On Monday, the first AP Top 25 Poll was released, and, to the surprise of many in the national media, Texas A&M is ranked No. 8, matching its US LBM Coaches Poll ranking, even after losing 15 starters from the 2025 roster, including a record 10 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
This proves the national media respects head coach Mike Elko, who is entering his third season at the helm after leading the Aggies to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history. However, Texas A&M's new nine-game SEC schedule includes road tests vs. LSU, Missouri, Alabama, South Carolina, and Oklahoma before hosting Texas at the end of the regular season.
On paper, this is one of the toughest schedules in the country, but at this time last year, it's important to remember that A&M's 2025 schedule was also considered one of the tougher slates before several teams declined, while the Aggies started the season 11-0 for the first time since 1992.
In my humble opinion, preseason rankings are somewhat meaningless before the games are played; they provide a framework for which teams are expected to contend for a spot in the CFP. Best example? The Texas Longhorns, with one of the deepest rosters in the country and QB Arch Manning, are ranked 5th.
Based on the rankings, Texas A&M plays six ranked teams: No. 5 Texas, No. 11 LSU, No. 13 Alabama, No. 10 Oklahoma, No. 20 Tennessee, and No. 25 Missouri. Here is On3's general takeaway of the Aggies' arduous conference schedule.
"Texas A&M couldn’t finish the season strong a year ago and it resulted in missing the SEC Championship Game at the last second and then folding in the first round of the playoffs. The Aggies better have learned how to close better, because the final stretch of the season includes three straight games against ranked opponents, including two against Top 10 foes."
If you had to ask Mike Elko, this entire offseason and preseason has been centered around physicality and relentless play that lasts throughout the regular season, led by quarterback Marcel Reed, who is entering his second full starting season and must eliminate the mental mistakes and utilize his dual-threat skill set to keep defenses on their toes.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: How many AP Top 25 teams will Texas A&M face in 2026?
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