ESPN names 2 key Texas A&M matchups among 'Five best games of 2026'
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Texas A&M’s 2026 schedule is one of the toughest slates in the country, but compared to last season’s schedule, it’s important to note that no one knows how things will unfold, especially in the SEC, where several teams on the Aggies’ schedule will introduce new coaching staffs, combined with transfer quarterbacks.
Last season, the Aggies finished 4-1 on the road, with the lone loss coming at the end of the regular season to Texas. A&M’s blowout win over LSU in Death Valley was impressive at the time, but after Brian Kelly was fired, it became evident that the Tigers were an average football team, which made losing to the Longhorns even more telling for an Aggie roster many deemed the most talented in program history.
This offseason, before a record 10 players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, third-year coach Mike Elko and his staff landed 17 transfer portal additions, hoping that, combined with nearly 70% of the 2025 roster returning, led by starting quarterback Marcel Reed and junior wide receiver Mario Craver.
Hoping that rising sophomore edge Mario Jones and Northwestern transfer Anto Saka will replace unanimous All-American edge Cashius Howell, who was selected in the second round of the NFL Draft last April, Aggie fans should trust Mike Elko and new defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill, who have proven their ability to develop NFL-level talent.
Looking ahead to the Aggies’ 2026 schedule, road tests vs. LSU, Missouri, South Carolina, Alabama, and Oklahoma will likely define A&M’s season, and this week, ESPN’s Bill Connelly named two of Texas A&M’s most important matchups as two of his five best SEC games this fall, starting with the LSU road battle on Sept. 26.
“Granted, LSU’s Week 3 trip to Ole Miss might be the biggest SEC game of the season thanks to last winter’s Lane Kiffin soap opera. But by the criteria set above, the Tigers’ next game, back home in Baton Rouge, might be even bigger as far as the SEC chase is concerned.”
Texas A&M will play three consecutive home games vs. Missouri State, Arizona State, and Kentucky before facing LSU in Baton Rouge, then host Arkansas, and finish with a road game at Missouri, hoping to reach 6-0 before the toughest stretch of the schedule. While the Aggies’ 49-25 win over LSU served as the program’s first win in Death Valley since 1994, this will be the first time Mike Elko faces Lane Kiffin as A&M’s head coach.
Lastly, but most importantly, Texas A&M will host Texas for the first time since the 2024 season, and ever since the Longhorns entered the SEC, the Aggies have yet to defeat their bitter rivals, and it will likely mean even more this season concerning Texas A&M’s chances of making it back to the CFP. Texas plays eight games against Top 20 opponents, including A&M, so it’s safe to say both teams will be desperate for a victory.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: ESPN names 2 key Texas A&M matchups among ‘Five best games of 2026’
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