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In Year 2 under Mike Elko, Texas A&M put together a football season for the ages and broke generational curses in the process. 

The Aggies won 11 regular-season games for the first time since 1994 when they were members of the Southwest Conference. They pulled off the biggest comeback in school history against South Carolina and went on the road to land a historic win against Notre Dame with a magical fourth-and-13 touchdown pass. 

Finally, in Year 12 of the College Football Playoff, the Aggies reached the postseason. And even more gratifying was the fact that rival Texas was left on the outside looking in. But, after an ugly 10-3 loss to No. 10 Miami in the first round, it's a season that left meat on the bone. 

After finishing the 2024 season on a losing streak, the Aggies looked to build around starting quarterback Marcel Reed. They made two fantastic investments in wide receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver, both of whom earned All-American status. Tight end Nate Boerkircher and defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim also emerged as key additions. 

The roster building culminated with a 41-40 upset at the buzzer against No. 8 Notre Dame, which introduced the Aggies to the national stage. Texas A&M won 11 straight games to begin the year, the first such start since 1994. Reed was one of the breakout players in the sport, and after crushing LSU 48-25, serious national contention seemed within reach. 

However, after going on the road to shellac Missouri 38-17, something shifted. The Aggies went down 30-3 against lowly South Carolina. They ultimately went on to score 28 straight to pull off the comeback, but the lackluster effort carried into their 27-17 loss against rival Texas. In his final two games, Reed threw zero touchdowns to four interceptions. 

Now, instead of reaching a first-round bye as it looked for most of the year, the Aggies are out in the first round. Several key players are set to leave for the NFL, including at least three starters on the offensive line. Both coordinators are set to leave as well. 

The 2025 season was proof of concept for Elko's Aggies, but there's work to be done to improve on this campaign. 

The offense is just getting started

Earlier this week, Texas A&M wide receiver Mario Craver announced that he was returning to the program in 2026 on a new deal. Craver's production tapered off in the second half of the year, but his efforts were massive for the Aggies during a breakout season. He finished the regular season with 52 catches for 825 yards. 

With Craver returning, the Texas A&M passing attack should only continue to grow in 2026 behind Reed. The sophomore was a breakout player in college football, finishing with just under 3,000 yards passing, 500 yards rushing and 31 total touchdowns in the regular season. Even with receiver KC Concepcion expected to leave for the NFL, the offense will be dangerous. 

The offensive line remains a significant question mark, however, after losing multiple All-Americans. Additionally, Holman Wiggins takes over as offensive coordinator from Collin Klein; Wiggins has never called plays during his legendary wide receiver coach career. 

But if Texas A&M's 2024 offseason was any indication, the Aggies will again do an exceptional job of identifying top skill talent and bringing them to College Station. 

The run defense remains inconsistent

Texas A&M made a meaningful defensive jump in 2025, leaping from No. 12 to 5 in the SEC in total defense. But in the biggest moments of the season, the unit still let them down against the run. 

The Aggies rank No. 13 in yards per carry defense, giving up more than 4 yards per carry. In their losses against Texas and Miami, running backs put together their best efforts of the season. Hurricanes rusher Mark Fletcher rushed for 172 yards on only 17 carries, exceeding his production from the three previous games. Texas running back Quintrevion Wisner also added 155 yards on the ground, his only 100-yard rushing performance of the season. 

Texas A&M has rushed the passer well, but the Aggies remain inconsistent against the run. Linebackers Taurean York and Daymion Sanford are expected back, but both defensive tackles are out of eligibility. Junior D.J. Hicks will be the primary defensive lineman expected to take another step. 

The Aggies will also turn to Lyle Hemphill as defensive coordinator after Jay Bateman left for a job at Kentucky. Hemphill is a longtime confidant of Elko. 

The final prognosis

After winning 11 games and reaching the College Football Playoff, the Elko era is already off to a blazing start. The program was able to quickly identify and fill holes on the roster through the transfer portal, and the core of the program is set. 

Next year, the Aggies bring in another top 10 recruiting class filled with potential instant-impact contributors. They'll again be a buyer in the portal, especially as transfers see the success of the previous class. 

The schedule will likely not line up as easily for the Aggies heading forward, but Texas A&M has established itself as a serious factor in the SEC under Elko.