FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2017 STUDENT MEDIA
DEFENDING
KYLE FIELD Aggies look to break home game losing streak against Auburn Saturday morning
A&M VS. NO. 14 AUBURN: Nov. 4 @ 11:00 a.m. ESPN
By Heath Clary @Heath_Clary Playing at home is supposed to be an advantage in the SEC, a conference where some of the largest and rowdiest fan bases in the country reside. That home field advantage has been absent in the Texas A&M-Auburn matchup. As recent history proves, the road team has always won each of the five meetings between the schools since A&M joined the SEC in 2012. The Aggies (5-3, 3-2 SEC) will try to end that streak Saturday as Kevin Sumlin looks to put on a better showing after last weekend’s 35-14 drubbing at the hands of Mississippi State. “We really need [a win] this week — it’s going to be a big-time test for us,” wide receiver Christian Kirk said at Tuesday’s press conference. “They’re going to come in here with the right attitude and a lot of energy, and we’re going to have to match it and go out there and execute.” The Tigers (6-2, 4-1 SEC) are coming off a bye week and crushed Arkansas on the road 5220 in their last game. Auburn, ranked 14th in the first CFB Playoff rankings, boasts the SEC’s third-most potent offense and have a slew of weapons that can do damage to opposing defenses. The running back duo of Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway give defenses fits with Johnson’s speed and Pettway’s power, and the ground game has opened up the aerial attack for redshirt sophomore quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Stidham is playing in his first season at Auburn after transferring from Baylor, and he leads the conference in completion percentage and has only been picked off three times this season. For A&M, the offense struggled to move the ball against the Bulldogs under the direction of Kellen Mond. The freshman quarterback completed only eight passes for the second game in a row, and came out of the game late in Saturday’s game after a late hit. Sumlin said Mond will start against the Tigers even though redshirt freshman Nick Starkel threw for 133 yards including a 70-yard touchdown in relief. With Mond back under center, Sumlin said the emphasis remains on getting consistent production on the ground to open up the passing game. “He is an effective runner — we’ve seen that all year,” Sumlin said of Mond. “There are other ways for us to create running lanes and seams, GAME PREVIEW ON PG. 4
No. 14 Auburn comes in to Saturday’s game favored to win by 15 point against A&M. C. Morgan Engel — THE BATTALION
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ast night I watched as the Houston Astros #EarnedHistory by winning their first World Series in franchise history. My heart was pounding during the bottom of the ninth as I waited on those last three outs. Then I cheered, I cried and I danced around my living room in celebration. I’ve been an Astros fan my whole life. I remember going to games from a young age and watching legends like the Killer Bs — Biggio, Bagwell and Berkman — play, watching Roger Clemens pitch with Brad Ausmus behind the plate. I learned baseball watching the Astros; I love baseball because I grew up in an Astros-loving family. This win was well deserved after the years of 100+ loss seasons we endured to get here, to develop the team that would take us to, and win, the big dance. But the win is so much more than just the first World Series title the team
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The Battalion | 11.3.17
Mariah Colon, Life & Arts Editor Cassie Stricker, Photo Editor Adrienne DeMoss, Multimedia Editor Maya Hiatt, Page Designer Brad Morse, SciTech Editor
THE BATTALION is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during the fall and spring semesters and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center.
brings home. This win is for Houston, which has gone through so much and still has a long recovery ahead. This win is because of how resilient the team is — they’ve fought back through the adversity over the past few years, they fought through the slump around the middle of this season, they fought through a hurricane destroying their city. Not to mention they fought through the Red Sox, the Yankees and the Dodgers: All three powerhouse baseball programs. Watching these games has brought Houston together and given them hope, something to take their minds off of the horrific damage caused by Hurricane Harvey. I saw pictures on social media last night of Houston residents watching the game from partially rebuilt homes. The win was for Puerto Rico as well, home country of shortstop Carlos Correa who stood tall with a Puerto Rican flag draped over his shoulders as the commissioner presented the team with the trophy.
After Harvey, The Battalion ran an article about how sports brings people together after events like this. And it’s true. The Astros have worn the H-Strong patch on their jerseys since the hurricane hit and as Alex Bregman said in a postgame interview, the team played for Houston. This win is for the team, but also for the whole city of Houston. I’ve been an Astros fan forever, so this win is something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. While I don’t remember the particular games from the 2005 World Series trip, I still wear the hat my dad bought the night they punched their ticket to the series. Now, I’ll get to wear a championship shirt. Winning the World Series has been a long time coming for the ‘Stros and no team deserves it more than they do. Gracie Mock is a Communication senior and Managing Editor for The Battalion.
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising call 979-845-2687. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com. Subscriptions: A part of the University Advancement Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1.
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Senior Gracie Mock (second from right) has attended Astros games with her family for years.
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www.thebatt.com ROCK THE QUAD
The Corps of Cadets will host a celebration Friday night, taking full advantage of the recently renovated Quad, by bringing together live music, food and various Aggie activities to raise money for hurricane relief. The festivities kick off at 7 p.m. and attendance is open to the public. The musical lineup includes Clayton Gardner, Class of 2017, and Prairie Switch, a country group from El Campo, Texas featuring two former Cadets: Nick Jasek of E-1 and Adam Hill of Squadron 17 and Parson’s Mounted Cavalry. A saber, signed Aggie gear and gift cards will be raffled off throughout the night and Rock the Quad t-shirts are also available for purchase from C.C. Creations online until Nov. 7. All proceeds will support ongoing Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
CONGRATULATIONS! Join the celebration as 2,800 shiny new Aggie Rings will be delivered at the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center
November 17 • Aggie Ring Day 11:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Ring Tickets distributed online at AggieNetwork.com beginning at 7 a.m. on November 3 through Ring Day. Choose your ticket time for November 17. Limited tickets available per 15 minute timeslots. Visit tx.ag/RingDay to assist in planning your Ring Day experience. Over 20,000 guests are expected on Aggie Ring Day, so please prepare accordingly.
Important Reminders • The Haynes Ring Plaza is a restricted area for ticketed Ring recipients and their guests. The Ticket Check is on the west side of the Ring Plaza. • The Aggie Ring replica is not a photo station during Aggie Ring Day. Personal photography stations are available outside of the Alumni Center. • The Aggie Ring Shuttle drop off is on Houston St. on the west side of the Alumni Center. If your group’s time has already passed, please wait until the top of the hour when your group will be called once again. Entrance will only be allowed if it is either your group’s approximated time slot or when your group is called at the top of the hour (see schedule for clarification).
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CHECK OUT OUR SNAPCHAT STORY FRIDAY AT 8 A .M.
SWIMMING&DIVING
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The Battalion | 11.3.17
BATTLING THE CURRENT Johnathon Tybur hasn’t let ulcerative colitis stop him from reaching his goals
Kevin Chou — THE BATTALION
“To then go all the way back down to the bottom and to be able to climb back up later in my college career was pretty surreal.” — Jonathan Tybur
By Hannah Underwood @hannahbunderwoo
B
y age 14, Jonathan Tybur was one of the top breaststrokers in the nation. The College Park High School student was even training for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. That is, until an ulcerative colitis diagnosis ended those dreams, forcing him to eventually settle for a non-scholarship walk-on spot on the Aggie swim team. Despite the early setbacks to his swimming career, Tybur, now a Texas A&M senior, has fought back to re-earn his spot as one of the top breaststrokers in the country, earning 16th place in the 100-breast at the NCAA Championships this past March, and recently, a spot on the 2017-18 U.S. National Team. On Thursday, Oct. 26, Tybur was honored with the Courageous Student-Athlete Award at the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS) Giant Steps Awards Banquet in Orlando, Florida.
Senior Jonathan Tybur received the Courageous Student-Athlete Award at the NCAS Giant Steps Award Banquet in Orlando, Florida.
“It came as quite a bit of a shock,” Tybur said. “It’s pretty prestigious to even make the nominations and to find out that I had won, it was pretty amazing.” In January of his sophomore year of high school, Tybur began experiencing the symptoms synonymous with ulcerative colitis: Severe abdominal pain, swollen joints, bleeding ulcers lining his large intestine and bloody stools. After an 11-day hospital stay, doctors confirmed the diagnosis. Tybur said his physicians originally contemplated removing his colon, but upon discovering his passion for competitive swimming, opted instead for medication as a means of treatment. The medication offered just as many side effects as the symptoms they treated, though, ultimately leaving Tybur 30 pounds lighter. Because of the weight loss that led to a decline in strength and endurance, he had to alter his swimming technique. “That was one of the key things, learning how to swim efficiently,” Tybur said. “I was one of the top breaststrokers in the country as a 13, 14-year-old and part of my freshman year, and to then go all the way back down to the bottom and to be able to climb back up later in my college career was pretty surreal.” The rise to college dominance began during Tybur’s senior year of high school when A&M men’s swimming head coach Jay Holmes entered the scene. “I remember meeting Jay and we sat down, we talked,” Tybur said. “I kind of explained my whole story and all of the stuff that had happened. ‘If you give me a spot on this team, I’ll try my best every single day.’” Despite chances a flare-up could end Tybur’s college career, Holmes took a chance on him and allowed him to join the team as a preferred walk-on, which gave Tybur a guaranteed spot on the team but not a scholarship. “His club coach, Tim Bauer from The Wood-
lands, and I had several conversations about Jonathan,” Holmes said. “Tim knew he would be a risk for us to take just from the health issues that he’s got, and Tim’s message all along was, if he stays healthy, he will be a great point-scorer for you. I just took Tim’s word for it.” That risk has obviously paid off and Tybur has managed to stay relatively healthy. He even earned a scholarship after tallying personal bests in three events at the SEC Championships his freshman season. Since then, Tybur has been named a team captain twice. “The thing is with ulcerative colitis, it’s not a onetime disease,” Tybur said. “You have it for the rest of your life and it can reoccur at any time, so there’s no guarantee. I could show up on the first day and have a flare-up, and that’s it. The coaches didn’t know what they were going to get, and I’m very thankful they were able to give me the opportunity.” A year into his journey, Tybur became a mentor to a boy he met while they were both participating in a trial study for a new medication to combat their shared disease. He also keeps in contact with a family in the Bryan-College Station area whose son was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis about a year ago. “I know it can be really a bit of a struggle for the parents,” Tybur said. “When you’re in a flare or whenever it’s bad, it doesn’t ever seem like there’s an end in sight. It just kind of seems like it’s perpetuating and it’s really quite awful, so I speak with them about my experiences going through it and just try and bring as much comfort as I can.” Despite the success and accolades, Tybur maintains that, at the end of the day, he is simply one thing: Jonathan Tybur. “I kind of see myself as just the guy who likes to swim and enjoys studying geology,” Tybur said. “I just kind of see myself as a regular person. For someone to reach out and want to talk to me about my experiences, it’s just amazing as well as humbling.”
RIVALRY REMATCH AT THE NATATORIUM A&M swimming and diving team to take on the Texas Longhorns Friday By Hannah Underwood @hannahbunderwoo The Texas A&M swimming and diving teams will host the Texas Longhorns on Friday in their first home meet of the season. The No. 11 Aggie men face the defending three-time national champions No. 5 Texas, while the No. 5 women take on the No. 2-ranked Longhorns. “We’re number five, so everybody’s pretty excited,” Steve Bultman, women’s swimming head coach, said. “It’s just one of those meets. Whoever steps up that day has a shot to win. It’s going to be close. It’s going to be fun.” The women are currently undefeated at 3-0, including two wins over the ranked teams Notre Dame and Auburn. The men sit at 2-1 after a narrow 168-132 loss to Auburn on Oct. 21. The last time the men faced Texas in the pool was for their 2014 season opener, which they lost 153-115. The women fell to the burnt orange-and-white on Nov. 3, 2016 by a margin of 166.5-128.5. “Even the ones who aren’t from Texas understand what this really means,” Jay Holmes, men’s swimming head coach, said. “We’re just looking for a great meet. There’ll be a lot of excitement there.” Five Aggie women hold spots on the NCAA Top 10 Best Times list. Beryl Gastaldello leads with three spots — sixth in the 50 free (22.40), sixth in the 100 free (48.68) and 10th in the 100 fly (53.43). “I’m pretty pumped,” Gastaldello said. “The whole team is pumped. We’re doing really well in practice, the team atmosphere is incredible and there’s just a lot of hype for this Friday. I’m excited regardless of the outcome. I think everyone has a positive attitude and is ready to go.” Lisa Bratton, Jorie Caneta and Bethany Galat each earned two spots on the list, and Anna Belousova added one spot. Mauro Castillo leads the men on the NCAA Top 25 Best Times list, coming in at eighth in the 200 breast (1:58.56), 12th in
the 100 breast (54.55) and 22nd in the 200 IM (1:48.99). “It’s the first dual meet versus Texas since my freshman year, so I’m really excited and looking forward to it,” Castillo said. “Swimming at home is just the best feeling because people show up and cheer for the Aggies and it’s a really good experience.” Brock Bonetti follows Castillo with fourth in the 200 back (1:44.18) and eighth in the 100 back (47.39). Adam Koster, Anthony Kim and Ben Walker also earned two spots each on the list. The Texas women’s roster boasts a lineup of 11 juniors and redshirt juniors who have been on a pool deck for an NCAA Championship meet. “They are a good team,” Bultman said. “There are no holes in their lineup, and so we’re going to have to be ready to compete with them.” The Texas men’s squad includes USA National Team member Townley Haas, who has earned three gold medals for Team USA. The Aggie men’s team boasts a USA National Team member of its own, with senior Jonathan Tybur, who battles ulcerative colitis, recently earning his spot. “That’s pretty exciting especially with his story,” Holmes said. “He’s got some obstacles, but he has overcome, and so for him to get up and make the National Team, we were very excited about that.” The two teams will kick off the rivalry meet at 6 p.m. in the Rec Center Natatorium. “It’s Texas versus A&M,” Holmes said. “It’s just going to be a great meet.”
SWIMMING AND DIVING NO. 5 WOMEN VS. NO. 2 TEXAS NO. 11 MEN VS. NO. 5 TEXAS
NOV. 3 AT 6 P.M. A&M STUDENT REC NATATORIUM
FILE — THE BATTALION
The women’s team is currently undefeated (3-0) and the men’s team is 2-1. Both teams will look to add a number in the win column against Texas, on Friday.
FOOTBALL
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The Battalion | 11.3.17
LOUDEST AND PROUDEST STUDENT SECTION A numerical breakdown of just how loud kyle Field gets on Saturdays By Chris Martin @Martin19340 With 10 minutes and 18 seconds left to go in the fourth quarter against Alabama, over 100,000 fans erupted when Texas A&M 12th Man linebacker Cullen Gillaspia blocked a punt to force a safety, causing one of the loudest moments this season. The saying “loudest and proudest” isn’t just talk at A&M, it is also backed up by science. For three consecutive events held in Kyle Field, the decibel readings nearly matched the sound of a jet engine and easily surpassed the noise level of a heavy metal concert. The highest decibel reading among the A&M-South Carolina game, Alabama Midnight Yell and the A&M-Alabama game came during the Crimson Tide, when Kyle Field reached 126 decibels during the fourth quarter. To put this into comparison, the average sound of a regular conversation is 60 decibels, a night club is 110 decibels and a jet engine 200 feet away is 130 decibels, according to Occupational Safety and Health Administration — an agency that regulates safe working conditions. There are several things that can affect how loud a stadium gets, including one’s posture when yelling. One thing Aggies do during games is the hump position — when fans bend their knees and lean forward to maximize the noise. Morgan Jenks, audiovisual researcher and assistant professor in the department of visualization, said the concrete and metal stands help reflect the sound from fans in the recently renovated Kyle Field. “The seating capacity is a lot bigger [in new Kyle Field], so the sound sources are increasing,” Jenks said. “If there are less gaps in the concrete structure, it’s going to reflect the
sound back in a lot more. It’s probably going to louder down on the ground level and in the corner since there are more waves reflecting to the field.” Jenks said sound can be seen as big and small vibrations in the air, and heat will make sound waves travel faster since air molecules at higher temperatures have more energy and can vibrate faster. During the Alabama game, the temperature in College Station had a high of 79 and low of 66 degrees Fahrenheit, which played a factor in the maximum decibel reading in the fourth quarter. During both the Alabama and South Carolina games, the decibel readings fluctuated from 99-109 decibels and increased two decibels on third downs for the opposing team. In the the fourth quarter, the readings increased by four decibels than in the previous three quarters. During the A&M-South Carolina football game, the loudest moment came at 114 decibels with 13 minutes and 13 seconds left in the fourth quarter when A&M scored a touchdown, which was later overturned due to a flag on the play. The loudest yell at the Alabama Midnight Yell was 112 decibels, the loudest “Whoop” was 96 decibels and the loudest “Horse laugh” was 76 decibels. Thomas Ferris, industrial engineering associate professor who works with sound in human engineering, said an individual’s hearing system will adapt to the surroundings, similar to how the visual system adapts to different levels of light. “After an Aggie [football] game — assuming you’ve been sitting in a loud section — you have that period after the game, where it seems you need everything to be louder to be able to hear at a normal level,” Ferris said. “You may find yourselves shouting at your friends as you’re driving home. A lot of this has to do with the temporary threshold shift — just like how human’s visual system adjusted to different light levels — it takes a little longer, but the auditory system will adapt as
Alexis Will — THE BATTALION
All measured decibel readings were made from the student section in Kyle Field. Loudest whoop, hiss, cannon blast taken at midnight yell for the Alabama game. Measuring at different places may result in different readings. Values for common sound levels are from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. well.” Spikes in noise can cause hearing damage, but short loud noises do not cause as much damage when compared to long exposure, according to Jenks. “Once you get above 90 decibels, it can cause hearing damage … but it also has something to do with how long you’re exposed to the sound,” Jenks said. “It is potentially damaging, but if it’s just one day a week for 10 weeks, it’s not going to be that big of a deal. If it was five days a week, that would be something serious.” Although football games can get loud, Ferris said humans are exposed to loud noises in everyday life that can affect an individual’s hearing. “Hearing loss is something that happens as we age … but not just aging that makes ears
go bad,” Ferris said. “If you were living in a very protective auditory environment your whole life, you would still maintain a good hearing level. In [our] everyday lives, we are constantly exposed to loud noises. The longer you live, the more exposure to these noises.” Tom Netek, engineering freshman, said he has been to multiple professional and college sporting events, and the home game against Alabama was the loudest environment he had been in. “I have been a lot of stadiums and I’ve never heard anything like that,” Netek said. “Especially in a game where we were losing by two touchdowns and really didn’t have much of a chance. When we scored that first touchdown, it felt like the whole SEC was cheering us on. My ears were ringing, I had a headache, my chest hurt — it was amazing.”
GAME PREVIEW CONTINUED and so as a coaching staff we have to be able to be a little more creative in the running game and maybe utilize some other people to do that.” Mond led all Aggie rushers with a paltry 32 yards while running backs Trayveon Williams and Keith Ford amassed only 57 yards on 18 carries. A&M has not surpassed 100 rushing yards since the South Carolina game on Sept. 30, which has stalled its offense as a whole. “Teams are stacking the box, so it’s kind of difficult to run the ball in that situation,” said Williams, who rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown in last year’s 29-16 win over Auburn. “When that happens you have to produce in the passing game. We have to critique some things in our game.” The Tigers are ranked fourth in the SEC in total defense, but their pass coverage has been a bit vulnerable at times. A&M failed to connect on two deep passes early in last Saturday’s game that could have set the tone for the offense, and Kirk said converting those chances is going to be crucial for their success moving forward. “It comes down to taking advantage of our opportunities,” Kirk said. “Our first two plays of the game last week on offense we could’ve hit both for touchdowns. A big part of our offense is making those explosive plays and we just didn’t do it.” Even with the ugly loss against Mississippi State, a win over Auburn would propel the Aggies to bowl eligibility and re-establish their position toward the top of the SEC West standings. Sumlin said his players will keep the same approach they’ve had all season. “I care about what these guys in this building think first,” Sumlin said. “I think that they’ve shown a resiliency before, I think they’ve show toughness before and I think they’ve shown the ability to finish before. As we got back to work yesterday the attitude and the way they’ve approached things all year lead me to believe that’s still who we are.” Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Kyle Field and will be broadcast on ESPN.
Hanna Hausman — THE BATTALION
Freshman quarterback Kellen Mond only had 56 passing yards before leaving the game against Miss. State in the fourth quarter.
Hanna Hausman — THE BATTALION
Junior wide receiver junior Christian Kirk and freshman Jhaman Ausbon combined for eight catches against Mississippi State last Saturday.
Making sure history does not repeat itself A&M looks to learn from last week’s lost to move forward and win By Alex Miller @AlexMill20 Monday meetings for the Texas A&M football team are called “The Truth,” and the Aggies needed a reality check to begin preparation for this weekend’s matchup against Auburn after last Saturday’s frustrating 35-14 loss to Mississippi State. The main point of emphasis: Do not make the same mistake twice. “The things that are said in there are things that are critical of everybody … being able to look at those critical errors, things that didn’t go right and fix them,” A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin said at his Tuesday press conference. “Saturday I thought we had a real execution problem.” A combination of struggles up front on the offensive line and poor receiver play resulted in stagnant offensive production from the Aggies against the Bulldogs, who accumulated just 285 yards of total offense with 169 coming in the fourth quarter. “We weren’t able to make competitive plays,” Sumlin said. “It’s not just one guy.
I thought our execution was poor and that wasn’t just on the quarterback.” While players did not deliver when needed, Sumlin took full responsibility of the rocky outing. “Ultimately, I’m responsible for our performance,” Sumlin said. “We have talked about that internally what thoughts are on why that happened, and then moving forward how to fix it.” Missed opportunities early in the game set A&M back, according to wide receiver Christian Kirk, who was overthrown on a post route on A&M’s first offensive play that could have been a touchdown. Generating big plays on the perimeter have kept the Aggies in tight games earlier in the season, an area Kirk said the unit has to capitalize on when possible. “It definitely helps taking advantage of our opportunities,” Kirk said. “That’s a big part of our offense, making explosive plays and we just didn’t do it and when that happens it’s tough to get back going.” Still, A&M currently ranks ninth in the SEC in passing yards per game (196.1) and its top-receiver, Kirk, ranks 12th in the league in receiving yards (393). “There’s some minor things that we need
to fix,” Kirk said. “It’s really important that we look ourselves in the mirror and find something that as a team we can get better at and each individual on this team can look at and say, hey this is where I can get better at.” Due to lack of success in the passing game against the Bulldogs, the Aggies faced numerous third-and-long situations making it difficult to move the chains. “When we got put in long third downs, it makes it a lot harder and if we can’t produce, then we can’t win in that situation,” running back Trayveon Williams said. This in turn affected the A&M run game, which has been held under 100 yards in the past three games. The minimal rushing success has only fueled Williams to find a solution. “It gives you motivation throughout the week that you’ve got to do something different,” Williams said. Kirk concluded that the key to offensive execution is clear cut: It is on players to make the plays. “One of the messages Coach Mazzone said to us this week is plays don’t win games, players win games,” Kirk said. “We have to go out there and take advantage of the opportunities we’re given.”
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FOOTBALL The Battalion | 11.3.17
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AROUND THE SEC
WEEK 10: STAFF PICKS Texas A&M vs. No. 14 Auburn
A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE FOR WEEK 10
Saturday, Nov. 4 @ 11:00 a.m. on ESPN
By Kevin Roark @Kevin_Roark
ANGEL
SOUTH CAROLINA AT NO. 1 GEORGIA
LUKE
Hey, it’s refreshing to see someone new at the top of the nation’s leaderboard. Wait, South Carolina is 6-2 and second in the SEC East? I know, I’m just as surprised as you are. The fact of the matter is South Carolina has silently been rocking it down in Columbia. Now it seems they have got a chance to knock Georgia off the throne. That being said, the Bulldogs aren’t ranked No. 1 for nothing and now they’ve got a big red and black target painted on their backs. The Gamecocks are masters of deception, playing absolutely inconsistent at every position and yet, finding a way to win. How they’re doing this is by not making dumb mistakes. They’re ninth in the nation with just 0.8 giveaways per game, 16th in turnover margin and eighth in penalty yards per game. Now that’s playing smart football, and smart football wins games. The Bulldogs, however, are so explosive that they merely sweep these statistics under the rug. They’re deadly efficient, accounting .572 points per play and literally perfect in the red zone. They’re tied for first in the nation here, meaning they’ve never gotten within 20 yards of the end zone and not come away with points. That’s a daunting task for a Gamecocks squad who won’t be able to slow down the Dawgs or keep up with them on the offensive side. I expect South Carolina to make this a very enjoyable watch, but ultimately fall flat. Prediction: Georgia 37, South Carolina 17
C. MORGAN BRAD MAYA EMMY Emmy Bost
Maya Hiatt
Asst. News Editor @EmmyBost
Page Designer @MayaHiatt
The Ags are going to HECK up the Tigers somethin’ fierce.
Tigers are endangered.
Luke Henkhaus
NO. 19 LSU AT NO. 2 ALABAMA
Brad Morse
News Editor @luke_henkhaus
Don’t be fooled by that No. 2 rating: Alabama is still borderline unfairly good. I guess Georgia’s just getting it done with a little more flare than the Tide. At this point in the season it’s safe to say LSU is officially a competitive team. Their two losses come against teams they really should have beat, but things have since turned around for the Tigers and they’re making plays happen. This week they go into Tuscaloosa, the definition of home field advantage. The LSU O-Line has been better, but Derrius Guice isn’t Leonard Fournette. Plus, on average Alabama concedes just 68.1 yards on the ground per game. Bama will force the Tigers to move the chains through the air. This isn’t what LSU is famous for, but they have shown the ability to stretch the field and mitigate turnovers. That’ll prove handy against an Alabama squad who feeds off takeaways. Rewind some of their opponents’ turnovers this season, and all of a sudden they aren’t 8-0. The bottom line is this will be a hard-fought matchup until the end with a Tigers team still in playoff contention and the Crimson Tide wanting to prove they’re still No. 1. Last season was a dogfight until Alabama pulled away with just a 10-0 win. This season, LSU controls their turnovers, tests Bama downfield and keeps things interesting. Prediction: Alabama 24, LSU 13
Sci-Tech Editor @bradsmorse53
We’re good, but they’re grrrrrreat!
C. Morgan Engel
I flipped a coin — heads A&M wins, tails Auburn loses. It was heads.
Asst. Photo Chief @cmefoto
Angel Franco
The first Aggie football game I covered was against Auburn. We lost. I’m thinking I won’t cover this one, and we will win! That’s how that works, right?
Sports Editor @angelmadison_
@ Morgan, as the sports editor, I don’t think thats how it works, but you can be hopeful. Like me!
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FOR RENT 2bd/2ba cozy condo 3-blocks from campus, fenced backyard, w/d connections, over 1000sqft, no HUD, $645/mo total. 506-B College Main 254-289-0585 254-289-8200
When
to call 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Insertion deadline: 1 p.m. prior business day
FOR RENT A.B.P., furnished room for single, rural, $125/week, no smoking, 979-571-3822.
2bd/2ba rates reduced & starting at $699! Call Renaissance Park at 979-696-9771 today.
Game Weekend Rental, Oxford,MS. New, 4bd/4.5 condo fully furnished, convenient to stadium, sleeps up to 12. 662-801-1300
4 cottages for rent: open concept on organic farm 37mi from Bryan, Tx 288-750sqft, furnished $500$650/mo, water included, electric and garbage not included. 5acre pasture available for extra fee, no dogs allowed. 254-697-2927, info@sandcreekfarm.net
PLANTATION OAK APARTMENT First 2 Months Free Move-In Special, NO security deposit. Cable, Wireless, Internet, & Pest Paid! 12 months and short term leases available. 979-693-1110. Email bcsplantationoaks@gmail.com
SPECIAL
see ads at thebatt.com
Private Party Want ads
$10 for 20 words running 5 days, if your merchandise is priced $1,000 or less (price must appear in ad). This rate applies only to non-commercial advertisers offering personal possessions for sale. Guaranteed results or you get an additional 5 days at no charge. If item doesn’t sell, advertiser must call before 1 p.m. on the day the ad is scheduled to end to qualify for the 5 additional insertions at no charge. No refunds will be made if your ad is cancelled early.
FOR RENT Northgate 1/1, 2/2, 3/2, and 3/3 & 3/2 house, parking free, walk to campus. aggievillas.net Available now. Special price for January. Call 979-255-5648.
HELP WANTED Athletic men for calendars, books, etc. $75-$150/hr, up to $500/day. No experience. aggieresponse@gmail.com
HELP WANTED Cheddar's and Fish Daddy's now accepting applications. Apply within, University Dr. Cleaning commercial buildings at night, M-F. Call 979-823-5031 for interview. Part-time caregiver help needed. Fit For Kids 3609 East 29th Bryan, Tx. 979-846-1143
HELP WANTED Part-time/Full-time help needed at Bell Fence Supply, pipe cutting, forklift operation, possible welding, etc, will work with school hours/schedule, call Doug Tucker at 979-703-8901 to schedule interview. Seeking professionals with style and a desire to grow within a company. Apply at www.Dillards.com or send your resume to Sara.anciso@dillards.com We offer full-time and part-time positions and a competitive benefits package. Join the Dillardʼs team today! eeoc Student for ranch work. 14-16 flexible hours/week. $15/hour. 20 miles from Sam's on Highway 30. Send resume to mspeed@verizon.net
the
battalion Classified Advertising Easy Affordable Effective For information, call 845-0569
HELP WANTED Student workers needed, cleaning, construction, yard work, framing, etc, 979-571-3822. Work around your class schedule! No Saturday or Sundays, off during the holidays. The Battalion Advertising Office is hiring an Advertising Sales Representative. Must be enrolled at A&M and have reliable transportation. Interested applicants should come by our office located in the MSC, Suite 400, from 8am-4pm, ask to speak with Joseph.
REAL ESTATE BUY/SELL with Team McGrann! Michael, TAMU'93 Civil Engineering 979-739-2035, mcgranntx@yahoo.com Nadia 979-777-6211, Town&Country Realty. Hablamos Espanol!
ANSWERS
to todays puzzles
FOOTBALL
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The Battalion | 11.3.17
Attempting to reverse the curse Sumlin, players look to avoid repeating last season’s mistakes By Ryan MacDonald @Ryan_MacDonald2 Things were looking up for Texas A&M football after a tough win in The Swamp and followed by an off week. However, the Aggies took a step back in their game against Mississippi State with poor performances virtually across the board. The quarterbacks combined for 1641 for a mere 189 yards and three interceptions, the running backs combined for just 68 yards on 21 attempts, the offensive line was shaky and the receivers had their worst game of the season with some inexcusable drops. Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald shredded the A&M defense for 141 yards in the air and 105 yards rushing and the Aggie defense had an uncharacteristically tough time getting to the quarterback. Overall, the game left fans feeling like they did following the UCLA game —
Lease Is Up?
completely disheartened. The loss also evoked emotions of ‘here we go again’ entering the month of November, the same month the Aggies have struggled in during the past three years. A&M football has a combined SEC record of 3-7 in the last month of regular season play during that span. Despite the historic struggles, A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin is convinced this team is different and won’t have the familiar November drop off, because they have already proven they can comeback from a tough loss. “I think that they’ve shown a resiliency before, I think that they’ve shown a toughness before, and I think they’ve shown the ability to finish before,” Sumlin said at Tuesday’s press conference. “As we got out to practice yesterday, these guys’ attitudes and how they’ve approached things led me to believe that, that’s who we are.” A huge part of the past late-season collapses has been the A&M defense conceding too many points to remain competitive. The Aggies defense has averaged 25.8 points per game allowed in SEC games in the month of November in the last three seasons.
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Hanna Hausman — THE BATTALION
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Texas A&M gained 96 yards on the ground against Mississipi State. The Aggies have not rushed for more than 100 yards over the past three games this season.
AGGIELAND YEARBOOK
2018-2019 Parking Permit
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Senior safety Armani Watts has been part of the late-season collapses in the past three seasons and points to the November crashes in the past as issues in the teams’ mentality. However, he said he is confident this team is different in between the ears. “This team is way different mentally than years past, we’re not worried about the outside noise,” Watts said. “We’re sticking together as a family and we know if we stick together there’s nothing anyone can do against us.” The first step in avoiding another subpar record will be getting a win on Saturday against Auburn. In order to do that, the Aggies will have to do something that hasn’t been done by either team in A&M and Auburn’s five meetings in SEC play: Win at home. Junior wide receiver Christian Kirk said the 12th Man gives the Aggies an advantage, but in order to beat a strong opponent such as Auburn, the Aggies need to make competitive plays they haven’t made in years past. “The 12th Man is great, they have an effect on the game, but they’re not playing in the games, that’s up to us,” Kirk said. “We have one of the biggest fields in the country and we have great coaches, but at the end of the day it comes down to players making the plays that we need to make.” The game will kickoff at 11 a.m., the Aggies’ third of the season in that timeslot. A&M had slow starts in their other two morning games, trailing at halftime to Louisiana-Lafayette and Arkansas. Junior linebacker and 12th Man Cullen Gillaspia said he’ll be alert and will make sure his teammates are energized so as to avoid another early deficit. “I’ll be awake, I’ll be going crazy on the sidelines. That first hit will wake some guys up,” Gillaspia said. “I’ll be in their ears all day long,” Gillaspia and his teammates will look to start a new November chapter this Saturday. The game will be televised on ESPN. “We really need a win this week, it’s going to be a big time test for us,” Kirk said. “We went to Auburn last year and got a win so they’re going to come in here looking to do the same. They’re going to have the right mentality and a lot of energy and we’re going to have to match.”
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parking permit!
Transportation Services is looking for a creative student, faculty or staff member’s design to be featured on the 2018-2019 parking permit. Entries may be submitted Oct. 12, 2017 to Nov. 30, 2017. Transportation Services employees not eligible. Other rules apply. See more at transport.tamu.edu/permitcontest TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
Transportation Services
of the 2017 Aggieland Yearbook, a photojournalistic record of the 2016-2017 school year. The 115th edition of Texas A&M’s Official Yearbook will be available before the holidays.
Go online to aggieland.tamu.edu or call 979-845-2613 to make your purchase.
$75.00 + Tax (Includes Mail Fee)
Don’t forget to preorder your copy of the 2018 Aggieland yearbook. The 116th edition of Texas A&M’s official yearbook. Ordering can be done online at aggieland.tamu.edu, or by calling 979-845-2613. Distribution will be the Fall 2018. 2016 Aggielands and previous yearbooks are now on sale. Stop by room L400 in the MSC or call 979-845-2613.
$40.00 + Tax (Includes Mail Fee)