Opportunity. That seems appropriate when describing Texas A&M’s 2025 schedule and roster.
After dazzling performances from quarterback Marcel Reed, transfer wide receivers Mario Craver, KC Concepcion, running back Le’Veon Moss, linebacker Tauren York and defensive tackle Albert Regis on Saturday, it illustrated why the championship-caliber team believes the program can reach the promised land and hoist the College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy.
That only starts by winning.
A&M did so on Saturday night at Kyle Field and improved to 1-0, but the performance was not enough in the eyes of 60 journalists who voted in the latest AP Top 25 rankings. Instead, the program sits right where it left off at No. 19 overall heading into Week 2.
On Tuesday afternoon, several shakeups occurred, especially in the Top 10, which included some SEC schools. Out of the 16 SEC teams, 10 were in the Top 25, which includes A&M’s scheduled opponents: No. 3 LSU, No. 7 Texas, No. 10 South Carolina, and No. 13 Florida.
A&M also meets No. 9 Notre Dame in two weeks. Out of the five ranked teams it has left to play, two are at Kyle Field, while the other three games are road trips.
While it is still early, the numbers suggest a rough road ahead against high-caliber offenses and defensive-oriented teams. Three opponents the Aggies face are in the top 30 in total offense, while four are in the top 25 in total defense.
Yes, A&M has the likelihood and expectation to secure ranked wins. It is just not as easy now and will be determined by how much each player and coach invests.
Out of the Big Ten, six teams hit the mark, including No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Penn State, No. 6 Oregon, No. 11 Illinois, No. 15 Michigan and No. 23 Indiana, while in the Big 12, No. 12 Arizona State, No. 16 Iowa State, No. 24 Texas Tech and No. 25 Utah made it in safely. Joining the group from the ACC were No. 5 Miami, No. 8 Clemson, No. 14 Florida State, and No. 17 SMU.
If the voters based their predictions on last season’s results, history suggests that the Aggies were 2-2 against ranked opponents, with their two ranked wins coming against No. 9 Missouri and No. 8 LSU. They dropped their other games to No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 3 Texas.
Do not fully buy into voters making their predictions solely on last year’s teams. Assuming that quarterback play factors heavily into early-season polling, quarterbacks who battle the Aggies’ defense include Texas’ Arch Manning, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, Florida’s DJ Lagway, and Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, which makes the competition and reward more intriguing.
Coaching also plays a significant role in what voters believe certain schools might be in the upper echelon. Mike Elko gets to lay out his cards on the table with numerous big-name coaches hoping to make A&M irrelevant in the playoff conversation.
The Fighting Irish Head Coach, Marcus Freeman, is Elko’s first card dealt, who came out last year with a championship-caliber team that lost to Ohio State 34-23 in the National Championship game.
It gets no easier when Brian Kelly welcomes A&M to Death Valley in October, where the Aggies haven’t won since joining the SEC. South Carolina Head Coach Shane Beamer then brings his troops to College Station for Maroon Out in mid-November before A&M finishes the season against its nemesis, Texas, and Steve Sarkisian.