Texas A&M’s 2025 football season was anything but ordinary. Under second-year head coach Mike Elko, the Aggies strung together an impressive 11-game win streak that included gritty road victories over Notre Dame, LSU, and Missouri. For a program that’s spent years trying to break through to the national stage, this felt like a genuine leap forward.
But the season’s story didn’t end with that high note. In fact, it took a sharp turn in the final stretch.
Back-to-back losses to Texas in Austin and then Miami in the first round of the College Football Playoff left a sour taste - especially considering how close A&M came to flipping the script in both matchups. It was the Aggies’ first-ever CFP appearance, and while that milestone can’t be overlooked, there’s no denying that expectations were higher, especially with the advantage of playing that playoff game at Kyle Field.
Quarterback Marcel Reed, who had grown into a steady leader throughout the season, struggled to find his rhythm when it mattered most. Missed throws in key moments kept the Aggies from capitalizing on scoring opportunities. And while weather conditions - especially the wind - played a role in disrupting both teams’ passing games, it was the run game that ultimately decided the outcome.
Miami’s Mark Fletcher was the difference-maker, pounding out over 150 rushing yards against a Texas A&M defense that couldn’t get stops late. Fletcher’s 56-yard burst set up the game-winning touchdown - an 11-yard jet sweep by Malachi Toney with under two minutes remaining.
Even then, the Aggies had a shot. Reed led a 70-yard drive in just 80 seconds, but on third-and-goal, Miami safety Bryce Fitzgerald stepped in front of a pass in the end zone, ending the Aggies’ season with a 10-3 loss.
Despite the disappointment, the game earned a spot on ESPN’s Bill Connelly’s Top 100 Games of the 2025 season - coming in at No. 16.
It wasn’t a high-scoring thriller, but it was a battle defined by grit, weather, and playoff stakes. Aesthetically unique?
Sure. But also a reminder of how razor-thin the margin is at the highest level of college football.
That wasn’t the only Aggies game to make Connelly’s list. In fact, three Texas A&M matchups cracked the top tier - a testament to just how wild and memorable this season really was.
Coming in at No. 11 was the Aggies' jaw-dropping 31-30 comeback win over South Carolina - a game that will live in College Station lore for decades. Down 30-3 at halftime, the Aggies looked completely out of sorts.
Reed had two interceptions, a pair of sacks (including a fumble returned for a touchdown), and very little to show for his efforts. Meanwhile, South Carolina was clicking on all cylinders.
LaNorris Sellers hit big plays - a 50-yard strike to Vandrevius Jacobs and an 80-yarder to Nyck Harbor - and the Gamecocks seemed to be cruising.
Then came the second half.
Reed flipped the switch, completing 16 of 20 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns - all in the third quarter. The Aggies outgained South Carolina 371-76 in the second half, completely flipping the script.
Touchdown passes to Izaiah Williams (27 yards), Ashton Bethel-Roman (39 yards), and Nate Boerkircher (14 yards) brought A&M all the way back. In just 20 minutes, the Aggies went from a blowout victim to a one-point leader.
And once they had the lead, they never gave it back. It was the biggest comeback in program history - and one of the most bizarrely straightforward 27-point turnarounds you’ll ever see.
But the highest-ranked Aggies game on Connelly’s list? That came in at No. 4 - a Week 3 thriller in South Bend that marked a turning point for the season.
Texas A&M hadn’t won a ranked non-conference road game in over four decades. That streak ended in dramatic fashion against a Notre Dame team still licking its wounds from a narrow loss to Miami the week before.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with the Aggies holding a 28-24 lead at halftime. Things settled down in the third quarter, but the fourth brought fireworks.
With the score tied at 34, Notre Dame put together a methodical 12-play drive, capped by a 12-yard touchdown run by Jeremiyah Love. But a botched snap on the extra point kept the Irish lead at six - a critical mistake.
Reed took full advantage. A scramble on third down, followed by a defensive holding penalty, gave A&M a first-and-goal.
It quickly became fourth-and-goal from the 11, but with 19 seconds left, Reed found Boerkircher in the end zone to tie the game. Randy Bond’s extra point sealed the win - and gave the Aggies one of their most significant victories in recent memory.
These three games - the playoff heartbreaker, the record-setting comeback, and the historic win in South Bend - defined a season that was as exhilarating as it was frustrating. Texas A&M proved it could hang with the nation’s best, but also learned just how unforgiving the margins are at the top.
The Aggies now turn the page to 2026, opening the season on September 5 against Missouri State. With momentum, experience, and a few hard-earned lessons in tow, the next chapter under Mike Elko is already shaping up to be one to watch.