Texas A&M’s 2026 schedule is loaded with road tests, but Mike Elko’s Aggies may be judged most by another shot at Texas.
Texas A&M football has plenty of land mines on its 2026 schedule, but the game circled in permanent ink is obvious: Texas.
The Lone Star Showdown has quickly become the measuring-stick game for Mike Elko’s Aggies, especially after back-to-back losses to the Longhorns left a nasty taste in College Station.
The 2026 season won’t be gentle. Texas A&M has road trips to LSU, Missouri, Alabama, South Carolina and Oklahoma, giving the Aggies one of the SEC’s toughest away slates.
Still, none of those games will carry the emotional punch of facing Texas again.
Elko has built momentum at Texas A&M, but beating the Longhorns is the box he still hasn’t checked since Texas entered the SEC. Last season’s 27-17 loss on the road hurt.
The 17-7 defeat in College Station the year before still stings for Aggies fans who expect this program to stand toe-to-toe with its archrival.
Both teams should enter 2026 with national expectations. Texas is likely to open near the top of the polls, while Texas A&M projects as a top-10 contender despite losing a school-record 10 players in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Aggies reloaded through the transfer portal, and Texas did the same, adding Auburn transfer wide receiver Cam Coleman as a potential No. 1 target for Arch Manning.
For Texas A&M, quarterback Marcel Reed remains the key.
He threw for a career-high 3,169 yards and 25 touchdowns last season, but his 12 interceptions — including four combined picks against Texas and Miami in the College Football Playoff — showed where he has to grow.
New quarterbacks coach Joey Lynch will be tasked with sharpening Reed’s footwork, accuracy and decision-making. But the Aggies also need a steadier late-season running game.
Texas A&M can have a strong year without beating Texas. But it won’t feel complete unless the Aggies finally get revenge.
Join Our Roundtable Community For Free! Share your takes, connect with our Roundtable writers, and talk sports with fellow fans. Download the free Roundtable App today and stay closer to the conversation.