ESPN’s latest Football Power Index has Texas A&M sitting just outside the top 10, landing at No. 11 as the Aggies head toward a 2026 season that’s suddenly getting close. With kickoff set for Saturday, Sept. 5, the new ranking gives an early read on where Mike Elko’s team stands after a busy offseason and a roster that looks very different from a year ago.
Texas A&M is the fifth-highest ranked SEC team in the updated FPI, and ESPN gives the Aggies an 8.4-3.8 win-loss projection along with a 39.1% chance to make the College Football Playoff. That comes after the program reached the tournament for the first time in school history last fall.
There’s plenty of reason for optimism, but also a few real questions. Elko enters his third season with a roster that is 65% returning players from the 2025 team, plus 17 transfer additions and 26 freshmen from the 2026 recruiting class. The Aggies also had a record 10 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the offseason staff changes added another layer of uncertainty.
One of the biggest moves was elevating WR coach Holmon Wiggins to offensive coordinator and playcaller. The hire comes with risk, but Wiggins’ background matters too - he previously worked as former Alabama coach Nick Saban’s assistant head coach and served as co-offensive coordinator for former OC Collin Klein.
Defensively, Texas A&M has reloaded, even with unanimous All-American edge Cashius Howell gone. The addition of former Northwestern edge Anto Saka stands out, especially with Saka taking part in the annual Sack Summit this weekend. Under Elko and new defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill, the defense is not expected to be the issue.
That shifts the spotlight to quarterback Marcel Reed. After a career year, Reed now gets to work with one of the country’s strongest receiver groups, a room that now includes Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton. Junior Mario Craver, coming off 59 catches for 917 yards and 4 touchdowns last season, leads that unit.
The biggest swing factor may be up front. Reed will be operating behind four new offensive line starters, and that group could end up deciding whether the Aggies get back to the postseason.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Is Closing In On A Huge Quarterback Win
Marcel Reeds rise has given Texas A&M a clear starting point for the 2026 season, and the Aggies are trying to turn that momentum into something bigger behind him. After Reed delivered a career-best passing year, Mike Elko and his staff have kept pressing forward on the recruiting trail, looking to add more talent to a quarterback room that needs both upside and long-term stability.
One of the names drawing real attention is Donald Tabron II, a four-star prospect who has shown strong interest in Texas A&M and is viewed as a likely addition to the class. For the Aggies, landing a young quarterback with that kind of pull would fit the larger plan of building depth at the most important position on the field, especially with the staff still working to secure its future options. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Just Got Another Huge Sign About Its Future Secondary
Texas A&Ms 2027 recruiting momentum got another jolt with safety Kamarui Dorsey, a centerpiece addition to a class that already sits No. 1 nationally after landing six five-star prospects. The Aggies have built real buzz on both sides of the ball, but Dorsey stands out as the kind of defensive back who fits the long-term picture in College Station, especially with Mike Elko continuing to stock the secondary with returning talent and transfer help.
Dorsey is expected to sign in early December, and his arrival only sharpens the conversation about what the back end of the defense could look like a year or two down the line. Texas A&M is already deep there, yet the path for future snaps is opening up, and Dorsey appears positioned to be part of the next wave when the current group moves on. [Read more 🡒]