re: Why is everyone giving Arky a fighting chance against A&M?

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When will people realize TOP means jack shite in college football? It's the most I've overrated stat in the game.

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Well that's just completely untrue. Limiting TOP isn't about the number, it's about keeping the other teams offense off the field, keeping your own defense rested and the other teams defense from resting.

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He's correct, TOP doesn't mean anything to teams like Oregon and A&M. Under Sumlin we have routinely beaten teams by multiple scores while losing TOP.

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It's exactly how Stanford beat Oregon last year. Oregon could not stop the Stanford run and Stanford just kept pounding them the entire game. You have to get a few stops on defense, and then you limit the number of possessions. Limited possessions helps offenses from getting in a groove.

The big key is beating teams like A&M and Oregon in 3rd and long situations. If you can't do that and get a few stops, then TOP isn't enough to win a game.