What loss to Kentucky means for Texas A&M: Tough road ahead makes CFP a difficult goal for Aggies

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

What loss to Kentucky means for Texas A&M: Tough road ahead makes CFP a difficult goal for Aggies originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Texas A&M was a powerhouse last season, until it wasn't. An 11-0 start gave way to a rivalry week loss to Texas and a dismal home loss to Miami in the College Football Playoff.

Those struggles, it turns out, aren't behind the Aggies just yet.

Texas A&M suffered a 31-21 upset loss to Kentucky at home on Saturday, opening SEC play with a surprise defeat that could be meaningful when the selection committee makes its final decisions in September.

Here's a breakdown of what Texas A&M's loss to Kentucky means.

LIVE:Follow updates from Lane Kiffin's return to Ole Miss

What loss to Kentucky means for Texas A&M

One loss is not enough to derail any SEC team's playoff hopes in the 12-team era. That's the good news for Texas A&M, even if a home loss to a team that isn't considered to be in the upper tier of the conference is a particularly tough blow.

The bad news for Mike Elko's team is that their margin of error has been considerably reduced, and the Aggies' schedule this season is far from favorable.

Vanderbilt missed the playoff at 10-2 last season, while Texas missed at 9-3. One more loss for Texas A&M could raise some questions about the program's viability as a playoff team, and two could be a death sentence.

Texas A&M's schedule still includes road matchups with LSU and Alabama, as well as a home matchup with No. 1 Texas during rivalry week. Because the SEC is difficult and deep, those are far from the only roadblocks standing in the Aggies' way.

Here's a full look at Texas A&M's remaining schedule.

MORE:A Jimbo Fisher return to Florida State would be fun — but the Seminoles simply can't do it 

Texas A&M remaining schedule

Texas A&M faces LSU in Death Valley next weekend and still has matchups at Alabama, Missouri and Oklahoma. The Aggies, who lost on their home field on Saturday, also still have to play host to Texas and Tennessee in addition to struggling Arkansas.

With a loss already on their record, the Aggies likely can't afford to lose two more games unless they pick up some extremely meaningful wins along the way. Last season proved even two losses aren't enough to guarantee an SEC's teams place in the playoff, though only one more loss for Texas A&M would mean the Aggies likely pick up enough signature wins along the way to earn a spot.

How many SEC teams got into CFP last year?

Five SEC teams made the College Football Playoff last season: Georgia, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Alabama.

Entering Week 3, SN's Bill Bender had five SEC teams in his projected playoff bracket: Texas, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss and Alabama, with Texas A&M on the outside-looking-in.

After Saturday's loss, it's going to take some signature wins for the Aggies to find their way back into the playoff picture. Fortunately for Mike Elko, those opportunities are exactly what an SEC schedule provides.

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos