With the regular season wrapped and championship weekend on deck, Texas A&M sits at 11-1 (7-1) and is officially playoff-bound. Despite a tough loss to in-state rival Texas in the final week, the Aggies are locked into the new-look College Football Playoff field. The question now isn’t if they’re in - it’s where they’ll land, and more importantly, how far they can go.
Let’s break it down.
Texas A&M Takes a Hit, But Still Hosts
In the penultimate College Football Playoff rankings, Texas A&M slid from No. 3 to No. 7 following their loss to a 9-3 Texas team in the Lone Star Showdown.
That stumble cost them a shot at a first-round bye, but not a home game. As things stand, the Aggies would host a playoff matchup at Kyle Field - and that’s no small advantage.
Their projected opponent? None other than Notre Dame.
A Familiar Foe: Notre Dame Comes to College Station
Texas A&M and Notre Dame already met once this season, way back in Week 2.
The Aggies edged out a one-point win in South Bend - a gutsy road victory that looked even better as the season wore on. Since that early loss, the Irish haven’t dropped a game.
They’ve quietly become one of the hottest teams in the country, winning 10 straight and climbing their way into the top 10.
But let’s be real - beating the same team twice in one season is never easy. Notre Dame is playing with confidence, and they’ve got enough talent to make things uncomfortable. Still, Texas A&M has the edge at home, and they’ve already proven they can get it done against this squad.
The Path Ahead: A Gauntlet Awaits
If the Aggies take care of business against Notre Dame, things get significantly tougher.
The current bracket would send them to the Orange Bowl for a quarterfinal clash with No. 2 Indiana - an undefeated Big Ten powerhouse that’s been one of the season’s biggest surprises.
Indiana has been methodical all year. They’ve won close games, dominated when they needed to, and earned their 12-0 mark.
For Texas A&M, this would be a physical, high-stakes matchup on a neutral field. Pulling off the upset here would require a near-flawless performance - especially coming off a potentially emotional win against Notre Dame.
Survive that, and the likely semifinal opponent would be either Georgia or Ole Miss. Both are SEC foes A&M knows well, but neither would be an easy out. Georgia, in particular, is built for December football - deep, physical, and playoff-tested.
**Could a Different Seeding Help? **
Here’s where things get interesting. Had Texas A&M held on against Texas, they’d likely be sitting in the top four with a bye.
Instead, they’re on a collision course with some of the nation’s heaviest hitters. If they were seeded No. 5 instead of No. 7, their first-round matchup would be against No.
12 Tulane - the projected Group of Five champion. That’s a much more manageable draw than Notre Dame.
From there, a potential path through Texas Tech, Oklahoma, or Alabama would look a lot more favorable than the Indiana-Georgia gauntlet. But that’s the price of a late-season rivalry loss - no margin for error in this expanded playoff format.
**What’s the Ceiling for the Aggies? **
Texas A&M has the talent to win a home playoff game. They’ve got a defense that can hang with anyone, a quarterback who’s grown into the moment, and a coaching staff that’s been here before.
But to make a serious run - we’re talking semifinals or beyond - they’ll need to string together wins against elite competition, week after week.
That’s no easy task in a 12-team playoff. Four straight wins against top-10 teams? That’s a tall order for anyone, let alone a team coming off a tough rivalry loss and without a first-round bye.
Still, don’t count them out. If A&M gets hot, catches a break or two, and leans on that Kyle Field advantage in the first round, they could make some noise.
Upsetting Indiana in the quarters would be a statement. And from there, who knows?
Momentum is a real thing in December.
Final Thought
Assuming Georgia takes care of business in the SEC title game, Texas A&M’s road starts with Notre Dame.
Win that, and the Aggies are two wins away from the national title game. It’s not the easiest path - far from it - but it’s a path nonetheless.
And in this new playoff era, that’s all you can ask for.
Texas A&M is in. Now it’s time to see what they do with the opportunity.