Because of gusty winds and low humidity expected behind a cold front blasting through Texas on Tuesday, a fire weather watch is in effect for Wednesday across most of Central Texas and it could be upgraded to a red flag warning if conditions worsen, the National Weather Service said. 

The strong cold front that is moving through Central Texas on Tuesday will bring a quick shift in winds and usher in much cooler, seasonable temperatures for the rest of the week.

Although the front will pass through mostly dry, aside from a few spotty showers north and east of Austin, it will be easy to tell when the front arrives because wind will quickly shift to the north and become quite blustery, with some gusts reaching 35 to 40 mph, close to triggering wind advisories from the weather service.

Despite the weekend rainfall, Central Texas soil remains dry, with Austin cumulative rainfall for the year still running about five inches below normal. 

Unfortunately, the air behind this front will be even drier, setting the stage for critical fire weather conditions. Gusty north to northwest winds and low humidity values between 15% and 25% will create an increased risk of rapid wildfire spread and an elevated fire danger through midweek.

Currently, 146 counties across Texas are under burn bans, including all counties in Central Texas and the Hill Country.

In Travis County, the burn ban means that all outdoor burning is prohibited, including:

Practicing wildfire safety will be key over the next several days and Texans need to remain vigilant and report any signs of smoke or fire immediately. 

•    Avoid outdoor burning or welding when winds are strong. Sparks can easily ignite dry grass and brush.
•    Properly dispose of cigarettes, never throw them out of a vehicle window.
•    Park vehicles on paved or gravel surfaces, not on dry grass, as hot exhaust systems can ignite fires.
•    Secure trailer chains to prevent them from dragging and creating sparks on roadways.
•    Keep a defensible space around your home by clearing away dry leaves, brush, and debris within at least 30 feet of structures.
•    Have an emergency plan and know multiple evacuation routes in case wildfire threatens your area.

BATON ROUGE, La. — KC Concepcion zig-zagged up Tiger Stadium’s turf, tightrope walked his way around defenders to remain in bounds next to the home team’s sideline and sprinted back in the opposition to jog the second half of his punt return completely untouched.

A member of LSU’s staff spiked his headset into the dirt before the Texas A&M wide receiver had even crossed into the end zone.

Speed and explosivity — especially the variety which the Aggies have — may cause that side effect for opponents.

The Aggies (8-0, 5-0 SEC) steamrolled their way to a 49-25 win Saturday night at Tiger Stadium in large part because they were the most physical team and the most cohesive offense, yes, but the pure athleticism and agility displayed by their quarterback and wide receivers were what lit the fuse for a definitive win in head coach Mike Elko’s tenure.

“I think that’s the biggest thing we talked about having to do, to flip, where we were trying to go,” Elko said. “If you look at teams that have won the SEC, the teams that have gotten far in the playoffs, they have explosive playmakers on offense that can take the game over.”

That’s more than an anecdotal reference. Ohio State won last year’s national championship with wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (who reached 21.7 mph in a game last season) and running back TreVeyon Henderson (who ran a 4.43 second 40-yard dash time at this spring’s NFL combine) factored heavily into their scheme.

Texas lost to those Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl but reached the semifinals in part because of wide receivers Matthew Golden (4.29 second 40-yard dash time) and Isaiah Bond (4.39 second 40-yard dash time). The Longhorns had wide receiver Xavier Worthy and his ludicrous 4.21 second 40-yard dash time the season prior when they reached the semifinals for the first time. Ask them if they’d like to have those caliber of athletes back this season.

The Aggies don’t need to beg. Concepcion ran a 4.43 40-yard dash time last summer, per 247Sports.com, and Craver clocked a 10.74 100-meter dash time at the high school level. Running back Rueben Owens Jr. charted four sub.-11 second 100-meter dash times at El Campo before he enrolled early at College Station and Reed has his own wheels. He outran the entire Tigers defense for a 41-yard touchdown in the first quarter of Saturday night’s win and totaled 108 yards on the ground.

“Me running down the field, 40 something yards, at whatever weight I and and whatever height I am, I don’t know, those guys should be faster than me,” the 6-foot-1, 185 pound Reed said. “They’re not.”

They weren’t quick enough to catch Concepcion, either, and he finished with 177 total all-purpose yards because of it. Craver caught a modest four passes Saturday night but has been a must-cover big-play threat for the Aggies this season. His acrobatic 86-yard touchdown against Notre Dame last month helped spark A&M’s first ranked road win this fall.

Concepcion, a N.C. State transfer, and Craver, a Mississippi State transfer, may arguably create A&M’s most talented wide receiver duo in at least a decade. Craver’s 716 receiving yards and Concepcion’s seven touchdowns both rank second in the conference. Craver has the highest receiver grade in the SEC, per Pro Football Focus, and Craver ranks fifth. They are the only teammate duo within the top five.

“We felt like it was critical when I took over that we add those elements,” Elko said. “We have them in the backfield, we have them at wide receiver, we have them at quarterback with the ball in his hands every play. I think that makes us a really challenging offense to defend.”

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I hate to be a voice for the opulent, but if the money works, flaunt it.

All the way to the elite of college football.

So while Texas A&M was dismantling LSU 49-25 Saturday night and taking control of he SEC race, it was hard to not see it for what it was.

While the college football world is collectively sick over the financial waste of universities firing coaches and paying exorbitant buyouts (Penn State, Florida), Texas A&M is doing just fine, thank you. After two years ago paying the largest buyout in college football history.   

That was Texas A&M at the end of the 2023 season, doing the utter unthinkable by firing Jimbo Fisher and giving him $77 million to please go away as fast as possible. 

That was Texas A&M on Saturday night in LSU’s famed Death Valley, where dreams go to die. Unless you have a spare $77 million laying in the desk drawer.