You know it’s about time for the college football season to begin when the first story appears proclaiming that Texas A&M football coach Dennis Franchione remains on the hot seat (Brett Zwerneman of the San Antonio Express-News):

. . .Anyway, an Aggies neighbor here in town firmly stated Monday that this is Dennis Franchioneís make-or-break season in College Station. I didnít realize she had that much pull with the Aggies brass.
I argued that A&M will have a better team than last season — and a worse record. For starters to a tough last two-thirds of the schedule, the Aggies play a non-conference, Thursday night road game at Miami, a recently-proud program now under first-year coach Randy Shannon. [. . .]
Last year, A&M squeezed out a three-point victory at KU and a one-point victory in overtime at OSU. This year, A&M plays league road games at Texas Tech, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Missouri.
The Aggies havenít won in Lubbock since 1993. They havenít won in Lincoln, Neb., since 1955 (no, I didnít cover that game). They havenít won in Norman, Okla., since 1997. They havenít won in Columbia, Mo., since 1999.
In other words, A&M hasnít won at any of those places this millennium (or century, if that grabs you more). In 2003, Franchioneís first season at A&M and the last time the Aggies played this league slate, A&M lost at the above four hotspots by a combined 167 points.
One-hundred-and-sixty-seven points! (Right, that team didnít have Mike Goodson. You got me.)
Obviously theyíve got a little ground to make up. . . .

The entire column is here.