Texas A&M’s 2026 season projections are already all over the map, and one SEC analyst isn’t buying the hype around another big Aggies run.
After Mike Elko guided Texas A&M to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, plenty of offseason predictions have the Aggies right back in the mix. Most of those forecasts land somewhere in the 10-2 range, with 9-3 as the floor.
But That SEC Podcast co-host Cousin Shane pushed hard in the other direction on Wednesday. Following Michael Bratton’s prediction that Texas A&M would open 10-0 before falling to Oklahoma and Texas to close the regular season, Shane said he doesn’t think the Aggies will come close to last year’s level and believes they will “barely make a bowl game this year!”
Shane said he trusts Elko, but he’s not sold on the staff changes. In his view, elevating wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins to offensive coordinator and bringing in Lyle Hemphill to replace Jay Bateman at defensive coordinator won’t work out. He pegged Texas A&M for a 7-5 finish, which would be a major drop-off for a roster as talented as the 2026 group.
Texas A&M is going to draw skepticism no matter what, but a stumble this fall would only add fuel to the idea that the program in College Station still hasn’t reached its ceiling.
The schedule won’t make things any easier. The Aggies have road games against LSU, Missouri, South Carolina, Alabama, and Oklahoma, and they finish the regular season at home against rival Texas.
In Other News...
Mike Elko's SEC Ranking Will Fire Up Texas A&M Fans
Texas A&M heads into the 2026 season with some real momentum behind Mike Elko, who is entering his third year in College Station after signing a six-year extension. The Aggies open against Missouri State on Sept. 5, and the roster around him already looks different after another active transfer-portal cycle and a strong NFL draft showing from former players, both of which have helped reinforce the idea that the program is moving in the right direction.
Elkos growing national profile is only adding to the buzz. Analysts around the sport have started to place him near the top of the SEC coaching hierarchy, and Texas A&M is also in position to make noise on the recruiting trail with its 2027 class tracking toward elite territory. For a fan base that has waited for sustained traction, the combination of coaching respect, roster churn and recruiting momentum is the kind of backdrop that makes the next step feel increasingly important. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Is Headed For A Huge Identity Test After Marcel Reed
Marcel Reed gives Texas A&M something every program wants at quarterback: a clear starting point and, for now, a steady hand. With two seasons of eligibility left, Reed has time to keep shaping the offense and the Aggies have time to keep building around him, but the larger question is what comes after him and how much of the rosters identity will need to be redefined once that chapter closes.
Brady Hart, Helaman Casuga and Jayce Johnson are all part of the conversation about the next quarterback, which only underscores how unsettled that future still is. The same kind of long-view planning is happening on defense, where sophomore edge rusher Marco Jones is expected to take on a bigger role in 2026 after showing growth under the staff, even as Anto Saka and TJ Searcy remain in line for major pass-rush work. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Suddenly Has Real Tension In Battle For Elite 2027 Back
The race for Landen Williams-Callis has tightened into a short list of heavy hitters, and Texas A&M is still part of the conversation for one of the top running back prospects in the 2027 class. The four-star back has already taken official visits to LSU and Texas A&M, while also making unofficial stops at SMU and Oregon, giving the Aggies a real chance to stay in the hunt against the usual national powers.
Williams-Callis has built a profile that has made him one of the more closely watched backs in his class, and the next stretch of his recruitment figures to matter. For A&M, the appeal is obvious: landing an elite runner this early would give the program a major head start, but the competition is now down to a handful of schools and the pressure is only going to rise from here. [Read more 🡒]