Texas A&M’s loss to Kentucky did more than dent the Aggies’ season. It also set up a brutal stretch ahead, and after Week 3’s shakeup across college football, the path only looks sharper from here.
Mike Elko’s team heads into Saturday’s road trip to LSU trying to steady itself after a 31-21 defeat at Kyle Field that featured three turnovers, stalled drives and a third quarter in which Kentucky ripped off 21 straight points to seize control. And while Texas A&M was slipping, several of its remaining opponents were busy reshuffling the picture around the SEC and beyond.
Alabama rallied from a 15-point hole to beat Florida State, LSU took its first loss at Ole Miss, Oklahoma kept grinding through offensive issues even in a win over New Mexico, and South Carolina coughed up a 16-point lead in a home loss to Mississippi State. Put it all together, and the Aggies’ back half of the schedule has a clear shape to it.
Here’s how Texas A&M’s nine remaining opponents stack up from easiest to hardest heading into Week 4:
The softest landing spot left is The Citadel, which sits on the schedule in Week 7. The Bulldogs were idle in Week 3 after a 26-20 double-overtime loss to Charleston Southern, and while they already proved they can knock off an FBS team by beating Charlotte, the talent gap and the setting make this the most manageable matchup remaining for Texas A&M.
Next comes Arkansas in Week 5 at Kyle Field. The Razorbacks were hammered 45-17 at Georgia after a 43-10 loss at Utah, and they’ve now dropped 12 straight SEC games. They still haven’t shown they can consistently hang with Power Four opponents, and the trip to College Station only tilts things further in Texas A&M’s favor.
South Carolina lands in the No. 7 spot. The Gamecocks blew a 16-point lead in a 41-34 home loss to Mississippi State, gave up four touchdown passes and got outscored 27-4 after halftime. A November trip to Williams-Brice Stadium won’t be easy, but those problems keep South Carolina near the bottom of the list.
Oklahoma sits just above the Gamecocks. The Sooners beat New Mexico 14-6, but the offense still looked stuck in the mud, and that poor showing pushed them out of the AP Top 25.
Over their last two games, they’ve scored only 24 combined points and haven’t created enough explosive plays. The late-November trip to Norman keeps this one from dropping any lower.
Missouri comes in at No. 5.
The Tigers stayed unbeaten with a 27-17 win over Troy, though they weren’t as sharp as they were in their first two games. Still, they’ve scored at least 27 points in every outing and already have a quality road win at Kansas.
Going to Columbia makes this a real test for the Aggies.
Tennessee is next. The Volunteers rolled past Kennesaw State 42-9, with freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon going 18 of 26 for 178 yards and a touchdown in another balanced offensive performance. Texas A&M gets Tennessee at Kyle Field, but the Vols still look like one of the SEC’s most complete teams.
LSU checks in at No. 3 after taking its first loss. The Tigers fell behind 24-7 at halftime against Ole Miss, clawed back with 17 unanswered points to tie it, then watched the Rebels pull away for a 32-24 win. That kind of response shows LSU can fight, which makes Texas A&M’s Saturday night trip to Death Valley a dangerous one.
Alabama is even tougher. The Crimson Tide trailed Florida State 21-6 before storming back for a 50-36 win, outscoring the Seminoles 44-15 the rest of the way. The defense gave up 471 yards, but the offense keeps bailing them out, and winning at Bryant-Denny Stadium is never simple.
At No. 1, Texas still sits as the hardest game left.
The Longhorns beat UTSA 30-6 to stay unbeaten, though the offense had some sluggish stretches against a heavy underdog. Their defense, meanwhile, kept UTSA out of the end zone and continues to give them plenty of room for error.
Even with the rivalry game back at Kyle Field, Texas remains the toughest opponent on the Aggies’ slate until someone proves otherwise.
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