No. 8 Texas A&M opens its 2026 season with Missouri State, and the matchup comes with very different expectations on each sideline.
For the Aggies, the opener kicks off year three under Mike Elko after one of the most successful seasons in program history. Texas A&M is trying to build on that run and finish even better this time around with a new-look roster.
Missouri State, meanwhile, arrives as the underdog with upset hopes of its own. The Bears are set for a non-conference trip that many will view as a tune-up for Texas A&M, but they’re chasing what would amount to one of the biggest football shocks in recent memory.
The most important health storyline for the Aggies centers on linebacker Daymion Sanford. He was expected to lead the middle of the defense, but an injury in the spring game put his 2026 availability in doubt and raised concerns that he could miss the entire season. Now, after a surprising turn, Sanford appears on track to play in Week 1, though likely in a limited role as Elko and his staff ease him back.
Missouri State comes in with plenty of uncertainty of its own. Woods is a first-time head coach, taking over a program that is only in year two as an FBS member and is returning just 26 percent of its production from last season.
The Bears’ quarterback situation adds another layer of difficulty. Henry Belin IV has only 22 passing yards in his career, and his experience has mostly come from sitting on the Duke Blue Devils’ depth chart. With limited talent around him, the first test for Woods and Belin is a daunting one.
In Other News...
Texas A&M May Finally Unlock Terry Bussey In This Offense
Holmon Wiggins is already hinting that Terry Bussey could be one of the more interesting pieces in Texas A&Ms offense this fall. The Aggies offensive coordinator has talked about using Bussey in multiple roles, which fits the profile of a player whose versatility has stood out since fall camp. It is the kind of plan that suggests the staff sees more than a standard receiver workload for him.
Bussey arrived in College Station with plenty of recruiting pedigree, but his first two seasons have not produced much in the way of on-field impact. That is why this offseason feels different. If Wiggins can find the right way to deploy him, Texas A&M may finally be close to turning Busseys promise into something more tangible, even if his exact role is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Linebacker Concern Suddenly Looks Very Different Heading Into Opener
Texas A&Ms linebacker situation looked like one of the more straightforward questions of the preseason, but it has settled into something far more encouraging as the opener against Missouri State approaches. Senior Daymion Sanford is back after recovering from a fibula injury, giving the Aggies a veteran presence on the outside, while Tulsa transfer Ray Coney has positioned himself to start at middle linebacker after turning heads throughout camp and earning steady praise from the coaching staff.
The rest of the rotation adds even more stability, with junior Jordan Lockhart and sophomore Noah Mikhail also in the mix to help fill out the position group. For a defense that needed answers heading into the season, Texas A&M now appears to have both experience and depth at linebacker, and the first real test of that group is finally about to arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Schedule Is Here And The Stakes Feel Much Bigger
Texas A&Ms 2026 football schedule is finally out, and it arrives with a familiar backbone in place. The Aggies return two-thirds of last seasons roster, giving the program a chance to build around continuity at a time when schedule release news tends to trigger instant speculation about how fast a team can climb.
The early read is encouraging because the Aggies are not starting from scratch on either side of the ball. They have experience returning on defense as well, and with kickoff dates and some TV windows already attached to the slate, there is at least a clearer sense of when the real tests will start to stack up and what kind of response this group will need to show once the season begins. [Read more 🡒]