ESPN FPI predicts Texas A&M vs. Kentucky in Week 3

No. 8 Texas A&M (2-0) enters SEC play, and Week 3 of the 2026 college football season is set to face Kentucky (2-0) for the first time since the 2018 season after blowing out Arizona State 48-20 last Saturday, scoring 24 points in the fourth quarter, led by starting quarterback Marcel Reed's three touchdowns and the Aggie defense producing two pick-six scores from Edge Marco Jones and cornerback Julio Humphrey.

Texas A&M's offense produced a pedestrian 255 yards, including just 92 rushing yards against ASU, which has been the focus this week for coach Mike Elko and first-year OC Holmon Wiggins, knowing that just three explosive plays of 20-plus yards isn't going to cut it if the Aggies have any shot at making it back to the College Football Playoff.

Personnel-wise, Texas A&M's wide receiver rotation is one of the deepest in the country, but so far, transfer Isaiah Horton, who leads the Aggies in receiving with three touchdowns, has been the most consistent receiver, as star junior Mario Craver and Ashton Bethel-Roman need to be involved more, while junior WR Terry Bussey also impressed to start the year.

Texas A&M's defense, despite some early-game struggles, looked utterly dominant in both wins and should continue to play at a high level, starting against Kentucky. Still, to help the defense catch its breath, establishing a more reliable rushing attack is vital, which may mean playing freshmen backs KJ Edwards and Carsyn Baker more often.

A little over 24 hours before the game, ESPN's Football Power Index prediction has Texas A&M (93.5%) as the overwhelming favorite to defeat Kentucky (6.5%) on Saturday afternoon. For comparison's sake, Arizona State had nearly a 12% chance to pull off the upset in Week 2.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: ESPN FPI predicts Texas A&M vs. Kentucky in Week 3