Next Monday, the first AP Top 25 poll will be released to the public, and while the usual online arguments have become boring and redundant, wherever Texas A&M lands, to quote Metallica's hit tune, "nothing else matters" until the season officially begins. Coming in at No. 8 in the first US LBM Coaches Poll earlier this month, the Aggies are just 21 days away from hosting Missouri State to kick off the 2026 campaign. Entering his third season at the helm, coach Mike Elko led the Aggies to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history in Year 2, while seeing a record 10 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. This success surprised only those who haven't paid attention to Elko's rise in the coaching ranks after four seasons as A&M's defensive coordinator, plus two seasons leading the Duke Blue Devils. After returning 65% of the 2025 roster, combined with 17 transfer portal additions and the 2026 signing class, Texas A&M's first seven preseason practices not only impressed those of us who cover the program, but also provided further evidence that, despite facing one of the tougher nine-game SEC schedules, the Aggies' 2026 roster is stacked with veteran talent, while starting quarterback Marcel Reed will enter his second full starting season with even higher expectations. Now, where does Texas A&M belong among the best teams in the country? ESPN's latest tier rankings placed Elko's squad in Tier 3: Maybe this is the year? Joining BYU, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and USC, writer David Hale reviewed the Aggies' 2025 numbers, focusing on their success rate on offense and defense.
"Last season, Texas A&M had a 47.1% successful play rate on offense vs. FBS opponents, and a 65.1% success rate on defense. The differential of plus-12.32 percentage points was 50% better than that of any other SEC team."
Yes, the Aggies' 2026 schedule is brutal once we hit October, but if the four new offensive line starters mesh and Marcel Reed improves in the pocket, specifically eliminating mental mistakes and cutting down his turnovers, Texas A&M's loaded secondary and revamped defensive line will give new OC Holmon Wiggins plenty of opportunities to score 30 or more points per game. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty. This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: ESPN places Texas A&M in Tier 3: 'Maybe this is their year?'