College Station, Texas ? Flawless start or fools’ gold? Solidly unbeaten or simply unchallenged?

Texas A&M moved to 4-0 for the first time since 2001 with a 45-14 win over Louisiana Tech last Saturday. Coach Dennis Franchione said the easy early schedule served a number of functions, mainly to bolster his team’s confidence.

But the first true gauge of how much – or if – the Aggies have improved from last season comes Saturday, when they open Big 12 play against Texas Tech (3-1).

“I like what’s happened for us and what the first four games have given us,” Franchione said. “We think so much of this as a physical game, but the mental and emotional aspect is so important. I think we’re going into this game strong in those areas, as a result.”

Franchione said earlier this month the Aggies’ opening win over The Citadel gave his players a chance to learn from mistakes with little risk of losing. The same could also be said of the rest of the nonconference schedule, though the Aggies needed a late goal-line stand to beat Army in San Antonio.

A&M lost difficult early road games in each of Franchione’s first three seasons – at Virginia Tech in 2003, at Utah in 2004 and at Clemson last year.

Franchione defends this season’s nonconference slate by pointing to 0-4 Colorado. After losing their opener to Division I-AA Montana State, the Buffaloes have dropped games to Colorado State,

Arizona State and Georgia.

“They’re sitting there trying to piece it all together,” Franchione said. “We’re sitting here with a completely different frame of mind.”

The Aggies have won their first four games by an average score of 40-12. Their pass defense, the nation’s worst in 2005, now leads the Big 12 and ranks sixth in the nation, allowing 127.5 passing yards per game. The scoring offense also ranks sixth.

The statistics are deceptive, considering the level of competition, but Franchione shrugs off the notion the Aggies haven’t been tested.

“I don’t think there’s anybody sitting around worrying about, ‘Have we been challenged enough?”‘ he said. “I think we feel like we’ve been prepared.”

Tight end Martellus Bennett called the first four games “exhibitions,” though he added the Aggies consider it an accomplishment to get through them without a blemish.

“It doesn’t matter who you’re playing,” he said. “A lot of people say our schedule is weak, but you look around the country and anybody can beat anybody at any time.

“Just to come into the Big 12 undefeated is pretty good for any team.”

Safety Melvin Bullitt said the Aggies have learned how to win this month, an important step for a team that went 5-6 in 2005.

“We’ve got into a winning habit,” Bullitt said. “That’s one thing, last year, that we really didn’t have a grasp of. Every game this year, we’ve went out and we’ve finished.

“That’s what we want to take with us from these previous four games.”