Texas A&M vs. Alabama: Win could cement Aggies' place in SEC

With the reputation the SEC has for football dominance, six straight national championships included, there were definitely questions about how the Texas A&M Aggies would fare in their new conference. Some didn't understand the A&M addition at all, while others thought it would at least take the Aggies several years to be up to snuff.

Now, with a 4-2 conference record and a big win over ranked conference foe Mississippi State, SI.com's Stewart Mandel says the Aggies can make one ringing declaration this Saturday against the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide: not only do we belong, but we are among the SEC elite.

At this point, there is little question Texas A&M belongs, as quarterback Johnny Manziel explains:

The questions about us getting pushed around and out-physicaled in this league, we answered that in the first game. Just because we're a spread team doesn't mean we're a finesse team. -Johnny Manziel

But being among the SEC elite is another matter. The high-powered Aggies offense has been slowed down in their two losses to top-10 teams. No. 6 Florida and No. 7 LSU both held Manziel and company under 20 points.

A win over Alabama, who has two national championships and a 45-4 record dating back to 2009, would certainly say something big about Texas A&M's addition to the conference.