Texas A&M sits No. 11 in ESPN’s FPI, but Marcel Reed and a rebuilt offensive line will decide whether the Aggies return to the College Football Playoff.
Texas A&M football landed at No. 11 in ESPN’s updated Football Power Index, giving Mike Elko’s Aggies plenty of preseason respect, and absolutely nowhere to hide.
After reaching the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, A&M is no longer chasing relevance.
It’s expected to prove last season wasn’t a one-year eruption.
ESPN projects the Aggies to finish 8.4-3.8 and gives them a 39.1 percent chance of returning to the playoff. They’re also the fifth-highest SEC team in the model, trailing Georgia, Alabama, LSU and Texas.
That’s a strong starting point for a program that just watched a school-record 10 players leave through the 2026 NFL Draft. Elko has rebuilt around a roster featuring 65 percent returning players, 17 transfer additions and 26 freshmen, creating a volatile mix of experience and new blood.
The biggest gamble came on the coaching staff.
Wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins was elevated to offensive coordinator and play caller after working alongside former coordinator Collin Klein.
Wiggins hasn’t handled full-time play-calling duties before, but his résumé includes time under Nick Saban at Alabama and an assistant head coach role. Elko is betting that experience translates immediately.
There won’t be much patience if it doesn’t.
Quarterback Marcel Reed now becomes the face of Texas A&M’s playoff expectations.
He’s coming off the best season of his career and will operate with a potentially dangerous collection of receivers. Junior Mario Craver returns after catching 59 passes for 917 yards and four touchdowns, while Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton adds another proven weapon to the rotation.
The concern is what happens before Reed can deliver the ball.
Texas A&M must replace four starters along the offensive line. No matter how talented Reed and his receivers are, that rebuilding project could determine whether the Aggies contend for the SEC Championship or spend Saturdays running for their lives.
Defensively, Elko’s reputation provides some comfort. Losing unanimous All-American edge rusher Cashius Howell creates an obvious hole, but former Northwestern standout Anto Saka gives new coordinator Lyle Hemphill another disruptive pass-rush option. Saka’s participation in the Sack Summit only adds to the intrigue surrounding his arrival.
The FPI ranking says Texas A&M belongs near the national contenders, not that the Aggies are bulletproof.
Elko has replenished the roster, promoted from within and handed Reed one of the biggest jobs in college football. Now the quarterback, the offensive line and a first-time play caller must hold the entire operation together.
No. 11 is flattering in July. By November, it could look conservative—or painfully generous.
