A&M's appearance in Texas Bowl looks to springboard future success

Admittedly, the invitation Texas A&M received on Sunday to play in the Texas Bowl doesn’t feel like much of a reward.

A trip to Houston? That feels like a Tuesday. The Dec. 27 Texas Bowl matchup with Oklahoma State falls on Wednesday. So, that’s better. Isn’t it?

Yes, it seems like a consolation prize. Except, another trip to Houston for the third time in the last eight college football seasons doesn’t inspire much consoling.

Texas A&M aspires for more. The goal is grandiose playoff bowl games against more glamorous opponents than Oklahoma State.

But there are reasons to embrace the trip to NRG Stadium. For starters, well… There’s NRG Stadium.

However, the Texas Bowl offers virtues beyond the venue.

At least, the Aggies are in a bowl game. This will be their first postseason appearance in three seasons, which is mind-boggling for a football program with all the advantages Texas A&M has.

Lia Musgrave, TexAgs

Kellen Mond led Texas A&M past Oklahoma State, 24-21, in the 2019 Texas Bowl.

You’ll recall A&M sat out the 2021 bowl season. Quarterback issues resulted in then-coach Jimbo Fisher turning down a Gator Bowl invitation.

That was odd. Literally, every other coach I’ve ever known has claimed there was value in the extra practices for bowl games, if not for the game itself.

Maybe that proved true the next season when A&M finished 5-7 and failed to qualify for bowl eligibility. Perhaps the additional experience and instruction from those extra bowl practices could’ve made a difference against a 2022 opponent like, say… Appalachian State.

So, A&M gets those extra practices and whatever benefit is gleaned from them.

The Aggies — many of them from Houston — also get a chance to pick up a victory against an opponent from the reviled Big 12 Conference. Since leaving the Big 12 in 2012, A&M is 3-1 against its old conference.

The last time A&M appeared in the Texas Bowl was 2019 — against Oklahoma State. The next season, the Aggies finished 9-1 and ranked No. 4 — their highest postseason ranking since the 1939 national championship.

New coach Mike Elko shouldn’t be expected to repeat that history. That would be highly unlikely in year one of his tenure.

But the Texas Bowl gives him valuable opportunities for observation. He’ll get a first-hand look at where A&M is strong, where the Aggies struggle and — perhaps most importantly — who really wants to compete.

Bear Bryant once took three busloads of players to Junction to find out who’s committed. Elko will have to make do with a bus trip to Houston.

There likely will be players opting out of the game. That’s become the case in every bowl game not tied to the College Football Playoff.

Jamie Maury, TexAgs

Ainias Smith finished his fifth season as Texas A&M’s leading receiver.

Leading receiver Ainias Smith is already out because of a broken finger, but others may sit out to avoid any chance of injury and prepare for the NFL Combine.

Don’t be surprised if a few of A&M’s top players with NFL intentions in 2024 or any considering the transfer portal decide not to play.

That’s OK, though. Elko needs to see the guys who’ll be suiting up for A&M in 2024. He needs to know who’ll compete hard in an obscure bowl game and who might be inclined to put it on cruise control.

Maybe, he’ll get ideas of how to better use some players to maximize their impact next season.

Some bowl games are the last step of the season. Aggies should view the Texas Bowl as the first step to, hopefully, more success next season.