Texas A&M enters its Week 7 home game against The Citadel with bigger-picture noise swirling around college football, as multiple outlets, including ESPN, reported that the current 12-team College Football Playoff could move toward a 24-team field.
That possible shift would only add to the pressure already sitting on Mike Elko’s program. The Aggies are 3-3 overall and 1-3 in SEC play after last Saturday’s 27-6 road loss to Missouri, and the roster may need a shakeup. That could mean more younger players getting chances on both sides of the ball, and it could also open the door for backup quarterback Brady Hart as redshirt junior Marcel Reed continues to struggle.
Elko has already acknowledged the kind of thinking that comes with playoff expansion. Earlier this year, when asked about a possible 24-team format, he joked to USA TODAY writer Blake Toppemeyer that job security for most Power Four coaches would hardly be an issue if the field gets bigger.
“The head coach who wants to keep his job, (he’ll say) the right size is 45 teams or however many we can possibly fit in it,” Elko stated to Toppemeyer, “because (making the playoff) is becoming such a marker for the premier programs, which is, either you’re in, or you’re out. And if you’re out, you failed.”
For Texas A&M, the current season isn’t going to end with a CFP berth. But if a 24-team playoff does become reality, the ripple effects could reach far beyond this fall. The Aggies’ offseason approach, especially when it comes to regular-season performance, could start looking very different.
One obvious headline: 8-4 teams would suddenly have plenty to celebrate. Under the proposed structure, 7 SEC teams, 6 Big Ten teams, 5 Big 12 teams, 4 ACC teams, Notre Dame, and one Group of 6 program would get bids. In that kind of setup, an 8-4 Texas A&M season could put the Aggies in position to matter.
That scenario becomes even more interesting when you look ahead to 2027. If Mike Elko lands an NFL-level quarterback through the transfer portal, keeps nearly all 26 commits in the No. 1-ranked 2027 recruiting class, and repairs the pass rush, 8-4 suddenly feels a lot more manageable.
The 2027 schedule won’t make things easy, either. Texas A&M is set to go on the road to Texas, Vanderbilt, Florida, and Auburn.
Still, the source of hope here is simple: bad seasons happen, recruiting gains momentum, and transfer portal talent can turn a program around fast. If 8-4 is enough to land among the top seven SEC teams, the Aggies would be sitting in a strong spot.
A 24-team playoff would also change the calendar in a major way. The current transfer portal window runs from January 4-13, but under the expanded format, it would stretch into late January and closer to February. That would create tougher calls for players looking to leave, especially for those still involved in the playoff.
It would also put more pressure on coaches to juggle everything at once. Elko is likely safe unless another collapse comes in 2027, but the job would get more complicated if Texas A&M were trying to navigate an expanded postseason, manage the roster in season, and still prepare for games. That strain would hit every coach, and Elko was among the SEC voices opposed to the change for a reason.
For now, all of this remains speculative, tied to the “expected” status of the proposal. But if the 24-team playoff becomes real, the sport is headed for a messier, louder, and very different future.
In Other News...
Mike Elkos Ashton Bethel-Roman Update Raises New Concern For Texas A&M
Mike Elkos latest update on Ashton Bethel-Roman added another layer of uncertainty to Texas A&Ms receiving room, even after a lopsided win over The Citadel kept the focus on the larger picture. Bethel-Roman was not with the team for the game because of personal reasons, and Elko said the program is giving him space as he handles the situation. For an Aggies offense that has already had to work around injuries at wideout, it is another reminder that the position group has been anything but settled.
Bethel-Romans absence comes after he had already dealt with an injury earlier this season, leaving him with limited production through the first seven weeks. Texas A&M did get useful contributions from Aaron Gregory and TK Norman in the latest game, which helps soften the immediate blow, but the broader concern is how many moving parts remain in a receiver rotation that has not been able to find much stability. As the Aggies move deeper into the season, the status of Bethel-Roman is now one more storyline hanging over the offense. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Saw Something Encouraging In A Blowout That Fans Needed
Texas A&M got the kind of game it needed against The Citadel, and not just because the Aggies picked up their fourth win of the season. There was real value in seeing Jamarrion Morrow and KJ Edwards flash in meaningful roles, while David Olano continued to give the special teams unit a steadier feel. For a team still sorting through pieces and looking for consistency, those were the sort of developments that can matter just as much as the final score.
The defense also turned in a shutout, even if it gave up more than 100 rushing yards along the way, which leaves room for refinement rather than celebration alone. Still, for an Aggies team dealing with some players missing from the game, the overall picture was encouraging enough to keep in mind as the schedule gets tougher and the margin for error starts to shrink. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Suddenly Faces A Lineup Problem Fans Can't Ignore
Texas A&Ms injury list keeps growing at a time when the Aggies can least afford it. Heading into the matchup with The Citadel, the group will be without seven more players because of injury, a wave that comes on top of previously sidelined Terry Bussey and Blake Ivy. Six of the new absences are starters, which makes this more than just a depth concern and puts a spotlight on how the roster holds together in the weeks ahead.
Younger players are expected to see more snaps as the staff pieces together the lineup, and that kind of turnover can change the feel of a game fast. It also adds another layer of urgency as Texas A&M tries to navigate the final stretch of the season with a patched-together group and no real margin for more setbacks. [Read more 🡒]