Texas A&M’s climb in the Week 2 AP Poll brought the Aggies back up to No. 9, a one-spot jump that nudges them closer to where they opened the season. That rebound comes after a strange dip last week, when A&M dropped two spots despite a strong win over Missouri State while other teams that also opened against lower-level opponents stayed in place.
This latest bump is tied in part to Oregon falling out of the top 10 after losing to Oklahoma State. It also helps that Texas A&M backed up its standing with a near-30-point win over another Big 12 opponent in Arizona State.
The Aggies have clearly done enough on the field to justify moving up, especially when compared with teams like Indiana, which sits in the top five. Even so, the AP’s ongoing split between rewarding the most deserving teams and the teams voters believe are simply the best continues to shape these rankings.
What makes the No. 9 spot matter more is what comes next. Texas A&M hosts Kentucky this week in what is shaping up to be an increasingly uncommon type of game for the Aggies: a matchup against an unranked opponent. From there, the schedule gets serious in a hurry.
The next stop is LSU, and that one has the makings of a top-10 clash if the No. 7 Tigers handle No.
8 Ole Miss on Saturday. Even if LSU slips, the game in Death Valley should still carry a ranking next to it.
After that, A&M returns home for Arkansas, then heads to No. 20 Missouri, which should remain ranked unless it loses to Mississippi State or Florida, both of whom are receiving votes this week.
The Aggies get a brief breather with The Citadel after Missouri, but the relief doesn’t last long. A trip to Tuscaloosa follows, where they’ll meet No.
10 Alabama. That ranking could still change if the Crimson Tide can’t survive the stretch of Tennessee and Georgia before then.
After a bye, Texas A&M goes to South Carolina, which is also receiving votes right now, before closing the season with Tennessee, Oklahoma and Texas. Rankings will shift before those games arrive, but as things stand now, seven of the Aggies’ final 10 opponents are ranked or receiving votes. Four of those games will be on the road.
It’s a demanding run, and Mike Elko has every reason to have his team locked in. For now, the spotlight is on the LSU game on the 26th.
Win that one, and the path to the CFP looks a whole lot clearer. Lose it, and the room for mistakes starts shrinking fast.
In Other News...
Texas A&M May Have Found Its Pass Rush Difference Maker
Texas A&Ms defense left its season-opening win over Missouri State with plenty to like, even if the pass rush did not fully take over the game. San Diego State transfer Ryan Henderson supplied the Aggies only sack, and while the front did not consistently overwhelm the quarterback, the defense still did its job by controlling the game and showing the kind of overall strength Mike Elko wants to build around.
Hendersons production stood out because it came in limited snaps, which is exactly the sort of early impact that can change how a rotation is viewed moving forward. Elko praised the transfers performance and hinted at a growing role in the defensive plan, and with Texas A&M coming off a game in which the unit allowed just 67 total yards against Arizona State, the question now is whether Henderson can keep turning brief chances into a bigger presence off the edge. [Read more 🡒]
Aggies Week 1 NFL Tracker Shows Early Setbacks For Former Stars
Texas A&Ms NFL pipeline hit an early rough patch as Week 1 roster moves started sorting out where the Aggies former stars stand this season. Several names with College Station roots are already dealing with injury-related setbacks, and the list includes players whose availability will be a major storyline for their clubs as the year unfolds.
Chase Bisontis and Nic Scourton are set to miss the entire season because of knee injuries, while Christian Kirk and Shemar Turner carry potential return designations that leave their timetables hanging. Tyreek Chappell is on injured reserve, and Tyrel Dodson, Buddy Johnson and Tre Watson are working from practice squads, a reminder that even in September, the NFL path for former Aggies can change quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Is Still In The Hunt For An Elite 2028 Receiver
Texas A&Ms next wave of recruiting work is already taking shape, and the Aggies are in the mix for one of the more intriguing young receivers in the 2028 class. Braylon Clark has narrowed his list to 12 finalists, with Texas A&M alongside powers like Ohio State and LSU, a sign that the staff is staying active in the race for high-end talent well before the cycle gets serious.
The timing of Clarks upcoming visit could matter, too. He is set to be in College Station for the Oct. 3 home game against Arkansas, giving Texas A&M another chance to make a strong impression in person and show why it remains a real contender as his recruitment moves forward. [Read more 🡒]