With Texas A&M’s opener still 17 days away, the conversation around the Aggies already has a familiar feel: this is a team staring at one of the toughest schedules in the country and still carrying the kind of talent that can make a run.
Texas A&M is one of nine programs nationally with at least six games scheduled against AP Top 25 teams, and ESPN’s Football Power Index has the Aggies sitting at No. 11. There are real questions on the offensive line with several newcomers in the mix, but the roster still has enough firepower to make the first month of the season interesting in a hurry.
The opening stretch starts with a game that should let Texas A&M ease into the year. Missouri State comes to town on Sept. 5 at 6 p.m.
CT on ESPN, and that non-conference matchup gives the Aggies a chance to let the offensive line settle in while also getting backups meaningful snaps. It’s the kind of setting Mike Elko can use to protect bodies and keep the team fresh for what comes next.
That next step is a bigger test. Arizona State visits College Station on Sept. 12 at 11 a.m.
CT on ABC, marking the first meeting between the schools since 2015. Texas A&M won that last matchup 38-17, but the Sun Devils arrive with enough talent to make things uncomfortable.
The game also gives junior quarterback Marcel Reed a stiffer challenge before SEC play opens, and Arizona State still looks dangerous enough to be a Big 12 contender again in 2026.
The SEC slate begins Sept. 19 at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN/ESPN2, and the forecast there is a Texas A&M win.
The prediction has the Aggies beating Kentucky 30-13. The Wildcats have undergone their own overhaul, with Will Stein taking over as head coach after his run as Oregon’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Kentucky also added a load of transfers, including former Notre Dame quarterback Kenny Minchey, a dual-threat passer who could create some problems early. Even so, the read here is that Reed and Texas A&M’s wide receiver group have too much to give the Aggies a strong conference win before the trip to LSU.
That trip comes quickly. On Sept.
26, Texas A&M heads to Tiger Stadium, where the prediction has LSU winning 31-27. After back-to-back victories over the Tigers in recent years, the Aggies could see that streak end.
The new-look LSU team features Lane Kiffin as the offensive architect, with Arizona State transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt in the mix. On defense, Blake Baker has reshaped that side of the ball, and the changes there could put pressure on Texas A&M’s new offensive line.
The first five-game run wraps with Arkansas coming to Kyle Field on Oct. 3 in a flex time window on TBA. That one is projected as a Texas A&M rebound, with the Aggies rolling to a 42-10 win.
First-year Arkansas coach Ryan Silverfield will be trying to rebuild the Razorbacks in the SEC, but this spot sets up as a tough one for the visitors. Coming off the LSU loss, Texas A&M is expected to come out with force and let Reed and company put the game away in a big way.
In Other News...
Texas A&M's Reload Is Starting To Look Very Real
Texas A&M spent the spring and summer trying to turn what could have been a massive reset into something closer to a reload. After losing 15 starters from the 2025 team, including 10 players who were drafted into the NFL, the Aggies leaned into continuity where they could, keeping quarterback Marcel Reed in place and promoting Holman Wiggins to offensive coordinator. Around those anchors, the staff went to work rebuilding both lines of scrimmage and the overall depth chart with a mix of transfers and commitments aimed at filling obvious holes left behind by departing veterans.
The early returns suggest the Aggies were aggressive for a reason, because several of those additions are already being viewed as players who can matter in the SEC. For a team that had to replace so much production at once, the challenge was never just about adding bodies, it was about finding the right ones fast enough to keep the roster from taking a step back. Texas A&M appears to have given itself a real chance to avoid that slide, even if the full test still lies ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Has A Freshman Making The WR Rotation Tougher
Texas A&M spent the offseason reshaping its receiver room after losing talent to the NFL, and the transfer additions were expected to carry much of the load. But freshman Aaron Gregory has made enough noise in spring and fall camps to make the rotation look a little less settled than it did a few months ago, with the highly regarded recruit earning attention from coaches as a player who can already push for snaps.
Offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins has been especially encouraged by Gregorys ability to separate from defenders, a trait that can fast-track a young receiver into the mix. The Aggies still have experienced options and newcomers like Isaiah Horton competing for roles, but Gregorys path to playing time appears real, particularly on the outside, where Texas A&M could use another playmaker to complement its rebuilt group. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Just Added A New Secondary Question For Mike Elko
Texas A&Ms secondary just got a little more interesting with the addition of Loia Valade, a versatile athlete from Boca Raton, Florida, who has reclassified to join the Aggies for the 2026 season. Valade had been a 2027 recruit before making the move, and he picked Texas A&M over other finalists as Mike Elko and defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill continue building out the defense.
The timing matters because this is already an experienced secondary, and Valades arrival gives the Aggies another piece to sort through in that room. Whether he settles in quickly or forces the staff to rethink how it wants to deploy its defensive backs, Texas A&M now has a new name to factor into one of the more competitive parts of the roster. [Read more 🡒]