Texas A&M’s 2026 slate has the kind of games that can trip a team up fast if it walks in looking past the details. Three opponents stand out for exactly that reason: Arizona State, South Carolina and Arkansas.
Arizona State brings the most obvious early test. Kenny Dillingham’s program was built for a deep run in the College Football Playoff a couple of years ago when it faced Texas, and while that group fell short, it gave the Sun Devils something to build on.
Now Dillingham has a different roster, one that followed an 8-5 season marked by injuries. This version could be his best yet if both sides of the ball come together.
The quarterback situation points to Cutter Boley taking over, and he’ll have plenty of transfer targets to work with. On defense, CJ Fite and Zyrus Fiaseu are among the returners expected to bring pressure against Marcel Reed. That matters because this one comes in a hot, rowdy environment, and Arizona State has the kind of playmakers that can turn a game quickly.
The numbers back that up. The Sun Devils averaged 33.9 points per game and forced 19 turnovers. That’s the profile of a team that can cash in fast, so Texas A&M has to be sharp from the start.
South Carolina belongs on this list for a different reason: what happened last season. The Gamecocks nearly wrecked A&M’s playoff hopes before the Aggies stormed back in one of the most remarkable comeback wins in program history. It was the kind of game that showed how dangerous a slow start can be.
Head coach Shane Beamer nearly landed one of the biggest wins of the season for his team, and this year he has key pieces back to try again. LaNorris Sellers returns, along with edge rusher Dylan Stewart and wide receiver Nyck Harbor. All three were part of that heartbreaking loss at Kyle Field, and they’ll be looking for payback.
That’s why the first half matters so much in this matchup. Texas A&M was not ready early in that game last season, and everyone saw it. The second half changed everything, but the lesson is clear: the Aggies can’t afford to sleepwalk through the opening stretch again.
Arkansas rounds out the group, and history alone makes this one worth watching. The rivalry has stretched back a long time, and the game used to be played at AT&T Stadium before moving back to campus. This meeting will be the first time in a while that Arkansas plays at Kyle Field, and that alone gives it a different feel.
The Razorbacks have a habit of making things uncomfortable for Texas A&M, no matter who is coaching or playing quarterback. The series has tilted heavily toward the Aggies lately, but last season was another reminder that Arkansas keeps coming. A&M won 45-42, and Arkansas never stopped fighting.
This year, KJ Jackson is the projected frontrunner at quarterback, though he still has competition. Ryan Silverfield is in as the new head coach, and the roster brings back only a small amount of production from last season. Even so, there are some important holdovers, including defensive end Quincy Rhodes, center Caden Kitler and running back Braylen Russell.
It’s not a loaded return, but Silverfield has brought in enough new pieces to make the matchup tricky to sort out. There are enough unknowns to keep Texas A&M on alert, especially with 13 of the last 14 games in the series going to the Maroon and White.
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