2026 Alabama Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 8: Texas A&M

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Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) runs with the ball during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Texas A&M football won between 7-9 games per season from 2013-24, with the exception of a 5-win 2022 campaign.

The final year in that range was led by first-year head coach Mike Elko, who held the same role at Duke the two seasons prior. But 2025 was an outlier for the Aggies, and it was in the better direction. Elko and Texas A&M finished with an 11-2 record – its best mark since Johnny Manziel's 2012 Heisman season.

This included a 7-1 clip against the SEC, which also helped Texas A&M reach the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history as the No. 7 seed. That said, the Aggies' magical season ended in the first round at the hands of eventual national champion runner-up Miami.

Texas A&M's historic success led to 10 2026 NFL Draft picks, which is tied for the most the school has ever produced. This is typically a double-edged sword, as it means 10 of your best players are not with the 2026 team. However, the Aggies returned 65 percent of their production from last season, which ranks 14th of the 138 FBS teams.

Texas A&M could have a roster that finally gets it over the hump and earns a spot among the top tier of the SEC. But can the Aggies get it done?

Offense

For starters, the offense is run by coordinator Holmon Wiggins. The 46-year-old is quite familiar with the Crimson Tide, as he was Alabama's wide receivers coach and assistant offensive head coach from 2019-23. He helped develop the likes of DeVonta Smith, Jerry Jeudy, Jaylen Waddle, Henry Ruggs, John Metchie III, Jameson Williams and more. Here's a look at the unit he's running at Texas A&M.

Quarterback battles are very common in the offseason, including at Alabama this year, but that is not the case for Texas A&M. Redshirt junior Marcel Reed will command the huddle once again after completing 234 of 377 (62.1 percent) pass attempts for 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The dual-threat also rushed for 493 yards and six more scores on 104 attempts. The 2027 NFL Draft will have a plethora of quarterbacks, and he's up there with some of the best.

Rueben Owens II will lead the running backs again after taking over for Le'Veon Moss last season following an injury. Owens ran for 639 yards and found the end zone five times after putting together 119 carries. Jamarion Morrow (43 carries, 182 yards, one touchdown) will get a major promotion as the primary backup after Moss and two other running backs who were ahead of him last year (not including Owens) exhausted their collegiate eligibility.

Texas A&M's receiving corps has a couple of familiar names. Mario Craver, who will line up in the slot and tallied 917 yards last season, is from Pinson, Alabama, and went to Clay-Chalkville High School. He was teammates with former Alabama and current Georgia Tech cornerback Jaylen Mbakwe, and the two of them faced former Saraland and current Crimson Tide wideout Ryan Coleman-Williams in the 2023 6A State Championship. Craver will be the Aggies' top target in 2026 after KC Concepcion was picked in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Ahston Bethel-Roman will take one of the outside wide receiver spots after finishing third on Texas A&M in yards (503) on just 24 catches (21 yards per catch!) and added five touchdowns. But the other starting wide receiver will be a name Alabama fans definitely know: Isaiah Horton. The 6-4, 208-pounder was the Tide's leading touchdown-catcher (8) in 2025 on 42 catches for 511 yards. Horton's departure was a bit of a surprise after a standout season, as his stats likely would've gotten a boost after Germie Bernard went to the NFL, but this will be a big storyline entering Oct. 24.

If there are any 1-on-1 offensive position battles, it would be at tight end between Micah Riley and Houston Thomas. That said, Thomas definitely has the edge in terms of experience and stats. He spent the last four years at UTSA and logged 34 receptions in each of the last two seasons for the Roadrunners.

An Alabama reunion is definitely a theme for this game, as in addition to Horton, offensive lineman Wilkin Formby also transferred from the Crimson Tide to the Aggies in the offseason. He started his career at tackle, but was moved to guard in 2025, which worked out a bit better for him. But Formby is expected to return to his right tackle spot as a starter in College Station. He'll be a part of a much different offensive line from last year, as four of the starters were drafted and center Mark Nabou Jr. is the only returner.

Defense

Like Alabama, Texas A&M runs a 4-2-5 defense led by coordinator Lyle Hemphill, his first year holding that title after being the associate head coach for defense last season. The defensive line will be a big task for Hemphill, as three 2025 starters were selected in the second round of the draft.

Northwestern transfer Anto Saka (13 tackles, four for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery last season) is expected to take one of the defensive end roles, while North Carolina transfer CJ Mims (42-2.5-2-1) lines up at nose tackle. The other spots will likely go to returners DJ Hicks (26-6.5-3) at defensive tackle and Marco Jones (21-3.5-2.5) at JACK defensive end (what Alabama calls the "WOLF" linebacker), both of whom have a decent amount of experience.

The two linebackers will feature one returner and one incoming transfer. Daymion Sanford totaled the fourth-most tackles for the Aggies last season with 57, including a team second-best 9.5 for loss, plus 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception. Ray Coney should take the other spot after recording 129 tackles, including 7.5 for loss, two sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble last season at Tulsa. Coney's tackle total ranked sixth in the country.

The secondary will be led by yet another familiar name in cornerback Dezz Ricks, who transferred out of Alabama after seeing time in just two games of his freshman year in 2023. Nevertheless, he's carved out a role in College Station over the last two years, most notably in 2025 when he registered 26 tackles and six pass breakups.

Texas A&M had two cornerbacks go to the NFL, and redshirt junior Jordan Shaw, the most experienced returner, will likely join Ricks in the secondary as the starting nickel. But the other cornerback spot could be a competition between Julio Humphrey and Tennessee transfer Rickey Gibson III.

Gibson is a very intriguing member of the defense, as before playing just one game last year due to an injury in the Volunteers' opener, he ranked third on the team in pass breakups (five) to go along with 32 tackles, including two for loss and a forced fumble as a sophomore in 2024.

The starting safeties are probably the easiest to decipher on defense. Marcus Ratcliffe and Dalton Brooks are both returners from last season and finished second and third on the team in tackles, respectively. Ratcliffe also held a 3-1 lead over Brooks in pass breakups, but the latter had 6.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. This duo could be among the top safety tandems in the country, joining Alabama's Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb.

Schedule

The Aggies should have a really solid record heading into Oct. 24. The only potential challenges will be road games against LSU (Sept. 26) and Missouri (Oct. 10). The final four games on Texas A&M's schedule will be tough, as it'll face South Carolina (Nov. 7) and Oklahoma (Nov. 21) on the road and host Tennessee (Nov. 14) and Texas (Nov. 27).

This will be Alabama's sixth of nine SEC contests. It'll be a hectic two weeks before it faces the Aggies, as the Crimson Tide will host Georgia on Oct. 10 and travel to Tennessee on Oct. 17. A week after the Texas A&M game, DeBoer and company will battle LSU on the road.

Outlook

Alabama is 152-17 at home over the past 20 years, which ranks No. 1 in the country. All but one of DeBoer's eight losses at UA were on the road or in neutral territory, however, Texas A&M will be among the best opponents the Tide has hosted over the last couple of seasons.

It should be a very close game from start to finish, and Alabama will need every bit of the home-field advantage to come out on top of this one.

The Game

Date:Oct. 24

Time:FLEX (2:30-3:30 p.m. OR 5-7 p.m.)

TV:TBD

Location:Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Series history:Alabama leads 13-3, with the first matchup occurring on Jan. 1, 1942. The Crimson Tide holds a 6-1 record against the Aggies in Tuscaloosa and has won nine of the last 10 overall meetings.

Last meeting:Alabama outlasted the Aggies 26-20 on the road on Oct. 7, 2023. Tide Quarterback Jalen Milroe passed for 321 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, but the biggest star was wide receiver Jermaine Burton, who logged nine receptions for 197 yards and hauled in two of Milroe's touchdown throws. Justin Eboigbe led the way defensively with 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, the latter was flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone to put UA up 26-17 with six minutes remaining in regulation.

The Team

Coach:Mike Elko, third season, 19-7 record

Offensive coordinator:Holmon Wiggins

Defensive coordinator:Lyle Hemphill

2025 record:11-2 (7-1 SEC)

2025 rankings:Total offense (23rd), Total defense (18th)

Returning Starters

Nine (4 on offense, 5 on defense)

Players to Watch

QB Marcel Reed, WR Mario Craver, WR Isaiah Horton, OL Wilkin Formby, DT DJ Hicks, LB Ray Coney, CB Dezz Ricks, S Dalton Brooks

Top Newcomer

An argument could be made for several players regarding the Preseason Top Newcomer Award, including the aforementioned Alabama transfers Horton and Formby. But Tennessee cornerback transfer Rickey Gibson III might have a slight edge despite missing the rest of the 2025 season after an injury in the opener.

Biggest Question

Can Texas A&M finally get over the hump and join the top tier of the SEC?

The School

Location:College Station, Texas

Founded:1876

Enrollment:74,407

Nickname:Aggies

Colors: Aggie Maroon and White

Mascot:Reveille X

The Program

Last time beat Alabama: 2021

Last time won SEC: Never

National championships:3 (1919, 1927, 1939)

Playoff Appearances:1 (2025-26)

Conference championships:18 (SWC: 1917, 1919, 1921, 1925, 1927, 1939-41, 1956, 1967, 1975, 1985-87, 1991-93; Big 12: 1998)

Bowl record (last appearance):20-24 (lost 2025-26 College Football Playoff First Round)

Last season missed bowl:2022

Heisman trophies:2 (John David Crow – 1957, Johnny Manziel – 2012)

2026 NFL Draft:

Texas A&M tied a program record with 10 draft picks:

WR KC Concepcion (Round 1, Pick 24 – Cleveland Browns)
OG Chase Bisontis (Round 2, Pick 34 – Arizona Cardinals
DE Cashius Howell (Round 2, Pick 41 – Cincinnati Bengals)
TE Nate Boerkircher (Round 2, Pick 56 – Jacksonville Jaguars)
DT Tyler Onyedim (Round 3, Pick 66 – Denver Broncos)
DT Albert Regis (Round 3, Pick 81 – Jacksonville Jaguars)
OT Trey Zuhn (Round 3, Pick 91 – Las Vegas Raiders)
CB Will Lee (Round 4, Pick 129 – Carolina Panthers)
OT Dametrious Crownover (Round 6, Pick 196 -New England Patriots)
OG Ar'maj Reed-Adams (Round 7, Pick 241 – Buffalo Bills)

Last Four Recruiting Class Rankings

No. 10 (2026), No. 9 (2025), No. 19 (2024), No. 15 (2023)

The Schedule

Sept. 5: vs. Missouri State
Sept. 12: vs. Arizona State
Sept. 19: vs. Kentucky
Sept. 26: at LSU
Oct. 3: vs. Arkansas
Oct. 10: at Missouri
Oct. 17: vs. The Citadel
Oct. 24: at Alabama
Nov. 7: at South Carolina
Nov. 14: vs. Tennessee
Nov. 21: at Oklahoma
Nov. 27: vs. Texas

This is the eighth story inBamaCentral'ssummer preview series of all 12 regular-season opponents for Alabama football in 2025. Ensuing stories will be published throughout June and early July.

2026 Alabama Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 1: East Carolina

2026 Alabama Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 2: Kentucky

2026 Alabama Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 3: Florida State

2026 Alabama Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 4: South Carolina

2026 Alabama Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 5: Mississippi State

2026 Alabama Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 6: Georgia

2026 Alabama Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 7: Tennessee

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