Texas A&M heads into the 2026 season with a roster that looks a lot more familiar than new.
The Aggies are bringing back two-thirds of the players from a team that hosted a College Football Playoff game last season, and the core pieces are spread across both sides of the ball. Marcel Reed is back at quarterback to run the offense, and he’ll have help from two of his top three receivers in Mario Craver and Ashton Bethel-Roman. Terry Bussey also gives Texas A&M another playmaking option at receiver, a group that could rank among the SEC’s best.
Defensively, the Aggies return five starters, with safety Marcus Ratcliffe, linebacker Ray Coney and defensive lineman DJ Hicks leading the way.
Texas A&M’s 2026 schedule begins at home on Sept. 5 against UTEP. The full slate includes a Sept. 12 matchup with Arizona State at noon on ABC, a Sept. 19 game against Kentucky at 3:30 p.m., and a road trip to LSU on Sept. 26.
The Aggies then host Arkansas on Oct. 3 before traveling to Missouri on Oct. 10.
Citadel comes to College Station on Oct. 17 for a 1 p.m. game on SEC, followed by road games at Alabama on Oct. 24 and at South Carolina on Nov. 7.
Texas A&M also has Tennessee at home on Nov. 14, a trip to Oklahoma on Nov. 21 and the regular-season finale against Texas on Nov. 27. If the Aggies make it, the SEC Championship is set for Dec. 5 at 4 p.m. on ABC.
Texas A&M football 2026 TV schedule
Sept. 5 Missouri State 7 p.m. ESPN
Sept. 12 Arizona State Noon ABC
Sept. 19 Kentucky 3:30 p.m. TBA
Sept. 26 at LSU TBA TBA
Oct. 3 Arkansas TBA TBA
Oct. 10 at Missouri TBA TBA
Oct. 17 Citadel 1 p.m. SEC
Oct. 24 at Alabama TBA TBA
Nov. 7 at South Carolina TBA TBA
Nov. 14 Tennessee TBA TBA
Nov. 21 at Oklahoma TBA TBA
Nov. 27 Texas TBA TBA
Dec. 5 SEC Championship 4 p.m. ABC
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 Enters 2026 Facing A Standard Aggies Fans Have Waited For
Texas A&Ms 11-win season did more than add another strong year to the ledger, it pushed the program into a different kind of conversation. Under Mike Elko, the Aggies earned their first College Football Playoff appearance, and even with a couple of late-season losses, the overall picture changed: this is no longer about proving the group can win, but about proving it can keep winning at a higher level.
That shift matters because the standard around the program has moved with it. Elko has talked confidently about the teams depth and retention, two ingredients that will matter as the Aggies try to turn one breakthrough season into something more durable. The challenge now is familiar but bigger, because the next step is no longer simply reaching the playoff conversation, but staying in it. [Read more 🡒]