Texas A&M is starting this season the same way it started the last one: outside the preseason AP top 25.
The Aggies were left off the poll released on Oct. 19, marking the second straight year Bucky McMillan’s team has been overlooked before the games begin. Last season, that skepticism didn’t last long. Texas A&M pushed its way into the rankings after opening 18-4, and this group has the look of a team ready to make voters adjust again.
The Aggies did at least get a little recognition, collecting 6 points in the “also receiving votes” category. That places them just outside the top 30 if the poll extended that far, which is hardly a warm embrace for a roster built to make noise in the SEC.
And this is a league that offers no easy climb. Texas A&M will have to navigate Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, and Florida, each of which landed inside the top 12.
Alabama, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky are in the mix too, so there will be no shortage of heavyweights standing in the way. Still, McMillan appears to have the kind of roster that can go toe-to-toe with that crowd.
The backcourt is the obvious selling point. Jordan Pope and PJ Haggerty give the Aggies a scoring pair that should be among the most dangerous in the conference, with both bringing experience and shot-making to the guard spots.
Then there’s the return of Rylan Griffen, pending his hearing on Oct. 28.
He was one of Texas A&M’s best shooters down the stretch last season, and his presence matters.
There’s also stability coming inside with Zach Clemence and Jamie Vinson back in the frontcourt. That helps, but the bigger buzz surrounds Mackenzie Mgbako.
The Indiana transfer barely got going last season before an injury ended things again, and now he’s back in full force. Paired with Haggerty, he gives Texas A&M another scoring threat that could make this offense hard to deal with.
Freshman forward/center Josh Irving is another name worth watching. He has drawn plenty of buzz since joining McMillan’s group and is expected to bring real value on the defensive end.
Texas A&M’s nonconference path begins with Alabama State, Northern Kentucky, and ULM, three games that should give the Aggies a chance to settle in before a shot at some revenge against Oklahoma State. Later in November, they’ll get a bigger proving ground in the Battle 4 Atlantis. And when SEC play opens against Auburn at home on Jan. 2, don’t be surprised if Texas A&M shows up with a number next to its name.
In Other News...
Mike Elko Got A Reset But Texas A&M Still Has Everything To Prove
The win over The Citadel at least gave Texas A&M a clean break from the kind of performance that had hung over the program after the Missouri game, when the Aggies failed to score a touchdown and looked nowhere near the standard they need to reach. For a team trying to steady itself under Mike Elko, even a lopsided result can matter because it offers a chance to regroup, refocus and stop the spiral from looking permanent.
Still, one reset does not change the larger question facing this season. The Aggies have to show they can carry that momentum into games that actually define an SEC year, and that means proving the offense and overall consistency travel against better competition. Until they do, the Missouri loss will feel less like a bad day and more like the clearest warning sign of what this team still has to overcome. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Heads To Texas A&M With Two Key Availability Questions
Alabamas trip to College Station comes with a little more uncertainty than a typical October road game, thanks to a pair of lower-leg injuries that bear watching all week. Head coach Kalen DeBoer said EJ Crowell and Zabien Brown are both being evaluated as the Crimson Tide prepare for their Week 8 matchup with Texas A&M, leaving two of their more impactful defenders and contributors in a day-to-day holding pattern.
Crowell has been one of Alabamas most efficient runners by yards per carry, while Brown has been a steady presence in the secondary and leads the team in passes defended. For Texas A&M, the situation adds another layer to a game that already carries real SEC weight, because Alabamas available personnel in the backfield and on the perimeter could shape how aggressive the Tide can be from the opening series on. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Faces A Bigger Question Than Its Alabama Trip
Texas A&M heads into the Alabama trip with the kind of underdog label that tends to sharpen every conversation around the program, but the bigger intrigue may be happening off the field. Betting lines have reflected the Aggies recent play, yet the more forward-looking chatter around the program has centered on how the roster could be shaped for next season and what kind of quarterback help might be available in the transfer portal.
One name already floating into that discussion is Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele from Cal, a signal that Texas A&Ms attention extends well beyond Saturdays matchup. For a team trying to stabilize its trajectory, the Alabama game is only part of the picture, and the rest of it involves how aggressively the Aggies choose to pursue help at the games most important position. [Read more 🡒]