I'm late to this thread. Skimming some great stuff. Compliments to @closetojumping
I wonder if A&M making themselves largely unignorable despite nobody much caring about their football program places them in a unique position to be over-rated just about every year.
I think they are likely the only team of some prominence in college ball to have alumni constantly touting themselves as the next blue blood. They mantra the sleeping giant/all the advantages line until the notion finds footing in some minds of the national CFB media. At one time or another, just about all of those sports pundits pick A&M to surprise the world. At no time do the Aggies deliver more than a big upset win en route to their traditional ocho-cuatro.
Now, they have established the pitiful narrative of "is this year finally the year the Aggies break through?" Nobody really wants to spend any more time on A&M than they do Michigan State or Pitt, but the annual question, just as the annual failure, remains: is this the year?
They get an obligatory and cursory look flavored by the Aggie hard sell leading to this notion that they will be better than they are. The reasoning is usually applicable to all above average schools: if their QB breaks out, if the OL finally gels, if linebackers can stay healthy...
Other than OU's aging MNC, I don't think the breaks have ever gone well enough for the miracle to happen.
The Aggies just set themselves up, unfailingly, as a November punchline. The wages of self-promoting a self that sucks.