Texas A&M’s season has slipped to the point where even a bowl berth feels up in the air, and with the Aggies sitting at 4-4 after their latest loss to Alabama, the final stretch has turned into an audition for a few players who still have something to prove.
The biggest opportunity may belong to transfer defensive lineman Saka, who came over from Northwestern to help replace Cashius Howell after Howell was drafted into the NFL. So far, Saka has not matched the impact he had in the Big 10.
He has 10 total tackles, two tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks, a steep drop from the production he posted with the Wildcats. Even with that slow start, and even with a limited snap count against Alabama, he has still shown he can create pressure and disrupt quarterbacks.
If he can shed blocks more quickly and finish plays at the line, the Aggies would start getting the kind of production they expected when he arrived in College Station.
Craver is in a different spot, but the pressure is just as real. Injuries have played a part in his uneven year, yet he was still expected to be an All-SEC player, and he has not consistently looked like the version of himself that fans got used to in his second season at Texas A&M.
The junior has 30 catches for 286 yards and three touchdowns, with an 11-catch, 119-yard game against Kentucky accounting for most of that total. He also found the end zone last week against Alabama for his first conference touchdown this season, a small sign that the second half could still go better for him if he can stay healthy and keep producing.
Then there’s Marcel Reed, whose 2026 season has been a far cry from the year when everyone knew Texas A&M belonged to him. The numbers tell the story: his touchdown passes and interceptions are tied, and his passer rating has been rough.
Mike Elko still has him listed as QB1, so Reed’s path is simple even if it is not easy. He has to take the chance in front of him and try to climb back toward last year’s form.
If the struggles keep piling up, though, Brady Hart could force the issue, and Reed may have to start thinking about other options for the remaining year of his eligibility after this season.
In Other News...
Rylan Griffen Puts Texas A&M's Opening Night Plans In Limbo
Texas A&Ms plans for opening night are still clouded by the uncertainty surrounding Rylan Griffen, whose availability for the 2026-27 season remains unresolved after a preliminary injunction hearing produced no ruling. The issue now appears to hinge on a legal question as much as a basketball one, with the court saying it lacked jurisdiction in the latest step of the case.
Griffen is seeking a fifth year of eligibility after recent NCAA rule changes, but he was excluded because of his class year. For the Aggies, the practical concern is simple: a temporary restraining order that has allowed him to play is set to expire, and if nothing changes before then, his status could shift in a way that leaves Texas A&M waiting on a key piece of its rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Has The Talent But One Issue Could Derail The Hype
Texas A&Ms second year under Bucky McMillan opens Nov. 3 against Alabama State, and the roster looks built to generate real buzz right away. The Aggies brought in seven transfers this offseason, headlined by PJ Haggerty, who arrives after earning All-SEC Third Team honors and gives the program the kind of high-end talent that can change the look of a season fast.
Still, the biggest question hanging over all of it is health, because the ceiling for this group depends on keeping its best pieces available. Haggerty and Mackenzie Mgbako are central to how far Texas A&M can go, and for all the offseason additions, the Aggies hype could end up being judged less by depth chart excitement than by whether the core stays on the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Secondary May Not Be The Real Defensive Problem
Texas A&Ms defense has spent the early part of the season looking out of sync, and the easy place to point is the secondary after a few explosive plays showed up in the early losses. But the more troubling issue has been the pass rush, which has produced only seven sacks after the unit carried a much stronger national reputation a year ago. Coach Mike Elko had reason to feel good about the defensive backs entering the season, and the group has still held up in some important ways even as the overall results have been uneven.
The numbers suggest the back end may not be the root of the problem anyway. Texas A&M ranks fifth nationally in catch rate allowed percentage, which helps explain why one standout season from Dezz Ricks has drawn attention as he plays his way into a better NFL Draft conversation. The Aggies still need the defense to function more consistently as a whole, but the evidence so far points to a bigger issue up front than the one most fans noticed first. [Read more 🡒]