Josh Pate: Texas is in better position to win SEC football title before Texas A&M

It’s been over a decade since the Texas A&M Aggies left the Big 12. The program is still yet to appear in an SEC title game in football. Next year’s SEC entrance for the Longhorns begs the question, will Texas or Texas A&M win an SEC title first?

SEC podcaster Michael Bratton and national college football analyst Josh Pate explored that question in Bratton’s podcast. Texas A&M fans won’t like Pate’s answer.

“I think Texas is in a better position. … I don’t know that there are offensive minds in the country that I have more respect for than Steve Sarkisian.”

Pate cites marked improvement in the trenches as reason to believe in the Longhorns. He also views the quarterback and wide receiver positions as places where Texas will not lack for the foreseeable future. Pate notes that if starting quarterback Quinn Ewers goes down, Maalik Murphy appears ready to step in and win for the team.

As for Texas A&M, the 2022 season functioned as a wet blanket on the momentum its historic recruiting class kindled. The team’s inability to win consistently with superior talent was noted as cause for concern.

“If you have bigger, faster, stronger players, you should never have cold streaks. A game should never be put in that questionable a position in the fourth quarter (with a noticeable talent advantage). Texas A&M should have been able to do that last year. They should have been able to do it the last few years, and they haven’t been.”

Pate fairly notes that Texas could be in the same position as A&M if it isn’t able to capitalize with wins this season. And while there’s plenty of reason to doubt the Aggies, new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino had the Aggies offense rolling in the spring. The 2023 season will reveal plenty in regard to which team has the upper hand moving forward.