Getty Image
Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher’s future at the helm is reportedly in danger. After dropping back-to-back SEC matchups against Alabama and Tennessee, the Aggies sit at just 4-3 on the year.
One notable college football reporter is saying that Fisher could be out at season’s end if things don’t turn around quickly. He referenced the success seen at rival Texas as a direct contributor.
A&M’s history with the Longhorns has been a rocky one. Having met nearly 120 times on the football field, Texas leads the all-time series by a 40-game margin (76-37-5).
The Longhorns boast a prominent football resume, having won 30 conference championships and four national titles. They’re one of the top five brands in college football. The Aggies, on the other hand, are always chasing after what their archrival possesses.
Texas A&M does have two national championships of its own, though none has come after WWII.
The two were members of the Big XII together following a joint departure from the Southwest Conference. After 25 years, the Aggies made the jump to the SEC.
That move was made, in large part, as a way to get out of the Longhorns’ shadow. Feeling a sense of favoritism shown towards the bigger brand, TAMU wanted a fresh start on its own.
“We want to be the only SEC program in the state of Texas,” AD Ross Bjork said about the decision to leave. “There’s a reason why Texas A&M left the Big 12 — to be standalone, to have our own identity.”
That divorce wouldn’t last long as Texas recently landed an invite to the SEC, against the Aggies’ wishes.
Where does Jimbo Fisher come into all of this, and how does the rivalry cloudy his future in College Station?
Well, Fisher was hired on a 10-year, guaranteed contract worth $75 million. That number was bumped to $95 million in 2021 following a 9-1 season.
Since seeing that extension, things have fallen apart.
The Ags went 8-4 the following year, then 5-7 in 2022. The 4-3 start to this season hasn’t been what was hoped for, and trips to Oxford and Baton Rouge still await on the schedule.
Look over to Austin, and the Longhorns have a chance to compete for a national championship. Though they did lose a heartbreaker to Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry, Texas owns a win over Alabama and could see a rematch with the Sooners in the Big XII title game should they run the table.
This coming under third-year head coach Steve Sarkisian. Fisher, meanwhile, has been at the helm for twice that time.
With the two programs seemingly headed in different directions, the powers at A&M could look to make a move, even with Fisher’s $77 million buyout.
Bruce Feldman of The Athletic says that money wouldn’t be an issue as frustrations continue to mount. He noted Texas’s success as a contributing factor in a potential firing.
“Texas A&M, I’m told, will find the money to get rid of him if he can’t get this thing going — and yes, it absolutely does matter to important folks down there that Texas has a chance to be a College Football Playoff team this year … and Steve Sarkisian has been on the job for half as long as Jimbo.”
Texas and Texas A&M rekindle their rivalry in 2024, but one man might not be there to see it.
Jimbo Fisher’s future in College Station could be decided at the end of the season. We’ll see how the Aggies finish the year, and if their head coach hangs onto his job.