Texas A&M heads into its Sept. 5 season opener against Missouri State with plenty of momentum, but USA TODAY still slotted the Aggies at No. 13 in its first 2026 Re-Rank for all 139 Division 1 college football programs.
That puts Mike Elko’s team five spots behind its preseason AP Top 25 and US LBM Coaches Poll placement at No. 8, a nod to the fact that Texas A&M is coming off an 11-2 season and its first College Football Playoff appearance in program history. The opener will launch Elko’s third season, and it comes with a new nine-game SEC schedule that makes this his most difficult year yet.
Even so, there’s real reason for optimism in College Station. Elko reshaped his staff this offseason, elevating WR coach Holmon Wiggins to offensive coordinator and bringing in Lyle Hemphill to replace Jay Bateman as defensive coordinator. The move was framed as the right one, with Hemphill’s stock rising around the coaching world.
Roster turnover was significant, but the Aggies still brought back 65% of last season’s team before losing 15 starters, including a program-record 10 players taken in the 2026 NFL Draft. At quarterback, redshirt junior Marcel Reed is back for his second full season as the starter after posting 3,169 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions a year ago.
The biggest offensive swing may be at receiver. Before star wideout KC Concepcion went 24th overall to the Cleveland Browns, Texas A&M added Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton, whose 6-foot-4 frame has already helped solve Reed’s deep-ball accuracy problems after 14 preseason practices. Horton joins junior Mario Craver, Ashton Bethel-Roman, Terry Bussey and freshman Aaron Gregory in what could be the deepest receiver room the program has ever had.
Defensively, the Aggies have a big hole to fill with unanimous All-American edge rusher Cashius Howell gone. Northwestern transfer Anto Saka is expected to handle that job, with senior defensive lineman DJ Hicks and North Carolina transfer nose tackle CJ Mims also in the mix. Sophomore Jack Marco Jones is another name drawing plenty of attention after an impressive preseason.
And while edge rusher remains a question, the secondary looks loaded. Safeties Dalton Brooks and Marcus Ratcliffe lead the group, and cornerbacks Dezz Ricks, Julio Humphrey and Tennessee transfer Rickey Gibson were all described as outstanding during Texas A&M’s 14th preseason practice on Saturday.
In Other News...
Marcel Reed Gives Texas A&M A Reason To Feel Better Fast
Texas A&M wrapped up its 16th preseason football practice with media watching for the final time before the focus shifts fully into in-season work, and the day offered a little something for the Aggies to hang onto. Quarterback Marcel Reed has shown clear improvement on his deep-ball accuracy, a development that stood out in his work with receivers Mario Craver and Isaiah Horton, while linebacker Daymion Sanford continues to recover well from a fibula injury.
There were other encouraging notes sprinkled through practice, too, with Lamont Rogers, Jordan Lockhart and Marco Jones all drawing mention for strong showings. For a team still sorting through its late-summer answers, those are the kinds of details that matter because they hint at depth, progress and a few players trending the right way as the opener gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Has A Camp Battle Fans Need To Watch Closely
Texas A&Ms secondary is one of the more intriguing parts of camp because the Aggies have both continuity and a fresh face pushing for playing time. Along with a group of returning defensive backs, the biggest new name is Gibson, the transfer from Tennessee, and he has quickly entered the conversation for a starting cornerback job alongside returning cornerback Julian Humphrey.
Gibsons camp has drawn positive reviews from coaches and teammates, who have pointed to his skill set and competitiveness as reasons he has been able to make a real push. No official decision has been announced yet, which leaves this as one of the roster battles worth watching closely as Texas A&M keeps sorting out its secondary. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&Ms Defense May Depend On One Overlooked Sophomore Linebacker
Texas A&M already knows it will lean on familiar names on offense next season, with quarterback Marcel Reed and receiver Mario Craver expected to be central figures. The more interesting question may be on the other side of the ball, where the Aggies are looking for answers as they prepare for another push in the SEC. One name inside that conversation is Noah Mikhail, a sophomore linebacker who got into 13 games as a freshman and is now working toward a much bigger piece of the defense.
Mikhails importance has grown with the departures of key linebackers such as Taurean York, leaving Texas A&M with some real weight to replace in the middle of the defense. If the Aggies are going to build the kind of defensive stability that travels in conference play, they need younger players to grow up quickly, and Mikhail is one of the clearest candidates to do it. His development could end up mattering just as much as any headline name when the Aggies start measuring themselves against the league's best. [Read more 🡒]