Ranking Texas A&M's 11 remaining opponents from easiest to toughest
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There were several blowout wins by Texas A&M's opponents in Week 1, with LSU delivering the most impressive win overall.
The Aggies took a little while to figure it out, but A&M ultimately pulled away in the third quarter and put the game out of reach. The backups came in and got valuable reps that will pay dividends down the line. The biggest question for A&M is still the offensive line and what lineup is ultimately the best five. Right now, it feels like Tyree Adams (LT), Mark Nabou (C) and Wilkin Formby (RT) have locked in their spots, while the two guard positions are still up for grabs, and for good reason.
Early on, miscommunication gave too many Missouri State defenders free lanes to Reed, who was sacked twice. Luckily, Reed is one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the NCAA and escaped much of the pressure, turning broken plays into positive ones. The offense would figure it out in the second half, and the Aggies would go on to hang 50 points on the Bears.
The defense looked fine, but it's always hard to tell how good it really is simply because of the opponent. Nothing against the Bears, but they just did not have enough talent to challenge the Aggies for more than a few plays at a time. This week, theywill face a much tougher test against an Arizona State offense that just had three 100-yard receivers against Morgan State. They looked like a tough team and even made a jump in the rankings this week.
Week 1 is in the books, and we have a slightly better idea of what these opponents will look like moving forward. Here's a ranking of Texas A&M's remaining opponents from easiest to most challenging heading into Week 2:
11. Texas A&M vs. Citadel – Week 7
2026 record: 1-1
Analysis: The Citadel was blown out 42-14 by Wofford in its season opener but responded with an impressive 43-41 triple-overtime road win over FBS opponent Charlotte. Running back Gavin Garcia rushed for 137 yards and three touchdowns in the upset. Still, the talent gap between an FCS program and Texas A&M is significant, especially at Kyle Field, making this the easiest game remaining on the Aggies' schedule.
10. Texas A&M vs. Arkansas – Week 5
2026 record: 1-0
Analysis: The Ryan Silverfield era started with a win, but Arkansas wasn't nearly as impressive as most of A&M's other SEC opponents in Week 1. The Razorbacks beat North Alabama 31-14 after winning only two games last season. There is still plenty to learn about this team under a first-year head coach, and A&M has dominated the recent history of the rivalry. For now, Arkansas looks like the least difficult SEC game remaining on the Aggies' schedule.
9. Texas A&M vs. Kentucky – Week 3
2026 record: 1-0
Analysis: Kentucky looked good in Will Stein's head coaching debut, beating Youngstown State 45-13 behind a strong performance from quarterback Kenny Minchey. He threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns, while the Wildcats added 191 yards on the ground. It's only one game against an FCS opponent, but Kentucky's new offense showed enough to make this matchup more interesting than it looked entering the season.
8. Texas A&M vs. Arizona State – Week 2
2026record: 1-0
Analysis: Arizona State made one of the loudest statements of Week 1, putting up 682 yards of offense in a 70-7 win over Morgan State. Quarterback Cutter Boley threw for 387 yards and six touchdowns, while the Sun Devils averaged 7.1 yards per carry on the ground. Morgan State is nowhere close to the challenge A&M's defense will present, but the Sun Devils showed enough explosiveness to make this the Aggies' first real test of the season.
7. Texas A&M @ Missouri – Week 6
2026 record: 1-0
Analysis: Missouri handled its Week 1 business with a 54-14 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and remains one of the SEC's more dangerous teams. The Tigers have quietly become one of the conference's most consistent programs in recent years, and A&M has to face them at Memorial Stadium. They may not have the national reputation of some teams higher on this list, but this is exactly the type of SEC road game that can cause problems if the Aggies aren't playing their best.
6. Texas A&M @ South Carolina – Week 10
2026 record: 1-0
Analysis: South Carolina opened the season with a 57-0 shutout of Kent State, with quarterback LaNorris Sellers throwing three touchdown passes. A&M also knows firsthand how difficult this matchup can be after needing a historic comeback to beat the Gamecocks last season. Add another trip to Williams-Brice Stadium, and South Carolina remains one of the more dangerous games on A&M's schedule.
5. Texas A&M vs. Tennessee – Week 11
2026 record: 1-0
Analysis: Tennessee's biggest question entering the season was how freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon would handle the job, and his debut couldn't have gone much better. Brandon threw three touchdowns and ran for two more in a 56-9 win over Furman, tying a Tennessee freshman record with five total touchdowns. There will be much tougher tests ahead, but Josh Heupel appears to have another talented quarterback running an offense that has consistently been difficult to defend.
4. Texas A&M @ Alabama – Week 8
2026 record: 1-0
Analysis: Alabama looked every bit like a contender in its 48-10 opening win over East Carolina. The Crimson Tide dominated on both sides of the ball, and Kalen DeBoer continues to show that the program isn't going away simply because Nick Saban retired. A&M has beaten Alabama before, but going into Tuscaloosa and doing it remains one of the most difficult assignments on the schedule.
3. Texas A&M @ Oklahoma – Week 12
2025 final record: 1-0
Analysis: Oklahoma couldn't have done much more in Week 1, shutting out UTEP 51-0 while scoring on its first eight possessions and holding the Miners to 198 total yards. Quarterback John Mateer threw three touchdown passes, and when he is healthy, Oklahoma has the type of offense that can give any SEC defense problems. A late-November trip to Norman makes an already difficult opponent even tougher.
2. Texas A&M @ LSU – Week 4
2026 record: 1-0
Analysis: No A&M opponent improved its stock more in Week 1 than LSU. In Lane Kiffin's debut, the Tigers dismantled Clemson 51-10 while producing 644 yards of offense. Quarterback Sam Leavitt was dangerous through the air and on the ground, and LSU's defense created problems of its own. Add the atmosphere of Death Valley and the recent history between these programs, and this has the makings of one of A&M's biggest tests of the season.
1. Texas A&M vs. Texas – Week 13
2026 record: 1-0
Analysis: Until Texas A&M beats the Longhorns, Texas stays at the top of this list. The Longhorns did nothing in Week 1 to change that, rolling past Texas State 59-7 behind 516 yards of offense. Arch Manning threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns, while the defense forced three turnovers. The good news for A&M is that this year's rivalry game returns to Kyle Field, but the Aggies still have to prove they can get over the hump against their biggest rival.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Ranking Texas A&M's 11 remaining opponents from easiest to toughest
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