Texas A&M’s slide hit hard in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll, and the number tells the story: down 12 spots from No. 8 to No. 20 after a home loss to unranked Kentucky.
The Aggies were beaten 31-21 at Kyle Field after trailing 28-7 late in the third quarter, a result that marked their worst loss under third-year coach Mike Elko. With the SEC schedule rolling on in a nine-game format, Texas A&M now turns right around and heads to Baton Rouge for a Week 4 matchup with LSU that already feels like a must-win.
This one has triggered plenty of noise around the program. The loss has raised doubts about Elko’s ability to steer clear of these kinds of setbacks, especially only months after he signed his lucrative extension.
It has also put more pressure on starting quarterback Marcel Reed, who needs to improve as a passer and may have already hit his ceiling. That could push first-year offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins to lean into Reed’s natural strengths and make the run game the center of the offense.
The defense didn’t hold up its end either. Texas A&M gave up 408 yards, including 156 rushing yards and two touchdowns to Texas transfer running back CJ Baxter. Kentucky came in with something to prove and carried that edge all afternoon before taking control after halftime and putting the Aggies on the ropes on both sides of the ball.
At the moment, Texas A&M does not look like a College Football Playoff team. And the path ahead is brutal, starting with LSU on Saturday.
Elsewhere around the SEC, No. 8 Ole Miss knocked off LSU 32-24 in the day’s best game, while Mississippi State rallied from a 16-0 second-quarter deficit to beat South Carolina 41-34.
The broader poll movement reflected the chaos of the weekend, but Texas A&M took one of the steepest drops. The Aggies landed at No. 20 in the new rankings, with the rest of the top 25 shaking out like this:
- Texas Longhorns
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Indiana Hoosiers
- Miami (FL) Hurricanes
- Ole Miss Rebels
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- BYU Cougars
- Texas Tech Red Raiders
- LSU Tigers
- USC Trojans
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Penn State Nittany Lions
- Utah Utes
- Oregon Ducks
- Iowa Hawkeyes
- Michigan Wolverines
- Louisville Cardinals
- Texas A&M Aggies
- Missouri Tigers
- Florida Gators
- Washington Huskies
- Oklahoma Sooners
- SMU Mustangs
Houston and Virginia both fell out of the poll. Among the teams receiving votes were Houston, Mississippi State, Duke, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma State, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, Boise State, Tulsa, UCLA, Kansas State, Western Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota State, Northwestern, Clemson, Massachusetts, James Madison, Arizona.
In Other News...
Alabama Gets An Early SEC Reality Check In New AP Poll
The latest AP top 25 brought a fresh shakeup across the SEC entering Week 4, with Ole Miss win over LSU helping alter the leagues early pecking order and Florida sliding into the rankings after a win at Auburn. The movement reflected how quickly the conference landscape can change in September, especially with so many ranked teams already testing each other in pivotal matchups.
For Texas A&M, the update came with a cost after the loss to Kentucky, a result that pushed the Aggies down and renewed attention on their inconsistency on both sides of the ball. With several other teams lingering just outside the poll on votes received, the margin for error is already shrinking, and A&M will spend the next stretch trying to show it belongs back in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Suddenly Has Two Problems Fans Cant Ignore
Texas A&Ms SEC opener against Kentucky was supposed to be a chance to settle in and build early momentum, but instead it left the Aggies with a familiar-looking reminder of how thin the margin can be in this league. Favored to win before kickoff, they fell 31-21 and spent much of the night chasing a game that kept slipping further away, especially after Kentucky found room to move in the third quarter and widened the gap.
There were a few encouraging signs on offense, with Mario Craver and KJ Edwards each providing some positive moments, but they were overshadowed by the bigger issues that kept showing up. Marcel Reeds interceptions added to the pressure, and the defensive performance was the kind of problem that tends to linger unless it gets fixed quickly, which makes the conversation around this team feel a lot more urgent after one conference loss. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Suddenly Has A Backfield Problem Fans Feared
Texas A&Ms backfield took another hit late in the second quarter against Kentucky, when freshman running back KJ Edwards went down and did not return. Edwards had been part of the game plan before the injury, and his absence was immediate enough to be felt in a room that was already working through depth questions.
Mike Elko confirmed the injury after the game, and the bigger concern is what it means for the Aggies running back rotation moving forward. With multiple scholarship backs already injured, Texas A&M is left trying to piece together a position group that was supposed to provide stability, but now feels increasingly fragile just as the season pushes on. [Read more 🡒]