Texas A&M’s Playoff Collapse Exposes Bigger Questions About SEC Depth
Texas A&M’s 2025 campaign had all the makings of a breakthrough season - until it didn’t. The Aggies opened with an 11-0 run, including a spotless 7-0 record in SEC play, but when the lights were brightest, the wheels came off. Their College Football Playoff debut ended in a thud, scoring just three points at home in a lopsided loss that raised more questions than answers about the strength of their résumé - and the SEC as a whole.
Let’s be clear: going 11-1 in any Power Four conference is no small feat. The Aggies handled the teams in front of them, and that deserves some credit.
But context matters. When you dig into who Texas A&M actually beat, the shine wears off quickly.
None of their seven SEC wins came against a team with a winning conference record. Their opponents combined for a 20-52 mark in league play.
Against the only two teams with a winning conference record - Texas and Miami - the Aggies came up short.
That’s not on Texas A&M. They didn’t make the schedule.
And with the 12-team playoff format, an 11-1 SEC team is going to get in. That’s the system.
But their flat performance in the postseason - at home, no less - is a stark reminder that not all 11-win seasons are built the same. And it’s a warning shot to those pushing for the SEC and Big Ten to lock in multiple guaranteed playoff spots moving forward.
Because if this is what the second- or third-best team in the SEC looks like when it steps outside the conference bubble? That’s a problem.
An ACC team came into Kyle Field - in what was arguably the biggest home game in Texas A&M history - and completely controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The Aggies were outplayed, outcoached, and overwhelmed. That’s not just a bad day; that’s a red flag for the SEC’s supposed dominance.
A win over 8-4 Missouri doesn’t carry more weight than a win over 8-4 Pitt just because it came with an SEC logo. If the league wants to claim multiple playoff berths every year, its teams need to prove they belong once they’re in. Otherwise, we’re just rubber-stamping mediocrity.
More Blowouts on the Horizon? Don’t Count Them Out
If you were hoping the first round of the expanded playoff would weed out the pretenders, the early results suggest otherwise. And unfortunately, the blowouts may not be done yet.
Georgia and Ole Miss could give us something worth watching. Their regular-season clash was a back-and-forth thriller, with the Bulldogs rallying in the fourth quarter to win 43-35.
That one had playoff-level intensity. A rematch in the Sugar Bowl?
Sign us up.
But the other three quarterfinals? Buckle up for more lopsided scoreboards.
Alabama edged out Oklahoma to advance, but their reward is a date with Indiana - a team that’s been steamrolling opponents all year. The Crimson Tide might be walking into a buzzsaw.
Then there’s Miami. Credit where it’s due - the Hurricanes went on the road and knocked off Texas A&M.
But now they face No. 2 Ohio State, and that matchup feels like a bad stylistic draw.
The Buckeyes can suffocate you with defense and grind the game down to their pace. Miami might not get blown out on the scoreboard, but they’ll be fighting uphill all game long.
And while Texas Tech vs. Oregon could be a high-scoring affair, don’t be shocked if the Red Raiders pull away.
Oregon didn’t exactly dominate against No. 12 James Madison, a team they should’ve overwhelmed.
That kind of inconsistency doesn’t bode well against a team firing on all cylinders.
Texas Tech Looks Built for a Deep Run
Speaking of teams firing on all cylinders - Texas Tech might be the most complete squad left in the playoff field. The Red Raiders are playing like a team with no holes, no hesitation, and no fear.
They’ve won 12 games by an average margin of 34.5 points. That’s not a typo.
And their only loss came when starting quarterback Behren Morton was sidelined. With him healthy, Tech has been a machine.
Defensively, they’ve been elite. The Red Raiders rank third in the FBS in scoring defense (10.9 points per game) and second among Power Four programs in total defense (254.4 yards per game).
Even more impressive? They’re the only team in the country holding opponents under 70 rushing yards per game.
That’s a defensive front that doesn’t just hold the line - it dominates it.
The front seven is loaded. Linebackers Jacob Rodriguez and Ben Roberts might be the best tandem in the country.
Up front, David Bailey brings heat off the edge, while Lee Hunter anchors the middle like a brick wall. And in the secondary, Brice Pollock has been a magnet for the football.
But don’t sleep on the offense. Morton is steady and efficient, and he’s surrounded by playmakers.
Running back Cameron Dickey has emerged as one of the Big 12’s breakout stars - a physical, downhill runner who rarely goes down on first contact. The wide receiver corps - Caleb Douglas, Reggie Virgil, and Coy Eakin - gives opposing secondaries all kinds of matchup problems.
And tight end Terrance Carter Jr. is another weapon that defenses have to account for.
This is a team that’s peaking at the right time. And if you’re looking for a smart bet, Texas Tech +1.5 against Oregon in the Orange Bowl feels like easy money.
Tulane’s Cinderella Run May Be Coming to an End
For the past few years, Tulane has been one of the best stories in college football. Under Willie Fritz, the Green Wave went from Group of Five afterthought to a legitimate national presence. The 2022 season was their breakout - a 12-2 campaign capped by a Cotton Bowl win over USC and a top-10 finish in the AP poll.
From there, Tulane kept the momentum going. They made four straight appearances in the American Championship Game, winning two, and averaged nearly 11 wins per season. Fritz eventually left for a job at Houston, where he just posted a 9-3 season.
His successor, Jon Sumrall, kept the train rolling. In two years, he went 20-4 with a 14-2 conference record and led Tulane to its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. That’s an incredible run for any program, let alone one outside the Power Four.
But now Sumrall is off to Florida, and the future feels uncertain.
Tulane promoted pass-game coordinator Will Hall to head coach - a move that raised eyebrows. Hall does have head coaching experience, but his track record at Southern Miss wasn’t exactly inspiring.
He went 14-30 from 2021 to 2024 and was let go midway through last season. In four years, he managed just one season with more than three wins.
It’s a tough pill to swallow for a program that had found lightning in a bottle with back-to-back coaching hires. Fritz and Sumrall elevated Tulane to new heights. Whether Hall can sustain that success remains to be seen.
The Green Wave have been one of the best stories in college football over the past few seasons. But with another coaching change and a questionable hire, the window for their modern golden era might be closing.