I think their weird culture has something to do with it.

 

[40 acres and a mule]

We all joke about it, but they are kind of a weird, insular fan base. They're stuck in the 60's with all their traditions. They're like BYU or Liberty, but their religion is the Texas Aggies and their hatred for UT.

I get it. But, if MSU's fight song was 90% about UM, like A&Ms is about UT, I would want a new one composed immediately. Hatred only gets you so far.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

The color Maroon. No pro teams are maroon. Has any football NC been won by a Maroon primary colored team?

Minnesota won some in the 30s and last won one in 1960.

 

[aTotal360]

Adidas

 

[Rsbrsb1010]

I think they really just haven't had the advantages people think for long. Certainly competing in football has been about money for a long time, but they were always the second fiddle in their own state. How many states have had multiple national championship winners in football in the modern era? Alabama. Florida. I guess Georgia although Ga Tech's 1990 championship is pretty old. Back when money mattered, but other things mattered more, they were second fiddle. When it became more about money, they really just didn't hire well. I think now that it is really, really, all about the money, you will see them winning more.

What about Auburn, Florida State, Clemson? Not necessarily 100% second fiddle in their state but certainly other good programs they have to share their state with. All three have won multiple national championships.

A&M hasn’t even played for one in that time. They have literally no excuse. Every fanbase says it’s tough to be a fan of ____ (their school). But Texas A&M’s fanbase has a legitimate case to be the most tortured in America.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Relatively new, young fanbase overall. Basically new money on the neighborhood. Plus they are weird and have an arrogant but insecure vibe.

Considering that, if not for a hurricane in 2012, they might have won it all that year. Just bad luck and didn't have a playoff to revive themselves. And they've been pretty good a few others, 2020 and 2025.

 

[patdog]

The color Maroon. No pro teams are maroon. Has any football NC been won by a Maroon primary colored team?

Minnesota won some in the 30s and last won one in 1960.

Minnesota. It's been a while.

 

[John Deaux VII]

The weird culture is the only thing I can figure - the Milk Men, no cheerleaders, the guy who pulled a sword on someone...



The Corp of Cadets has always come across as bunch of guys who did not have what it takes to get into Army or the Naval Academy. A whole bunch of Douglas C. Neidemeirs - Seargent At Arms"...


"

 

[johnson86-1]

What about Auburn, Florida State, Clemson? Not necessarily 100% second fiddle in their state but certainly other good programs they have to share their state with. All three have won multiple national championships.

A&M hasn’t even played for one in that time. They have literally no excuse. Every fanbase says it’s tough to be a fan of ____ (their school). But Texas A&M’s fanbase has a legitimate case to be the most tortured in America.

I think Auburn and FSU benefitted from being a better place to recruit to and for FSU, having Bobby Bowden. I think they were basically similarly situated to A&M, except they were in more fertile recruiting grounds. And again, those are the only two states where a second school has won a championship in the modern era (or three if you count Ga Tech). Clemson is a little different. I think they are more of an example of catching lightening in a bottle. There certainly isn't an obvious reason why they'd win a national championship, much less multiple ones.

And I'm not saying A&M hasn't underachieved. They certainly have. I'm just not sure they have underachieved as badly as people think. THey've had a lot of pretty good seasons and pretty good coaches. Outside of Jimbo Fisher, I don't think anybody really did worse at A&M than they did elseewhere.

 

[NWADawg]

 

[AROB44]

They are MSU (with a lot of money).....constantly making poor coaching choices over the years.....with a very few exceptions.

 

[Dawgbite]

They have a crippling Texas inferiority complex that clouds their thinking. It’s really holding them back.

 

[HomeBoyDawg]

Ugly coeds

 

[onewoof]

throwing another coal on the hot take: what is up with kentucky basketball?

 

[dawgman42]

Ugly coeds

That is not the case.

 

[L4Dawg]

Cole Cubelic got started on this topic on the radio, but didn’t really offer any good explanations.

No other program in America that has all that money, all those resources, huge alumni/fanbase (largest university in the country by enrollment), those facilities 100k+ regularly sold out stadium, has failed to win a national championship or even compete for one in the modern era.

LSU, Bama, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Michigan, USC, Miami, Notre Dame, Penn State. Maybe Nebraska, Tennessee.

These are the only places that have the fanbase/alumni, money, huge stadium, etc as Texas A&M. ALL of them have won except A&M.

To be honest, with the way they are talked about as an elite program, I just assumed they had won a couple in the 80’s or something. I was shocked win I looked at the wiki page and saw they haven’t won one in modern times.

It’s almost unfathomable to me they haven’t won one ever. Name me a place that has what they have and has never won. They do less with more consistently decade after decade.

Too many chiefs on that reservation.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

They are MSU (with a lot of money).....constantly making poor coaching choices over the years.....with a very few exceptions.

I was wondering when State being the Poor Man’s aTm would come up in this thread…

 

[Willow Grove Dawg]

The color Maroon. No pro teams are maroon. Has any football NC been won by a Maroon primary colored team?

Minnesota won some in the 30s and last won one in 1960.

Waiting on the Confederate posters to question that 1960 Minnesota Natty because their granddiddy told them Ole Miss won it.

It will be the same guys that claim they won the SEC West in 2003.

 

[Dawgbite]

I was wondering when State being the Poor Man’s aTm would come up in this thread…

We both use the same colors but other than that we have nothing in common.

 

[Rsbrsb1010]

I was wondering when State being the Poor Man’s aTm would come up in this thread…

I don’t see our situation being even comparable. You could say this comparison with A&M any ag/tech school (such as Auburn, GaTech, etc). None of them compare in size/money to Texas A&M. It is the largest university by enrollment in the United States. They have gobs of money. Largest stadium in the league, constantly sold out. It’s seriously pathetic they have never won a national championship or at least not in the past 70 years.

 

[Maroon13]

I want to put in another vote for their weird *** culture. Ain't nobody got time for that.

 

[85Bears]

11-2, made the playoffs, finished #8. I don’t see A problem here. They are doing pretty well, give Elko more time.

 

[Darryl Steight]

They went to the playoff last year and played for a natty in baseball a couple of years ago So they must be figuring something out.

They finally solved their problem in football at least, by hiring a good coach. Unfortunately.

 

[BossDawg78]

The weird culture is the only thing I can figure - the Milk Men, no cheerleaders, the guy who pulled a sword on someone...

View attachment 1273277

The Corp of Cadets has always come across as bunch of guys who did not have what it takes to get into Army or the Naval Academy. A whole bunch of Douglas C. Neidemeirs - Seargent At Arms"...

View attachment 1273278
"

Never understood the "Corp of Cadets." Why do they pretend to be in the military?

 

[85Bears]

They finally solved their problem in football at least, by hiring a good coach. Unfortunately.

That’s the key. it doesn’t matter how much money you pour into a Jimbo Fisher program. I think sark is mediocre at UT as well.

 

[SoJxnVol]

We both use the same colors but other than that we have nothing in common.

What do you think the A stands for in A&M?

 

[SoJxnVol]

Never understood the "Corp of Cadets." Why do they pretend to be in the military?

Most of them do go on to the military. Towards the end of it, I think they do a “match” program of sorts. Have a neighbor who’s son was Brandon ROTC went to A&M, then Army and is now stationed in Alaska I believe.

 

[patdog]

For most of the history of college football Texas A&M wasn’t anywhere near what they are today. They were Texas stepchild. They only really became nationally relevant when the hired Jackie Sherrill. Then RC Slocum. Then They made a series of disastrous coaching hires. But they may finally be on the verge of putting it all together.