Texas A&M Stumbles at the Finish Line, Falls to No. 7 After Rivalry Loss to Texas
Just a few weeks ago, Texas A&M was sitting pretty in the top three of the AP Top 25, looking every bit the part of a College Football Playoff contender. But as the calendar flips to December and the postseason picture sharpens, the Aggies find themselves sliding in the wrong direction - and fast.
Their 27-17 loss to in-state rival Texas in Rivalry Week wasn’t just a blemish on an otherwise spotless record - it was a momentum-shifter. The defeat dropped Texas A&M four spots to No. 7 in the latest AP poll and, more importantly, knocked them out of SEC Championship contention.
This was the Aggies’ first real test against a top-tier SEC opponent with a winning conference record - and they didn’t pass. After cruising to an 11-0 start, largely on the backs of SEC bottom-dwellers, A&M’s resume suddenly looks a little less bulletproof. The loss exposed some cracks that had been easy to overlook during their dominant run through the early part of the schedule.
With A&M tumbling, Georgia took full advantage, climbing into the top three. The Bulldogs will now square off with No.
10 Alabama in the SEC title game - the third time these two heavyweights have met in the championship since 2020. It’s a matchup that always delivers, and this year’s edition carries serious playoff implications.
As for Texas, the win over A&M wasn’t just about bragging rights. The Longhorns continue to inch their way up the rankings, moving from No. 16 to No.
- With an at-large playoff bid still in play, every spot matters - and every win counts.
Meanwhile, outside the SEC, Ohio State continues to flex its muscle. The Buckeyes have held firm at No. 1 ever since they took down preseason top-ranked Texas back in Week 1.
They wrapped up the regular season with a convincing win over Michigan, setting up a massive Big Ten Championship showdown with No. 2 Indiana.
That game has all the makings of a classic: two elite teams, a playoff berth on the line, and a rivalry that’s been simmering all season.
The Group of Five race, on the other hand, is still very much up in the air. James Madison remains the top-ranked G5 team at No. 19, but they’ve got company.
North Texas and Tulane, sitting at No. 20 and No. 21 respectively, are right on their heels. With bowl season looming, the battle for the top G5 spot - and a potential New Year’s Six invite - is far from settled.
AP Top 25 - Week 15
- Ohio State (61)
- Indiana (5)
- Georgia
- Oregon
- Texas Tech
- Ole Miss
- Texas A&M
- Oklahoma
- Notre Dame
- Alabama
- BYU
- Miami
- Vanderbilt
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- USC
- Michigan
- James Madison
- North Texas
- Tulane
- Arizona
- Navy
- Georgia Tech
- Missouri
With conference championship week on deck, the playoff landscape is still shifting. For teams like Texas A&M, it’s about regrouping and hoping for chaos.
For others, like Ohio State and Indiana, it’s about finishing strong and seizing the moment. Either way, buckle up - the postseason push is officially on.